French air traffic controllers are taking this Industrial action today to demand higher wages due to soaring inflation. Flights from UK to France , Spain, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland and other flights in excess of 1000 , through French Airspace are getting severely affected .
French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) had already warned that the air traffic in France will be severely disrupted this Friday due to a strike over wages, and the call for the carriers was to “lower their flight schedule by 50 percent” .
#Perturbations | Mouvement social des contrôleurs aériens sur l’ensemble du territoire national pour la journée du vendredi 16 septembre 2022. pic.twitter.com/zfkBy25ByL
— Direction générale de l'aviation civile ???????????????? (@DGAC) September 13, 2022
While Ryanair is cancelling around 420 Friday flights, that is impacting 80,000 passengers, Turkish Airlines said to have canceled 21 flights to various cities in France
French air traffic controllers' strike from 6 a.m. on Friday until 6 a.m. on Saturday is affecting both flights in and out of France and those that cross over French airspace as well.
French flag bearer - AirFrance's statement read,
A call for strike has been launched by the French air traffic controllers on 16 September, 2022 The French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) has requested airlines to reduce their flight schedule from all French airports by 50% on that day. Air France plans to operate on that day around:
- 90% of its long-haul flights,
- 45% of its short and medium-haul flights.
Delays and last minute cancellations cannot be ruled out.
The Syndicat National des Contrôleurs du Trafic Aérien (SNCTA), the largest union of air traffic controllers in France, had submitted the notice of strike.
In addition to calling for higher wages, air traffic controllers will also use this strike to force authorities to open up employment in aviation, especially in air traffic control. It's being learnt that SNCTA could call for a second strike , expected between September 28 and 30.
“From 2029 to 2035, a third of the body will be retiring, it is imperative to anticipate and plan recruitment,” the National Union of Air Traffic Controllers (SNCTA) said, adding that “failure to do so will have inevitable consequences in terms of public service, working conditions and mobility”.
The French Regulator DGAC had urged travellers to check the status of their flights with their carriers and to reschedule their vacations if at all feasible.
The DGAC also reported that it was in discussions with Eurocontrol , the European air traffic controller , to suggest steps for the airlines to avoid French airspace.
The Industrial Action comes in a time, when the French government is preparing to unveil its 2023 budget, which the union says fails to guarantee the DGAC’s financing and could limit its ability to offer pay hikes.
Post pandemic, Strikes across the aviation industry, including Pilots , ground and cabin personnel who seek to have their salaries hiked to match the increased living costs amid high inflation , caused severe disruptions to Europe’s Hubs and summer traffic.
Earlier in the month of July, multiple strikes by the firefighters and staff at the French capital’s CDG hub had led to such flight cancellations and delays.
Display Picture Courtesy : Aeroinfo Barcelona-El Prat.
