Mr. Michael O'Leary:

We would take the hit. If we had to cancel all our flights to Beauvais because French ATC were having a strike, we would take that hit but at least the flights would go. It is very hard to explain to people in Dublin going to Italy or people in Germany going to Portugal why their flights are cancelled because there is a strike in France. It does not happen in any other sector. The French can close the périphérique around Paris but they do not shut all the motorways. Trains from Brussels to Spain do not get cancelled when there is a French train strike but the skies are closed. It is a great criticism I have of the European Union. If it fixed the overflights, that would eliminate about 90% of flight cancellations in Europe every year and eliminate about 80% of flight delays without in any way compromising or affecting their right to go on strike. Everybody should have the right to go on strike but if you are going to go on strike, Europe should protect the Single Market for flights and, at least, protect overflights.