Top European airlines form unusual lobby to push EU to limit impact of strikes, cut taxes

BRUSSELS – Leading European airlines are lobbying for new rules in Europe to lessen the impact of strikes and reduce taxes, pushing for what they call more American-style aviation rules.

The CEOs of Air France KLM, Lufthansa, Easyjet, Ryanair and International Airlines Group held an unusual meeting in Brussels on Wednesday and expressed frustration at the slowness of efforts to simply European air traffic control systems.

Ryanair's Michael O'Leary said they want to use technology to allow air space over a country to stay open when air traffic controllers go on strike. He argued for "first-step measures" for workers to air concerns before resorting to a strike.

Air traffic control workers fear threats to passenger safety and to their jobs and say the EU is yielding to industry pressure to cut costs.