Source: AFP
Thousands of flights were canceled in France and Europe on Thursday as a strike by French air traffic controllers over pay caused stoppages not seen in decades.
Airlines have more than halved regular flights to Paris’ two main airports, Orly and Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle, with many flights to the southern city of Marseille also grounded.
Short- and medium-haul flights were the most affected, while long-haul flights experienced the least disruption.
Budget airline Ryanair reported 300 cancellations on Thursday and easyJet and Transavia reported 200 each.
A total of about 2,300 flights arriving or departing French airports were expected on Thursday, up from 5,200 the previous day, civil aviation authority DGAC told AFP.
Across Europe, around 2,000 more flights were canceled and another 1,000 were forced to reroute to avoid French airspace, trade group Airlines for Europe said.
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The cancellation numbers were at their highest level in 20 years, said Augustin de Romanet, CEO of ADP, the company that manages the capital’s airports.
Source: AFP
On Wednesday, De Romanet had warned that “every strike day many tens of millions of euros (dollars) are at stake” for airlines and airports.
Air traffic union IATA accused French controllers of “extortion” and exorbitant demands.
The decision by the largest air traffic controller union SNCTA on Wednesday to call off the strike following an agreement with management came too late to significantly ease the chaos, as the DGAC had already ordered airlines to cancel most of their flights.
Three smaller unions, meanwhile, maintained their strike call.
However, DGAC said delays for flights allowed to operate were moderate, with many delays of only about 30 minutes.
French holidaymakers were particularly affected by the disruption, with many of the country’s schools on spring break.
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“There’s not much to do,” said a passenger who gave only her first name, Chloe.
She said she and a fellow passenger had flown to Paris from Shanghai without being able to connect to their hometown of Clermont-Ferrand, 420 kilometers (260 miles) to the south.
“My husband got into his car at 4:00 in the morning in Clermont to come pick us up,” she said.
Several airlines told customers they could change their bookings for free or get a refund for their tickets.
The union demands are a response to a planned overhaul of France’s air traffic control systems.
The strike calls followed an initial breakdown in talks, raising concerns about the risk of renewed action during the Paris Olympics from late July, when millions of visitors are expected in the capital.
Source: AFP