The protests in France against the pension reform have led to a confrontation between French air traffic controllers and the airlines that operate in Spain. The paralysis of French airspace due to these strikes has triggered 61% cancellations of flights to or from Spain and has caused hundreds of delays at a time of high tourist demand, being the second most affected country only behind France, according to a Eurocontrol report published on Thursday. The airlines, brought together under the ALA association, have reacted immediately and have submitted a request to the Government and the EU to mediate in the matter.
The companies ask the central and community executives to demand that France, as is the case in Italy or Spain, protect overflights in French airspace with minimal services in the event of a strike, "in order to protect the right to mobility of the thousands of Spaniards and Europeans affected”.
“A policy must be established to protect flights that fly over French space, and thus protect passengers, who are the most affected by air control strikes in France. It is necessary to establish a balance between the right to strike, which we respect, and the right of movement of people”, affirms the president of ALA, Javier Gándara.
Between March 1 and April 9 there have been 34 days of French air traffic control strikes that affected 15% of the flights that were operated on those days in Spain, with an average delay of 23 minutes. The airlines also highlight that 88% of the affected flights in Spain had neither origin nor destination in France, but rather flew over French airspace.
And it is that intra-European Spanish flights are highly conditioned by French air control, and even some domestic ones when previous rotations have flown over said airspace. The consequences: affected passengers and additional costs for the companies, which have to reschedule dozens of flights a day.
The impact of the strikes has reached the whole of Europe. 30% of daily European flights have been affected, counting Spain. In other words, a total of 237,000 flights have been delayed or canceled on the continent during the 34-day strike in France, with 10 million passengers affected. Eurocontrol estimates that around 64,000 passengers were unable to fly on a typical strike day as a result of the cancellations.
The Ryanair group has repeatedly demanded that the situation end and minimum services be activated, so far without success. Now it is the airlines that operate in Spain that make a move. The summer season is at stake.
