European travel chaos deepens amid French air traffic control strike

Hundreds of flights across Europe were cancelled on Friday as French air traffic controllers began the second day of a two-day strike, plunging the continent into widespread travel chaos just as summer holidays commence.

Mass cancellations disrupt European skies

The strike forced aviation authorities to instruct airlines to cancel hundreds of flights, not only to and from France but also those passing over its airspace. The European Airlines for Europe (A4E) association reported that approximately 1,500 flights were cancelled on Thursday and Friday, directly affecting the travel plans of 300,000 passengers.

A4E chief Ourania Georgoutsakou criticized the strike, stating, "French air traffic control already delivers some of Europe's worst delay figures, and now the actions of a minority of workers are needlessly ruining the holiday plans of thousands across Europe."

The disruption caused by the strikes also resulted in nearly 500,000 minutes of delays on Thursday alone, impacting approximately 33,000 commercial flights across Europe.

Airlines demand EU intervention

Budget airline Ryanair, Europe's largest carrier by passenger numbers, cancelled over 400 flights due to the strike. CEO Michael O'Leary expressed frustration, calling the industrial action "unacceptable" and urging the European Commission to safeguard overflights during strikes.

"Of these 400 cancellations, 350 could have been avoided if the EU protected overflights over France," he stated.

Paris airports bear the brunt

The strikes have severely impacted France's main airports, especially in Paris. On Thursday, 933 flights—10% of the total scheduled—were cancelled, with the cancellation rate soaring to 25% at Paris airports. Friday's disruptions were expected to worsen, with French civil aviation authorities requesting airlines cancel 40% of flights to mitigate the strike's effects.

The timing of the industrial action coincides with the last day of school in France, when families traditionally begin their summer holidays, exacerbating the disruptions. French Prime Minister François Bayrou condemned the strike, describing it as "shocking" and accusing the unions of holding the public hostage.

"The decision to strike on a day when families are beginning their holidays is unacceptable," Bayrou told BFMTV.

Wider impact on European travel

The repercussions of the strike extended beyond French borders, causing hundreds of cancellations for flights that would have traversed French airspace. With no immediate resolution in sight, the travel turmoil is likely to persist, leaving passengers stranded and airlines scrambling to adjust schedules.