Ryanair asks passengers to act as flights cancelled in UK
The budget airline is calling on NATS CEO, Martin Rolfe to step down after staff shortages delayed 38 flights by up to an hour this week.
Those delays impacted the travel of more than 7,000 UK passengers, Ryanair said.
In a message to its passengers, the airline said: 'Ryanair has long campaigned for ATC reform to ensure that ATCs are fully staffed, but UK ATC delays are getting worse due to repeated NATS mismanagement and staff shortages.
'Ryanair calls on all passengers to visit the ' Air Traffic Control Ruined Your Flight ' webpage and demand that Transport Minister, Heidi Alexander, sack Martin Rolfe and reform NATS's hopeless ATC service, so that airlines and passengers do not suffer further avoidable ATC delays at the hands of NATS's continued mismanagement and staff shortages.'
NATS is the UK's leading provider of air traffic control services, providing assistance for both civilian and military aircraft in UK airspace and at several UK airports.
‼️ French Air Traffic Control strikes extended to 4 days (3-6 July) ‼️
❌ further EU-wide delays
❌ thousands more passengers impacted
Once again, we're calling on EU President @vonderleyen to urgently reform EU ATC services.
Demand action👇 https://t.co/sCIewAfRe9
— Ryanair (@Ryanair) July 5, 2025
Ryanair's message comes days after fellow airline easyJet expressed their 'extreme unhappiness' with strikes by French air traffic control (ATC) workers.
Tens of thousands of passengers were disrupted when French ATC staff walked out on July 3 and 4 in a dispute over working conditions.
Flights to and from French airports, as well as those scheduled to fly over French airspace, were affected.
Kenton Jarvis, chief executive of the Luton-based carrier, warned that the industrial action is presenting 'unacceptable challenges'.
Mr Jarvis said: 'We are extremely unhappy with the strike action by the French ATC in early July, which as well as presenting unacceptable challenges for customers and crew also created unexpected and significant costs for all airlines.'
He described the walkout in early July as 'very, very disruptive' as it forced it to cancel 660 flights and cost it £15 million.
What are your rights during flight cancellations?
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) states that airlines must provide you with care and assistance if your flight is cancelled under UK law.
This means they need to provide people with accommodation if they are re-routed to the next day, transport to and from the accommodation, a reasonable amount of food and drink (usually as vouchers) and a means for you to communicate (often by refunding the cost of your calls).
The authority adds: "The airline must provide you with these items until it is able to fly you to your destination, no matter how long the delay lasts or what has caused it."
If there is major disruption airlines are not always able to arrange care and assistance for all passengers.
In those situations, the CAA recommends organising your own accommodation and transport and claiming the cost back later.
They add: "If you end up paying for things yourself, keep every receipt and do not spend more than is reasonable.
"Airlines are unlikely to refund you for things like luxury hotels or alcohol. Some will provide guidance on reasonable costs."
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