Ryanair claims it has been “the most vocal in the EU” about trying to prevent flight cancellations this summer.
It comes after the airline cancelled more than 900 flights last month due to disruption from air traffic control strikes across France.
Some 160,000 passengers were impacted by the cancellations.
French Air Traffic Controllers have protested plans to increase the pension age, resulting in 60 days of strike in 2023 - including a 34-hour strike ending on June 30th.
On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, Ryanair spokesperson Dara Brady said the strikes are causing cancellations “we’d rather not see”.
“The last thing we want to see is disruption for any of our passengers,” he said.
“That's why we've been the most vocal airline out of any airline in the EU.”
Mr Brady said the strikes only affected a small percent of the “record” 17.5 million passengers they carried in June – but they still plan to push for fewer disruptions.
Ryanair previously launched a petition demanding that the European Commission protect holidaymakers’ flights. It has now reached 1.247 million signatures.
Overflights
Mr Brady said Ryanair want to protect “overflights” for passengers travelling across Europe.
“You could be flying from a flight from Dublin to Spain and not touching down in France at all,” he said.
“However, overflights that pass through French airspace can be disrupted when French air traffic controllers go on strike.”
Mr Brady said the EU Commission needs to take a “serious look” at this problem and protect overflights.
“We've seen it in other markets like Greece, Italy and Spain, where overflights are protected and it's the domestic flights that are impacted,” he said.
“It’s a very sensible measure.”
'The voices of the passengers'
Mr Brady said it is “always challenging at the EU level trying to get all member states to cooperate” - but Ryanair thinks it has made progress.
“The voices of passengers will have to be heard,” he said. “Action will need to be taken.”
“Maybe it’s too late for this summer, but from a Ryanair perspective we will keep the pressure on.
“We don't want to see any of our passengers - albeit a small amount - we don't want to see any passenger here disrupted unnecessarily during the summer holiday.”
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