Tens of thousands of passengers have been hit by a French air traffic control strike that has cancelled flights in France on Thursday and Friday and had a knock-on effect elsewhere in Europe. Budget airline Ryanair said it had been forced to cancel more than 170 flights and the holiday plans of more than 30,000 passengers had been disrupted. Two French unions were staging the two-day strike over working conditions, leading to a quarter of flights being cancelled at the main airports in Paris and half of flights at Nice airport. French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot condemned as unacceptable both the unions' demands and their decision to go on strike at such an important time for people going on holiday. Ryanair said the strike had affected not only its flights to and from France, but also aircraft flying over French airspace to destinations including the UK, Ireland, Spain and Greece. Its chief executive, Michael O'Leary, accused the air traffic controllers of "holding European families to ransom". "It makes no sense and is abundantly unfair on EU passengers going on holidays," he complained, calling on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to take "urgent action" to ensure minimum service levels during strikes and to protect flights going through French airspace from domestic industrial action. France's civil aviation authority, DGAC, asked airlines to reduce flight schedules at several airports across the country. Disruption is expected to worsen at French airports on Friday, with 40% fewer flights from the Paris airports at Charles de Gaulle, Orla and Beauvais. The strike was called by the UNSA-ICNA union, which cited staffing shortages, management issues and the planned introduction of a controversial clock-in system for controllers among its concerns. Talks with the DGAC earlier this week failed to resolve the dispute. Airlines for Europe (A4E), the continent's leading aviation body, described the strike as "intolerable", warning that it would severely disrupt travel plans at the height of the holiday season. EasyJet, another low-cost carrier affected by the disruption, expressed "deep disappointment" and urged a resolution. Ryanair said on Wednesday it also had been hit by the recent conflict in the Middle East and had cancelled more than 800 flights last month. Despite the cancellations, the airline said it still operated more than 109,000 flights in June, indicating that fewer than 1% of flights were affected.
Thousands of passengers hit by French air traffic control strikes
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"French Air Traffic Control Strike Disrupts Thousands of Flights Across Europe"
Bbc News
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TruthLens AI Summary
A significant strike by French air traffic controllers has disrupted travel for tens of thousands of passengers, resulting in numerous flight cancellations across France and affecting air travel throughout Europe. The strike, which took place over two days, was organized by two French unions in protest against working conditions, leading to the cancellation of approximately one-quarter of flights at major Paris airports and half of flights at Nice airport. Budget airline Ryanair reported that it had to cancel over 170 flights, impacting more than 30,000 travelers. The strike's ramifications extended beyond France, as it also affected flights traversing French airspace to various destinations, including the UK, Ireland, Spain, and Greece. Ryanair's CEO, Michael O'Leary, criticized the air traffic controllers for their actions, claiming they were unjustly disrupting the holiday plans of European families. He urged the European Commission to intervene and establish minimum service levels during strikes to safeguard air travel across the continent.
The French Transport Minister, Philippe Tabarot, condemned the strike as unacceptable, particularly given its timing during the busy holiday season. The French civil aviation authority, DGAC, has advised airlines to adjust their flight schedules, anticipating a worsening of the situation with a projected 40% reduction in flights from Paris airports on the following day. The unions involved in the strike, particularly UNSA-ICNA, cited staffing shortages, management issues, and the introduction of a controversial clock-in system for controllers as their primary concerns. Despite failed negotiations with the DGAC earlier in the week, the unions proceeded with the strike. Airlines for Europe (A4E), a leading aviation organization, characterized the strike as intolerable, warning it would severely disrupt travel plans during the peak holiday period. EasyJet also expressed disappointment over the situation, emphasizing the need for a swift resolution to the ongoing conflict affecting air travel.
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