Hundreds of holiday f lights to France hit by strikers
FAMILIES heading for France for the start of the Easter holidays could have their travel plans wrecked by a wave of industrial action.
More than 800 flights across Europe have been cancelled today due to the latest walkout by French air traffic controllers.
Airlines said more than 100,000 passengers have already been affected, many of them British.
The strike will affect those flying to and from France, as well as others heading to nearby holiday destinations such as Spain and Italy which involve travelling across French airspace.
Budget airlines Ryanair and easyJet both cancelled more than 100 flights each and said the number was likely to rise significantly today.
Thousands of passengers received text messages and emails telling them their flights had been cancelled. Many more are likely to be cancelled at short notice today as families arrive at the airport. Other airlines, including British Airways and Flybe, also warned that services would be cancelled.
The strike by French air traffic controllers over public sector labour reforms imposed by President Emmanuel Macron began yesterday evening at 6pm and will finish tomorrow at 5am.
Airlines accused staff of deliberately targeting families flying off early on their Easter breaks.
As a result of the latest protest, French authorities have ordered a 30 per cent reduction in arrivals and departures at the main Paris airports, Charles de Gaulle and Orly, as well as Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Nantes and Toulouse.
Kenny Jacobs of Ryanair said: ‘Yet again, thousands of European consumers will have their travel plans disrupted by a tiny group of French unions going on strike this week.’
Last night the trade association Airlines for Europe urged the EU to step in to prevent further chaos which it said is costing economies around £1.2billion a year.
Managing director Thomas Reynaert said: ‘Few, if any, national governments elsewhere in the world have experienced this level of repeated industrial action against the air transport system like we have in the EU.’
Industrial action has also spread to the railways. Staff working for national operator SNCF last night kicked off a protest which is due to end at 7am tomorrow. Eurostar has already cancelled four round trips between London and Paris.
Staff at RATP, which runs public transport in Paris, are also likely to stop work today.
A series of rolling two- day strikes on the railways will begin on April 3 and continue until June 28. Every five days a fresh stoppage will begin, with high- speed TGV services particularly at risk.