Ryanair has cancelled a large swathe of its services set for 16 September ahead of a planned strike by French air traffic controllers. The low-cost airline says 420 flights – around 30% of its typical daily count – affecting 80,000 customers will not proceed because of the action, the majority of which are overflights. In contrast, many French services are protected by minimum service laws – a situation the carrier characterises as "inexplicable". It is calling on the EU to step in to protect overflights, "so that passengers who are travelling between Spain, Italy, Ireland, Germany, etc. are not disrupted just because they fly over France while French ATC unions strike". Ryanair believes the authorities should require French ATC unions to engage in arbitration instead of strikes, protect overflights under minimum service laws and allow other European ATCs to manage overflights if strikes do go ahead. "It is inexcusable that passengers who are not even flying to/from France are disrupted because they overfly French airspace at a time when French laws protect French domestic flights," comments operations director Neal McMahon. "It is time that the EU step in and protect overflights so that European passengers are not repeatedly held to ransom by a tiny French ATC union." French aviation regulator DGAC instructed airlines on 14 September to halve services to and from the country ahead of the action, which it expects to cause "cancellations and significant delays" throughout France. As a knock-on impact, the walk out could cause significant disruption to air traffic across the continent, it added. Air France says it plans to operate around 90% of its long-haul flights but just 45% of short and medium-haul services.

Air New Zealand has stated that it is not in any merger talks, contrary to media speculation. "Air New Zealand confirms that it has not been approached, and is not in discussions with any parties, regarding a potential merger transaction," chairman Therese Walsh said in a stock exchange disclosure today. She adds that the company remains in compliance of its continuous disclosure obligations to stock exchanges. While the statement indicates that Air New Zealand was responding to media speculation, it did not go into details. This likely refers to a recent article by The Australian, which citing sources reports that Virgin Australia held merger talks with Air New Zealand and Regional Express. According to a Radio New Zealand report citing the article by The Australian, talks between Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia were held in recent weeks but a deal had not been reached. A potential merger between the airlines would involve a back-door dual listing in Australia and in New Zealand of Virgin Australia into Air New Zealand.

France's aviation regulator has instructed airlines to halve services to and from the country on 15 September, as a strike by air traffic controllers threatens widespread disruption. Industrial action by the SNCTA union is expected to lead to "cancellations and significant delays" throughout France, according to the country’s civil aviation authority DGAC. As a knock-on impact, the walk out could cause significant disruption to air traffic across Europe. Air France says it plans to operate around 90% of its long-haul flights but just 45% of short and medium-haul services. "Delays and last minute cancellations cannot be ruled out," the carrier warns.