Disruptions ease as strike goes on

FLIGHT disruptions are still affecting travellers at three airports today with a strike by security workers causing delays at Lyon, Paris Charles-de-Gaulle and Toulouse.

However, as the disruption entered its fifth day, the impact of the strike seemed to be easing. This was largely down to the reduction in traffic after the heavy weekend period. Despite reports that it was spreading to Nice, Bâle-Mulhouse and Rennes they reported no problems.

Ecology and transport minister Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet has named two mediators to work with strikers from the 10,000 staff and managements of the nine private companies responsible for airport security in a bid to end the strike before the Christmas holidays start in earnest on Friday.

If mediation does not work the government has left open the possibility of "requisitioning" personnel - forcing staff to work. Ms Kosciusko-Morizet said there was "no question of having French people taken hostage in this dispute during their Christmas holidays. If the situation does not improve we will move towards an appropriate solution."

* Management at Lyon said they expected to get all of the 150 flights away although there would be delays. They have asked departing passengers not to carry oversize items such as skis, snowboards or pushchairs as they could not be checked by security. They said 50 volunteer airport staff were helping with security procedures.

* At Charles-de-Gaulle disruption is affecting services from terminals 2E and 2F but, again, flights are being delayed and not cancelled.

* At Toulouse-Blagnac nearly all the 170 security workers are on strike but replacements were - according to a report in La Dépêche - being brought in from Nice and flights were taking off today after some delay averaging 30 minutes. Three flights were cancelled yesterday.

* Management at Nice, Bâle-Mulhouse and Rennes said there was no disruption expected today. Strikes have been called at Bâle-Mulhouse and Rennes, but not until Saturday. The press office at Bâle-Mulhouse said the strike call affected only one of the three security firms at the airport and not one dealing with the public.

The strikers are protesting about changes to working conditions with reductions in staffing and are calling for a pay increase. They say that untrained staff have been brought in to help with security procedures at airports.

Calls for airport workers to be forced to provide a legally-guaranteed minimum service will be debated in the National Assembly in the new year.