French Air Traffic Strike Grounds Flights Across Europe
French air traffic controllers launched a two-day strike, protesting staff shortages and outdated equipment, leading to numerous flight cancellations. As the summer travel season begins, the strike severely impacts travel, with Ryanair canceling 170 flights and Easyjet scrubbing 274 flights over two days.
French air traffic controllers initiated a two-day strike on Thursday, citing frustrations with staffing shortages and outdated equipment. The action compelled hundreds of flight cancellations, heightening travel disruptions as the summer season kicks off. France's aviation authority, DGAC, instructed airlines to adjust schedules, notably affecting Paris' Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport.
Airlines including Air France, British Airways, and Ryanair responded by altering schedules and implementing mitigation strategies, though disruptions remained widespread. Ryanair, severely impacted, canceled 170 flights, affecting over 30,000 passengers. Concurrently, Easyjet anticipated canceling 274 flights.
The strike's timing aligns with the onset of Europe's bustling summer travel period. Dissatisfaction over modernization efforts drives the walkout, with unions UNSA-ICNA and USAC-CGT vocalizing grievances over internal management and bureaucratic inertia. France's Transport Minister, Philippe Tabarot, deemed these demands unacceptable amid ongoing negotiations.
(With inputs from agencies.)
Google News