French air traffic controllers call off strike but passengers still face cancellations
SNCTA, the largest union representing air traffi c controllers in France, has dropped plans for a 24-hour strike on Thursday after reaching a deal on pay and working conditions.
However, the deal came too late to roll back cancellations ordered by France's DGAC civil aviation authority.
As a result, 75 per cent offl ights remain canceled at Paris Orly Airport on Thursday and 55 per cent at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport in Roissy. In Marseille-Provence, 65 per cent offl
ights are cancelled along with 45 per cent in other airports in mainland France.
Two other unions, UNSA-INCA and Usac-Cgt, had also called a strike. It is not clear whether they will still go ahead with the action.
A ‘black day’ for French airports
France ’s largest air traffi c controllers union had led a strike notice for this Thursday, protesting the restructuring of workers' services.
The SNCTA, which represents over 60 per cent of France’s air traffi c controllers, told the French press earlier this week that they expected a "record turnout".
The national press has dubbed the 25th a “journée noir” (black day) for French airports.
"People should expect major disruption and long delays," a spokesperson for the SNCTA union told AFP.
It was predicted that the 24- hour strike would lead up to 70 per cent of ights in and out of French airports to be cancelled.
Dublin Airport could break a 76-year tradition of blessing planes due to new safety rules Ranked: The world’s most stressful airports to travel through this Easter
Despite the strike being called off , the news came too late for cancellations to be reversed, and they remain at or just slightly below original gures.
It is unclear whether 'overights' that need to enter French airspace will still be aff ected but budget airline Ryanair warned that over 300 ights would be cancelled due to the threatened strike.
Why did French air traffi c controllers call a strike?
Unions were objecting to the restructuring of air navigation services, a debate that has been ongoing for the last 15 months.
Air traffi c authorities are overhauling work schedules to cope better with predicted increases in ight traffi c.
Unions were demanding an accompanying rise in salaries and employee numbers.
SNTCA was seeking pay increases of 5.04 per cent per year in 2025, 2026 and 2027, as well as the doubling of their “special qualifi cation allowance”.
It is not yet known what deal has been reached.
The strike threat came despite the agreed ‘Olympic truce’ to suspend industrial action until the end of the games.
Could strikes hit the Paris Olympics?
CGT-RATP union members also announced a seven-month strike notice from 5 February to 9 September that could hit the Ile-de- France bus and metro network - including during this summer's Olympic Games .
However, the French Senate adopted a bill on 9 April to allow the state to ban transport strikes for set periods each year to avoid disruption during major events like Paris 2024.
Europe's travel strikes: Flight and train disruption you can expect in April and May Are German train strikes nally ending? Deutsche Bahn strikes deal with train drivers’ union
It also calls for more advance warning of strikes and increased minimum service obligations.
The bill faces opposition and must be adopted by the French National Assembly before it becomes law.
Workers at the state-owned public transport company say they are walking out over pay.