Ryanair, Europe’s largest low-cost airline, reported that 99 flights were canceled in the first two days of a 40-day strike by the Serbian Air Traffic Control Union (SKL), affecting 17,800 passengers. The airline urged EU authorities to take action, warning that the strike disrupts not only flights to and from Belgrade but also overflights across Serbian airspace.
Ryanair criticized Serbian law for not protecting overflights during national ATC strikes, unlike countries such as Italy, Spain, and Greece. The company called on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to implement measures to safeguard EU flights from unnecessary disruptions caused by national ATC strikes.
The strike began on August 20 and will last until September 30. SKL’s main demand is a significant salary increase for certain categories of employees.
Serbia and Montenegro Air Traffic Control (SMATSA) stated that minimum operational processes will be maintained during the strike. The airspace managed by SMATSA sees up to 3,000 flights per day during the season, serving as a critical corridor between Northern and Western Europe and destinations in the Balkans, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.
