European airlines try to blunt impact of air traffic strikes

Europe's biggest airlines are pushing for new rules that would blunt the impact of strikes, reduce taxes and bring in aviation rules patterned after those in the U.S., The Associated Press reports.

The top executives of Air France KLM, Lufthansa, Easyjet, Ryanair and British Airways parent International Airlines Group sat in on what AP described as "an unusual meeting" with European regulators Wednesday. The airline leaders aired concerns about Europe's slow pace to simplify its air traffic control system.

Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary pushed for technology that would enable air space over a country to remain open to flights even if air traffic controllers in that nation go on strike. He called for "first-step measures" that would allow workers to formally air grievances before being allowed to strike.

Strikes, of course, are somewhat common in Europe – at least when compared to the United States, where such disruptions are rare.

Several strikes by European air traffic controllers have affected passengers in recent years, stranding tens of thousands of passengers during the disruptions. Controllers counter that adopting the airlines' proposals would reduce safety and endanger their jobs. They urged EU officials not to cave in to cost-cutting pressures from the airlines.