French Air Traffic Controller Strike Disrupts Summer Travel Across the Country
Air travel in and over France faced significant disruption Friday as a strike by French air traffic controllers led to widespread flight cancellations and delays, affecting tens of thousands of travelers at the peak of the summer travel season, the Associated Press reports.
France’s national civil aviation authority directed airlines to cancel approximately 40% of flights at all Paris-area airports — including Charles de Gaulle, Orly, and Beauvais. Additional disruptions included the cancellation of half of scheduled flights at Nice Airport and 30% of flights at airports in Marseille, Lyon, and several other cities.
Despite these preemptive cancellations, authorities warned that passengers should still expect “disruptions and long delays at all French airports.”
The walkout began Thursday and intensified Friday, impacting not only flights departing from and arriving in France but also flights that simply pass through French airspace.
Low-cost carrier Ryanair was among the airlines most heavily affected, announcing the cancellation of over 400 flights and noting that more than 70,000 passengers were impacted. In a statement, the airline criticized the disruptions and urged the European Union to reform its air traffic control regulations to better protect overflight routes from national strikes.
The strike was organized by French union UNSA-ICNA, which cited inadequate staffing to handle a surge in post-pandemic air travel and declining real wages due to inflation as primary concerns. The union is also opposing proposed government reforms aimed at increasing oversight of air traffic operations, following a recent near-collision incident at Bordeaux Airport.
France’s Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot condemned the timing of the strike, calling it “unacceptable” as it coincides with the start of the summer holiday period and school closures. The disruptions have complicated travel plans for families and tourists alike during one of the busiest times of the year for France’s aviation sector.
