Home » Greece » Greece Travel News » Europe Travel Set To Freeze As Ryanair Warns Of Widespread Air Traffic Control Strikes And Delays Across France, Spain, Germany, UK, And Greece: New Updates You Need To Know
Published on
October 5, 2025
Europe’s travel network is on the brink of a major freeze as Ryanair warns of extensive air traffic control (ATC) strikes and delays set to impact flights across France, Spain, Germany, the UK, and Greece. With French air traffic controllers leading the charge in upcoming strikes, Ryanair predicts widespread disruptions, including up to 600 daily flight cancellations and a significant ripple effect on other European routes. The airline has sharply criticized the EU’s failure to address ongoing ATC mismanagement, urging for immediate reforms to ensure fully staffed ATC services and to protect airspace during strikes. Passengers traveling within Europe this autumn must stay vigilant, as Ryanair’s call for urgent action aims to mitigate the chaos plaguing the aviation industry.
Europe is facing a looming travel disruption as Ryanair, the continent’s largest low-cost airline, has issued an urgent warning regarding widespread air traffic control (ATC) strikes and delays that will affect several of Europe’s busiest air corridors. With strikes scheduled for key European nations such as France, Spain, Germany, the UK, and Greece, Ryanair has cautioned travelers to brace for significant flight cancellations, delays, and travel chaos.
Ryanair’s Call for Immediate Action
In a statement released just days ahead of the French air traffic controllers’ strike, Ryanair urged EU President Ursula von der Leyen to take immediate action to address Europe’s deep-rooted ATC issues. The airline has long called for reforms to ensure that air traffic services are properly staffed and managed, particularly during peak travel hours, to prevent unnecessary disruptions.
The September “ATC Delays League,” published by Ryanair, placed France, Spain, Germany, the UK, and Greece at the top of the list for the most delayed and canceled flights due to ATC mismanagement and inadequate staffing levels. These countries, according to Ryanair, are allowing their ATC services to falter, which directly impacts millions of passengers across Europe.
The French ATC Strike and Its Impact
The primary concern for travelers over the coming days is the planned strike by French air traffic controllers, set to begin on October 7, 2025. Ryanair warns that as many as 600 flights per day could be grounded as a result of the strike, with the potential to affect over 100,000 passengers. The French airspace, which is a critical passage for overflights to other European countries, will experience a significant reduction in capacity, leading to severe delays in air travel.
While French flights will be directly impacted, the ripple effects will extend to neighboring countries, particularly those with routes that traverse French airspace. Passengers flying to or from France, as well as those flying between other European countries but overflying France, will be significantly affected.
The strike comes as no surprise to Ryanair, which has expressed concerns for months about the inefficiency of France’s ATC services. According to the airline, the French government has failed to ensure that its ATC services are properly staffed, contributing to the ongoing wave of strikes that have plagued the industry in recent years.
Widespread ATC Disruptions Across Europe
The French strike is part of a broader pattern of ATC disruptions across Europe. In its report, Ryanair highlighted that the worst-performing countries in terms of ATC delays and cancellations include Spain, Germany, the UK, and Greece. These nations are often cited for their poor management of ATC services, which continue to cause significant inconvenience to passengers.
Ryanair also pointed out that these countries’ governments have refused to prioritize ATC staffing and efficient management, despite repeated calls for reform. In many instances, ATC strikes are triggered by disputes over staffing levels and working conditions, which Ryanair argues could be avoided through proactive measures and a commitment to adequate staffing.
In contrast, Ryanair commended countries such as Bulgaria, Slovakia, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Denmark for their efficient ATC systems. These nations, according to the airline, have managed to maintain a higher level of operational efficiency without the disruptions seen in their counterparts. They have ensured that their ATC services are fully staffed, even during peak travel times, thus minimizing delays and cancellations.
Impact on Travelers
For passengers, the consequences of these ATC strikes and delays are far-reaching. According to Ryanair’s estimates, over 30 million EU passengers have already been disrupted by ATC delays and cancellations in 2025 alone. This number is expected to rise significantly in the coming months, especially with the continuation of the French strike and the ongoing risk of similar disruptions in other European countries.
Passengers flying with Ryanair, as well as those traveling with other major European carriers, are advised to check their flight status regularly, as the situation remains fluid. Ryanair is offering flexibility for passengers impacted by these disruptions, allowing them to reschedule flights or receive refunds, depending on the severity of the delay or cancellation.
In addition to the immediate inconvenience of delayed or canceled flights, these disruptions have broader economic implications. The travel and tourism industry, which has already been hit hard by the pandemic, faces another setback as millions of tourists are left stranded or forced to make last-minute changes to their travel plans. Additionally, businesses dependent on air travel for their operations, including logistics companies and multinational corporations, are also impacted by the delays and cancellations.
Ryanair’s Call for Reform
Ryanair’s position on the matter is clear: the EU’s ATC system is broken and requires urgent reform. The airline has called on EU President Ursula von der Leyen to take decisive action to address the inefficiencies in ATC services and to ensure that national ATC services are fully staffed, particularly during the critical first wave of morning flights. Ryanair proposes that fines be imposed on countries that fail to meet these staffing requirements and that the EU Commission take steps to protect overflights during national ATC strikes.
The airline has also launched an online campaign, urging passengers to visit the ‘Air Traffic Control Ruined Your Flight’ webpage and demand action from the EU. Through this platform, Ryanair hopes to mobilize passengers and create a groundswell of support for ATC reform, ultimately pushing the EU Commission to implement the necessary changes.
Despite these efforts, Ryanair has been vocal in its criticism of Ursula von der Leyen, accusing the EU President of neglecting the issue of ATC reform. According to the airline, von der Leyen’s inaction has contributed to the ongoing chaos, which has disrupted millions of EU passengers in 2025 alone. Ryanair has called for her to either take action or step aside and allow someone more competent to tackle the issue.
Solutions Proposed by Ryanair
Ryanair’s proposed solutions to the ATC crisis are straightforward. The airline believes that the EU Commission must take a more active role in overseeing national ATC services and enforcing staffing requirements. Specifically, Ryanair has recommended that national ATC services be fully staffed during the first wave of morning flights, when demand is at its highest. Countries that fail to meet these staffing requirements should face fines, according to the airline.
Additionally, Ryanair calls for protections for overflights during national ATC strikes. When air traffic controllers in one country go on strike, it often leads to the grounding of flights passing through that country’s airspace. Ryanair has proposed that the EU Commission step in to ensure that overflights are not disrupted during such strikes, thus protecting the Single European Market for air travel.
By implementing these reforms, Ryanair believes that European air traffic could become more efficient, reducing delays and cancellations while ensuring that passengers can travel without fear of disruptions.
The Future of European Air Travel
The future of European air travel depends largely on how the EU and national governments respond to the ongoing ATC crisis. As Ryanair has highlighted, the lack of effective management and staffing in many countries is putting the entire European aviation industry at risk. If reforms are not implemented soon, the situation is likely to worsen, leading to even more widespread disruptions.
For travelers, this means that the next few months could be filled with uncertainty. With strikes and delays becoming increasingly common, passengers must remain vigilant and flexible in order to avoid further inconvenience. While Ryanair is doing its best to mitigate the impact of these disruptions, the airline is also calling for passengers to stand up and demand better from the EU and national governments.
In the coming weeks, it remains to be seen whether the EU will take action to address these ongoing ATC issues. If the situation continues unchecked, Europe’s air travel system could face a crisis of its own, one that could have long-lasting repercussions for the continent’s economy, tourism industry, and its citizens.
Ryanair’s warning of a looming travel freeze due to air traffic control strikes and delays across Europe is a stark reminder of the systemic issues plaguing the EU’s air travel infrastructure. With strikes scheduled in France, Spain, Germany, the UK, and Greece, millions of passengers face significant disruptions, and the airline has called on EU President Ursula von der Leyen to take swift action. Ryanair’s proposals for reform, including full staffing of ATC services and protections for overflights during strikes, offer a clear path forward. The question now is whether the EU will act before the situation escalates further.
Europe’s travel is set to face major disruptions as Ryanair warns of widespread air traffic control (ATC) strikes and delays across France, Spain, Germany, the UK, and Greece due to staffing shortages and poor management of ATC services. With up to 600 daily flight cancellations expected, millions of passengers are at risk of travel chaos.
Let’s see if the EU Commission and national governments heed Ryanair’s call or if air travel across Europe continues to face turbulence. For now, passengers are advised to monitor their flights closely and remain prepared for potential disruptions in the weeks to come.
