Ryanair criticises EU commission as strike halts Belgian air traffic

(Alliance News) - Ryanair Holdings PLC on Tuesday criticised the EU commission as it condemned what it described as an "illegal strike" by Belgian air traffic controllers.

The Dublin-based budget carrier said the strike had "forced the short notice cancellation of 100 Ryanair flights to/from Charleroi and Zaventem Airports, disrupting almost 20,000 passengers".

Ryanair stressed that it respected "the right to strike", but had not been given notice.

Brussels Airport said on Tuesday that Belgian air traffic would be suspended between midday and 19:00, according to Reuters.

Belgian News Agency reported that a strike overnight on Monday had resulted in 30 passenger flight cancellations at Charleroi and 40 cargo flights at Liege.

According to the agency, staff are striking in protest against conditions related to a future digital control tower in Namur, from which the operations of the Charleroi and Liege towers are planned to be centralised starting next year.

In a statement, Chief Executive Michael O'Leary took aim at EU president Ursula von der Leyen, saying: "Ryanair has repeatedly called on the EU Commission to reform Europe's broken ATC system to protect passengers from these ATC strikes, but 'Useless Ursula' von der Leyen continues to sit on her hands doing nothing while a tiny number of European air traffic controllers once again hold European citizens to ransom with today's zero notice strikes."

Ryanair shares were up 0.6% from the open at EUR24.74 on Tuesday afternoon in Dublin.

By Holly Munks, Alliance News reporter

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