Tourexpi
Ryanair reveals the air traffic control ‘Grinches’ who ruined Christmas for over 600,000 passengers
Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (Thurs, 8 Jan)
published the table of “ATC GRINCHES” that ruined Christmas travel for over
600,000 Ryanair passengers during the festive season. This comes after over
3,200 Ryanair flights and 600,000 Ryanair passengers suffered avoidable ATC
delays over the Christmas travel period (22–31 Dec) due to ATC staff shortages.
Spain and France were by far the worst performing ATC providers this Christmas,
accounting for 34% and 31% of delays respectively.
Peak travel disruption during the festive season
Such an excessive volume of ATC delays at one of the
busiest travel weekends of the year – during which many passengers are
travelling with young families – is not acceptable.
Call for EU air traffic control reform
Ryanair has repeatedly called for EU ATC reform, but
Ursula von “Derlayed-Again” ignores these ATC delays/cancellations which
restricts freedom of movement for EU citizens simply due to ATC providers
failure to plan for the right number of ATC staff. Ryanair calls on all EU
passengers to visit the ‘Air Traffic Control Ruined Your Flight’ webpage and
demand that Ursula von “Derlayed-Again” take urgent action to reform the EU’s
broken ATC services to minimise delays for EU citizens.
Statement from Ryanair CEO Eddie Wilson
Ryanair’s CEO Eddie Wilson said:
“It is unacceptable that 600,000 passengers suffered
avoidable ATC delays this Christmas as a result of staff shortages at ATC
centres across Spain, France, Portugal and Germany. With Spain and France top
of the” ATC Grinches” list. Passengers should be able to travel around Europe
without suffering hours of unnecessary ATC delays and cancellations.
When will Ursula von ‘Derlayed-Again’ and the EU
Commission stop sitting on their hands and deliver real ATC reform to protect
passengers from these completely avoidable delays? Ryanair has long called for
urgent reform, yet the EU continues to allow these disruptions to happen year
after year, especially at peak travel periods. We urge all passengers affected
by these unacceptable delays to visit our ‘Air Traffic Control Ruined Your
Flight’ webpage and email their transport minister to demand action. Enough is
enough – Europe needs ATC reform now.”
Image Credit: ©
Ryanair
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