More than 1,000 flights serving French air space have been cancelled following the commencement of a five-day strike by French air traffic controllers in the Brest and Bordeaux regions.

 

The severity of the strike is expected to intensify today as air traffic controllers from the south of France also join the strike which is set to run right through to the end of Friday this week (10 March).

 

British Airways (80 cancellations), Ryanair (45), easyJet (38) and many other airlines cancelled more than 150 flights yesterday and it is expected to be a similar story for the next four days.

 

SEVERAL AIRLINES SEVERELY AFFECTED

Quite separately Air France has been particularly badly affected, although many airlines using French air space to reach other destinations are also being severely disrupted by cancellations, including services to airports in Spain, Italy and Switzerland.

 

In a statement, Air France said: “Following the call for strike action issued by a union for French air traffic controllers from Monday 6 to Friday 10 March 2017, the French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) has asked airlines to reduce their flight schedule between west and south of France, the Iberian Peninsula, Italy and North Africa. Our flight schedule will be disrupted all week.”

 

The strike has been called by disgruntled French air traffic controllers who are demanding the same pay levels and working conditions as employees in similar positions in other European countries.

 

Europe’s largest airline association, Airlines for Europe (A4E), is predicting a week of disruption ahead following the request by French air traffic controllers that all airlines reduce flight numbers in France by 25%.

 

ATC STRIKES COST EU $12.7BN SINCE 2010…

Commenting on this latest action, Thomas Reynaert, Managing Director of A4E said: “Already during the first weeks of 2017 European travellers become victims of yet another ATC strike – unbelievably, not only for a day but for a whole week.

 

“A4E urges the Commission to protect the rights of European travellers and work together with Member States, Air Navigation Service Providers, unions and other stakeholders to minimise the impact on passengers.

 

“We cannot allow a small group of Europe’s 15,000 air traffic controllers restricting the rights of millions of European travellers. Following our Call for Action last year we have seen a positive reaction by some unions. It is now the right moment to build on that and minimise the impact of strike actions without questioning the individual right of workers to take industrial action.”

 

Airlines for Europe adds that during the 2010-16 period there were 217 ATC strike days in the EU – equivalent to one disrupted day every nine days and since 2010 it estimates the total impact of ATC strikes have cost the EU economy €12bn ($12.7bn).