A massive two-day strike by French air traffic controllers has brought air traffic across France to a standstill from today, causing the cancellation of hundreds of flights and creating disruptions for tens of thousands of passengers right at the beginning of the Summer season. The industrial action, called by the Unsa-Icna and Usac-Cgt unions to demand better working conditions and the hiring of new personnel, prompted the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC) to request airlines to drastically reduce flights (see AVIONEWS).

The authority issued directives to air carriers requesting the cancellation of one quarter of the flights scheduled to depart from or arrive at Paris-"Charles de Gaulle" and Orly. Airports in the south of France were also heavily affected, with 30% of flights cancelled at Lyon, Marseille, and Montpellier, and significant delays of up to an hour and a half for arrivals recorded at Nice, the country’s third hub. Eurocontrol, the European organization for air traffic management, reported "significant" delays in airspace managed by the control centers in Marseille, Brest, and Reims.

The major European airlines have been severely impacted. Ryanair announced the cancellation of 170 flights, affecting around 30,000 passengers. CEO Michael O'Leary sharply criticized the action, stating: "Once again, European families are held hostage by French air traffic controllers". The Airlines for Europe (A4E) association, which includes industry giants such as Air France-KLM, Lufthansa, IAG, and EasyJet, also described the strike as "intolerable". Although individual airlines have not yet detailed all cancellations, it is certain that the impact will extend to all carriers operating at French airports, including those serving overseas territories where air links are vital for connectivity.

The situation is expected to worsen tomorrow, Friday, July 4th, as French schools will close on Saturday, July 5th, marking the start of Summer holidays; furthermore, the DGAC has imposed an additional reduction of 40% in the number of flights at Paris and Beauvais airports. Business aviation, particularly at Nice and Le Bourget, has also been significantly affected.

Internal sources estimate that about 270 of the 1,400 French air traffic controllers have joined the strike. French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot expressed strong condemnation on "X" yesterday: "Minority trade unions have filed a strike notice for all air traffic controllers from Thursday, July 3rd to Friday, July 4th. At today’s FNAM congress, I sent a clear message: I am determined to remain steadfast against this unacceptable unrest. It is unacceptable to strike during the main holiday period. The demands for salary increases are unacceptable in light of the efforts already made in 2024. The request to eliminate the time clock for controllers is unacceptable. Flight safety is at risk following the serious Bordeaux-Mérignac accident at the end of 2022. The economic impact of this strike on airlines, starting with our flag carrier Air France, is unacceptable, with losses likely amounting to millions of euros, a burden that will ultimately fall on the French taxpayer. My foremost thought goes to the hundreds of thousands of passengers who will be penalized over these two days and to the vast majority of controllers who carry out their work with seriousness and dedication, whose professional image risks being damaged".