By Humphrey Carter
Copyright majorcadailybulletin
France was gripped by violent riots on Wednesday but September 18 could be even worse and the impact will be felt across Europe including Britons flying through French air space to destinations in Spain and the Balearics like Mallorca. Thousands of passengers face major travel disruptions after France’s largest air traffic control union, SNCTA, confirmed a 24-hour strike set for 18–19 September 2025.
The SNCTA, representing about 60% of French air traffic controllers, said the decision followed a breakdown in dialogue with the French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC). The union criticized “punitive practices” and “degrading management methods,” stressing that the strike was a last resort after years of stalled negotiations.
Air traffic controllers at all major French airports, including Paris Charles-de-Gaulle, have been urged to participate. Even if other unions such as UNSA-ICNA and USAC-CGT do not join, significant disruption is expected across France’s airspace, which handles key European flight routes linking the UK, Spain, Italy, and beyond.
The DGAC will release detailed flight cancellation and delay information 48 hours before the strike. Passengers are advised to stay in contact with airlines, check schedules frequently, and prepare for possible long delays or cancellations. During the last wave of strikes in early July, more than one million passengers were impacted across Europe, with thousands of flights canceled. Ryanair estimated losses exceeded €100 million, blaming poor management for the chaos.
As a result, Ryanair issued an open letter to Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, calling on her to quit if she fails to take action to protect the single market for flights over Europe during national French ATC strikes, the latest wave of which caused serious disruption at Palma airport and many others across Spain in July. Ryanair’s CEO, Michael O’Leary, wrote an open letter to Commission President von der Leyen calling on her to take immediate action to protect overflights during French ATC strikes or quit. O’Leary criticised the Commission’s false claims that ATC is a “national competence” when protecting the single market for air travel is a Commission competence.
Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary said: “It is unacceptable that Commission President Ursula von der Leyen continues to stand idly by, while the single market for air travel over Europe is repeatedly shut down by French Air Traffic Controllers. We do not allow our railways, our motorways, or our shipping lanes to be closed by industrial action, so it is unacceptable that the EU Commission President fails to defend the single market for air travel.
“During the Brexit negotiations, Commission President von der Leyen repeatedly stated that “protecting the single market is the most important duty of her Presidency of the European Commission”. If that is so, then she should take immediate action to protect overflights and the single market for air travel during French ATC strikes and stop failing on this issue.
“Ursula von der Leyen must protect overflights during national ATC strikes or resign. If she won’t defend the single market for air travel, then she should quit and let somebody competent defend the single market on behalf of Europe’s airline passengers.” And, unlike in July, the SNCTA’s participation this time is raising concerns of even greater disruption given its size and influence.
