The Dublin Airport faces upheaval as air traffic control strikes prompt the cancellation of sixteen flights, leaving passengers and airline operators in a state of frustration.
At a Glance
● A strike by French air traffic controllers has forced the cancellation of 16 flights at Dublin Airport.
● Irish airline Ryanair has been forced to cancel 170 flights across its European network, affecting over 30,000 passengers.
● The strike primarily affects flights that need to travel through French airspace, such as routes from Ireland to Spain.
● Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary has blasted the situation, demanding the EU protect “overflights” during national strikes.
French Strike Grounds Dublin Flights
Thousands of passengers have had their travel plans thrown into chaos after a strike by French air traffic controllers (ATC) forced the cancellation of 16 flights at Dublin Airport on Thursday. The cancellations include eight departures and eight arrivals, primarily for routes to and from Spain and France.
The disruption is not related to any industrial action in Ireland. Instead, it is a direct consequence of the strike in France, which has had a major ripple effect across European airspace.
The French aviation authority, DGAC, had requested that airlines cut their schedules in anticipation of the strike by ATC unions over pay and working conditions.
Ryanair Blasts “Unfair” Disruption
Irish airline Ryanair has been the most severely affected by the industrial action. The carrier announced it was forced to cancel 170 flights across its European network on Thursday, disrupting the plans of more than 30,000 passengers.
Ryanair cancels flights for 30,000 passengers due to French strike https://t.co/cYm7N4siMv
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) July 3, 2025
Ryanair’s outspoken CEO, Michael O’Leary, blasted the French unions and called on the European Union to intervene. He argued it is “abundantly unfair” that flights that are not departing from or landing in France but are simply scheduled to fly over the country are being canceled.
“Once again European families are held to ransom by French Air Traffic Controllers going on strike,” O’Leary said in a statement reported by RTE.ie. “It is not acceptable that overflights over French airspace en route to their destination are being cancelled/delayed as a result of yet another French ATC strike.”
A Summer of Travel Chaos
The strike comes at the very beginning of the peak summer holiday season, a time when thousands of Irish families are planning to travel to popular destinations in Spain and elsewhere in southern Europe. Because most of these flights must pass through French airspace, they are vulnerable to French ATC industrial action.
Dublin Airport officials have advised all passengers to check the status of their flight directly with their airline before traveling to the airport. The ongoing dispute in France threatens to cause further travel chaos throughout the busy summer months.
