By Rachel Fergusson
Hundreds of Scots have had their travel plans disrupted after Ryanair and EasyJet were forced to cancel flights because of French air traffic control strikes. Passengers flying with both airlines on Thursday and Friday may be affected, after flights to Paris Charles de Gaulle, Paris Beauvais and Toulouse from Edinburgh and Glasgow Airport were cancelled on Thursday. The major industrial action in France is expected to last two days. Ryanair said it has been forced to cancel more than 170 flights because of French air traffic control strikes. It said the cancellations on Thursday and Friday will affect flights to and from France, and also flights over the country to destinations including Greece, Spain and Ireland. EasyJet said it was cancelling 274 flights during the planned action. Ryanair chief executive Michael O鈥橪eary renewed calls on EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to take 鈥渦rgent action鈥 to reform European Union air traffic control (ATC) services in light of the disruption, which comes at the start of the summer holidays. He said: 鈥淥nce again European families are held to ransom by French Air Traffic Controllers going on strike. 鈥淚t is not acceptable that overflights over French airspace en route to their destination are being cancelled/delayed as a result of yet another French ATC strike.鈥 鈥淚t makes no sense and is abundantly unfair on EU passengers and families going on holidays.鈥 Edinburgh Airport is advising passengers to check their flight information regularly for updates. Ryanair also said on Wednesday it had been hit by the recent conflict in the Middle East, and was forced to cancel more than 800 flights last month.