Ryanair cancelled 550 flights in August
Budget airline Ryanair cancelled 550 flights last month, which affected more than 100,000 customers, figures released today show.
A 24-hour pilot strike over pay and conditions took place across Ireland, Germany, Sweden, Belgium and the Netherlands on 10 August, grounding 396 flights.
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The low-cost carrier also said that a lack of Air Traffic Control staff contributed to cancellations, which increased from 27 flights in August last year.
However, August's customer traffic was up nine per cent year on year from 12.7m to 13.9m.
Ryanair chief marketing officer Kenny Jacobs said: "Ryanair's August traffic grew by nine per cent to 13.8m customers, while our load factor was unchanged at 97 per cent, on the back of even lower fares.
"Regrettably, over 100,000 Ryanair customers had their flights cancelled in August because of repeated ATC staff shortages in the UK, Germany and France, and one day unnecessary pilot strikes.
"Ryanair, together with other European airlines, calls for urgent action by the EU Commission and Governments to correct these ATC staff shortages which are disrupting the travel plans of millions of Europe's customers this summer."
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