An air traffic controller strike is underway in France. This has left thousands of travelers stranded and waiting to see what will become of their travel plans. Many of the airports and airlines have sent out apologies but there could very well be this continued delay until the 10th of April.
French Air Traffic Controller Strike
The strike that started just earlier today by the French air traffic controllers, as seen at the SNCTA, has caused massive flight delays and cancellations across Europe. France and the UK are the ones most affected by this strike and there have been many discussions about what it will take to get everything running smoothly before the original end of the strike on April 10th. Three days of delays is a very long time to keep travelers waiting and on edge. The French authorities are doing the best they can to resolve the situation.
There have been talks from the side of the air traffic controllers that they may do more than one strike. This could actually be the first in a series of two or three strikes depending on what happens with their current situation. The strike was caused due to what the air traffic controllers deem unfair working and retirement conditions. They are upset because they are told they have to work longer and retire later than almost all other professions in France do, and they are not willing to continue working under such conditions. There have also been complaints made about the conditions in which they work, which they say are less than ideal.
Areas Affected By Flight Cancellations
With so many different airlines and airports having to tell travelers the bad news about either cancelling their flights or having them extremely delayed, there is total chaos across Europe. The areas that are currently most affected are the main airports in France, which include the Paris, Lyon, Nantes, Toulouse, Bordeaux, and Marseille areas. Each of these is also home to a major airport and thus the strike will include these various locations. The airlines that have currently had to deal with all of the cancellations and delays are mostly easyJet, Air France, and Ryan Air.
This air traffic controller strike is very disruptive and causing a lot of problems for people who were either traveling to or back from visiting family and friends for Easter. The strike has completely ruined their holiday and could possibly ruin even more holidays if the next strikes go through, as would happen right around when French springtime hits–a time where many people travel to go and enjoy the beautiful scenery with family.
What Can Travelers Do?
Currently, there are many travelers who are simply expecting a refund and will not be trying to travel out from anywhere at this time. Others are working on finding a connecting flight that could get them where they need to go, provided there would be an airline to take them, and still others are simply going to wait it out and get on the next flight as some of them have no choice.
Travelers have been advised to stay calm and there have been various apologies issued by the French DGAC civil aviation authority as well as airports that have been affected such as the Paris Charles de Gaulle airport.
The hope is that the situation with all of the air traffic controllers, as seen at the DGAC website, will be resolved shortly and that travelers will be on their way soon. More updates will be available from the French DGAC as they are currently working on resolving the situation.
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