Strike By French Air Traffic Controllers Causes Flight Delays

A strike by French air traffic controllers seeking better working conditions brought chaos at the height of Europe’s summer travel season, with around 40% of flights to and from Paris canceled, Oleg Cetinic reported for the Associated Press (AP).

The national civil aviation authority instructed airlines to cancel 40% of flights at Charles de Gaulle, Orly, and Beauvais airports, which serve Paris. I Photo: Charles de Gaulle Facebook

Disruptions began at airports across France on Thursday and intensified on Friday, as the national civil aviation authority instructed airlines to cancel 40% of flights at Charles de Gaulle, Orly, and Beauvais airports, which serve Paris.

It also ordered the cancellation of half of the flights in Nice and 30% of flights in Marseille, Lyon, and other cities.

Despite the preventive cancellations, the authority warned in a statement that “disruptions and long delays are to be expected at all French airports.” Departure boards at Paris airports showed a long list of delays and cancellations for destinations across France, Europe, North Africa, and beyond.

Ryanair was among the airlines affected, announcing it had canceled over 400 flights, impacting 70,000 passengers.

The airline said the strike disrupted all of its flights over French airspace and to and from French airports, and it urged the European Union to reform air traffic rules. One of the two unions leading the strike, UNSA-ICNA, said in a statement that staffing shortages and inflation were driving the protests.

The union also opposed new oversight reforms triggered by a recent near-collision at Bordeaux Airport. Angela Charlton and Sylvie Corbet also contributed reporting for AP.