In particularly sharp language, Ryanair launched an attack against the Greek government and the European Commission following a new serious failure in Greece's air traffic control system. The incident occurred on Tuesday, September 1, and according to the airline, caused delays of up to three hours for 37 flights, affecting nearly 7,000 passengers. Ryanair contends that this marks the fourth severe dysfunction of Greek ATC within just 12 months, directly accusing the Greek side of relying on outdated infrastructure and inadequate funding.
"The situation touches on the absurd"
The company claims that passengers and airlines are paying increasingly higher fees for air traffic control services, while at the same time the quality of services provided continues to deteriorate. In a particularly biting statement, Ryanair pointed to "outdated, underfunded systems" that suffer from continuous breakdowns. In fact, it alleges that the situation has reached a point where the airline industry itself had to contribute financially toward replacing essential equipment that, as it argues, should normally have been funded by the Greek state.
Fire directed at Ursula von der Leyen as well
Ryanair's offensive was not limited to Greece. The carrier turned its sights toward the European Commission, accusing Brussels of constantly talking about "competitiveness" and "efficiency" without actually imposing meaningful changes on air navigation service providers. The Commission under Ursula von der Leyen was targeted directly, with Ryanair demanding immediate reforms and accountability. "The European Commission needs to stop issuing press releases and start delivering real reforms," the airline company stated characteristically.
Neil McMahon: "Passengers are fed up"
Ryanair’s Chief Operations Officer, Neil McMahon, characterized the latest failure as "unacceptable and avoidable," emphasizing that it caused significant disruption to thousands of travelers. As he maintained, Greece is at the peak of its tourist season and constitutes one of Europe's busiest destinations, yet its air traffic control system continues to exhibit severe vulnerabilities. Neil McMahon called on the European Commission to intervene immediately, stressing that "Europe's passengers are fed up" with suffering delays and disruptions.
At the peak of the tourist season
This new public feud comes at a particularly sensitive time for Greece, as thousands of flights operate daily to and from the country's most popular tourist destinations. Ryanair is now demanding an immediate system upgrade, adequate staffing, and greater funding, warning that recurring failures cannot continue to be treated as the "new normal."
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