- Ryanair has urged the French government to reform its air traffic control (ATC) system following a Senate report warning of significant future flight delay risks.
- The French Senate report, led by Senator Vincent Capo-Canellas, found that the country's ATC provider, DSNA, will be unable to cope with increasing traffic, potentially leading to flight cancellations without urgent reform.
- Eurocontrol, a European air traffic management body, estimates that French ATC delays could cost airlines up to €1.7bn (£1.45bn) annually by 2035, with 30 per cent of French controllers due to retire that same year.
- Ryanair has called for specific measures, including uncapped recruitment of ATC controllers until 2030 and guaranteed protection for overflights during French ATC strikes, to mitigate disruption for passengers travelling between other EU countries.
- Neal McMahon, Ryanair's chief operations officer, criticised the French ATC as 'Europe's weakest link', citing 'woefully mismanaged, understaffed, underproductive' operations and outdated technology like paper flight strips, calling for immediate reform.
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