By Irishexaminer.com Sean Murray
Travellers would also be hit by knock-on delays arising from the cancellations, it warned.
It said passengers would also be affected by a ground strike in Finland, and urged passengers due to fly over mainland Europe to check directly with their airline.
Unions representing air traffic controllers in France have said its members were striking over persistent understaffing, outdated equipment and a toxic management culture.
Speaking on RT脡 radio, the chief executive of Cork and Dublin Airports said that Europe needs to take action to prevent ongoing disruption.
鈥淭his is the annual ransom by a very small group of French air traffic controllers,鈥 Kenny Jacobs said.
鈥淎bout 50 air traffic controllers in Paris have disrupted the plans of over half a million European travellers on the big exodus where everyone goes on their holidays and it’s simply unacceptable.鈥
Mr Jacobs said it was 鈥渧ery unfair鈥 to Irish families flying to Faro wondering why they鈥檙e facing a four-to-six-hour delay because 鈥渢hey鈥檙e not going to France, but they鈥檙e flying over France鈥.
“The key thing that Europe needs to do is say to the French, flights over France cannot be disrupted if you’re having a strike, that’s your problem,” he said.
Ryanair, meanwhile, continued to criticise European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen over the impact of the strikes, as it said it was forced to cancel 400 flights across the two days affecting 70,000 passengers.
鈥淥ver 350 of these are overflights, which could and should be protected by the EU Commission,鈥 Ryanair chief executive Michael O鈥橪eary said.
鈥淭he bizarre justification for this week鈥檚 ATC strike is their objection to 鈥榮hort staffing鈥. Every year they find something new to strike about.”