Disruption at French airports as air traffic controllers join public sector strike

An inter-union call for strike action across France’s public sector today will also impact air travellers, with aviation authorities calling on some airlines to cancel scheduled flights. 

France’s civil aviation authority (Direction générale de l’aviation civile, DGAC) called on airlines to reduce flights to “limit disruption and guarantee the safety of air operations,” in an announcement on Monday evening. 

The main airports affected are Paris Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle, where around 5% of flights will be cancelled between 07:00 and 20:00, and Marseille-Provence, where up to 25% of flights scheduled between 16:00 and midnight will be cancelled.

Other airports that are set to see delays or cancellations include Strasbourg, Nantes, Limoges, Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrénées and Pau-Pyrénées, the DGAC added. 

Passengers should be informed by their airline of any delays, but are nevertheless advised to keep up to date with information themselves, both on airline apps and the airport website where possible. 

It comes as France braces for a major public sector strike today impacting schools, hospitals, fire stations, and public services. 

Civil servant strikes

The announcement was not made by the DGAC until late on Monday evening.

Air traffic controllers – who fall under the civil service banner and are therefore covered by today’s strike motions – have to give advance notice of intention to strike to the DGAC following a 2023 law change, informing them no later than noon two days before the planned action.

This gives the authority time to organise a strike roster if necessary, and work out the number of flights that need to be cancelled in response to the size of the action.

However, disruption is considerably lower today than days of targeted action by air traffic control unions, which have previously seen mass cancellations across France. 

At this point in time, strike action by air traffic controllers seems limited to today, and only at the airports highlighted above. 

One union (FGF-FO) has an extended strike motion running until December 31, but this is unlikely to cause much disruption unless combined with other walk outs.

If further inter-union action is announced after today’s demonstrations, it is possible that flights will be affected on future major strike days.

Note that air traffic control strikes can impact not only flights to and from French airports but also those flying through French airspace, with the country handling some of the busiest airways in Europe.