Ryanair, EasyJet and Jet2 have all warned travellers flying to and from France today, April 25, that they could face delays and cancellations due to disruption caused by potential strike action by French Air Traffic Control. Those passing through French airspace could also be impacted.
The travel disruption comes as negotiations failed between some French air traffic control and the authorities. France DGAC civil aviation authority said on Wednesday it had asked airlines to cancel 75 per cent of Thursday's flights at Paris Orly airport, 55 per cent of Paris Charles-De-Gaulle and 65 per cent of flights at Marseille, according to Reuters news agency.
Although the SNCTA, the biggest of France's air traffic controllers union, said it was calling off strike action on April 25 after a deal had been reached, it was too late to avoid disruption. Meanwhile, discussions were still ongoing with other unions.
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On Wednesday Ryanair announced that it had to cancel 300 flights due to the strikes, impacting 50,000 passengers. The airline has called for the EU Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, to “take urgent action” by protecting French overflights by law during ATC strikes.
A similar system is already in place in Greece, Italy and Spain ensuring that flights can still pass through the airspace. Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary said: “French air traffic controllers are free to go on strike, that’s their right, but we should be cancelling French flights, not flights leaving Ireland, going to Italy, or flights from Germany to Spain or Scandinavia to Portugal.”
EasyJet warned that it expects “significant disruption” and urges customers to check the status of their flight on their website. It said that its customer service lines would be open until midnight to provide more support.
It added: “easyJet has been calling for better protection of passengers during times of French ATC strike action, especially for the hundreds of thousands of customers using the French airspace but whose flights neither depart nor land in France.” Jet2 warned of “delays and disruption” and warned passengers that they may have to wait longer than usual to board their flights.
The UK Foreign Office also issued a travel warning and urged passengers to to check with their operator before travelling. They said: “It is being reported that on Thursday 25 April 2024, flights across France will be disrupted, with many cancelled, following a call for strike action by air traffic control unions. Check your operator’s advice before travelling, including where you are taking connecting flights.”
