French air traffic control strikes: which flights are being impacted?

French air site visitors controllers have begun a 24-hour strike which can run from 6am right this moment, Friday September 16, till 6am tomorrow, Saturday September 17. Over 80,000 passengers on Ryanair alone will likely be impacted, as will many others who’re attributable to fly over French airspace to the likes of Spain and Italy. Airways have already began to cancel flights and there are delays anticipated.

Major photograph: Ryanair is among the many airways with grounded flights because of the strike in France (Getty Pictures)

Which flights are being cancelled?

Any flights that fly into or throughout France are being impacted. This contains departures from the UK that fly not simply to France but in addition over French airspace — the strike will influence flights to Spain, Portugal, Italy and Switzerland. Ryanair, easyJet and British Airways are among the many airways which have cancelled flights — 420 within the case of Ryanair. Air France is just working 45 per cent of its quick and medium-haul flights, together with 90 per cent of long-haul routes. Jet2 is warning that flights by means of French airspace could also be delayed, however has not but introduced cancellations.

How lengthy will the strike run for?

The strike by French air-traffic controllers takes place from 6am on Friday September 16 till 6am on Saturday September 17. Knock-on results are prone to final by means of the weekend. The motion was first introduced by the union on September 6.

Why are they placing?

The SNCTRA air site visitors management union is placing in a row over wages, saying that they aren’t maintaining tempo with file charges of inflation. Based on the nation’s civil aviation physique, French air site visitors controllers earn a mean wage of round €60,000. The union additionally states that with a 3rd of the air site visitors management workforce set to retire between 2029 and 2035, and coaching taking 5 years, funding for brand new recruitment is required.

What occurs if my flight is cancelled?

Laws on what compensation passengers can anticipate if their flights are delayed or cancelled could not kick in right here, as air site visitors management strikes are an instance of “extraordinary circumstances” which might be past the airline’s management. That mentioned, some airways look prone to help — easyJet, for instance, has mentioned clients on cancelled flights could have the selection of adjusting their flight without spending a dime, receiving a voucher or getting a refund.

Extraordinary circumstances apart, all flights departing from the UK, flights with a UK vacation spot operated by a UK or EU airline, and UK airline-operated flights with an EU vacation spot are lined by UK law regarding refunds and compensation in terms of delays and cancellations. The laws was adopted from EU Regulation 261/2004, with any compensation paid out in kilos quite than euros.

In case your flight is cancelled, the airline wants to supply two choices for you: a full refund (together with any affected return journeys) reimbursed inside seven days, or an alternate flight, together with with a rival airline. The alternative flight could be the subsequent obtainable one, or one on a future date. You might be inside your rights to request a full refund if the choice flight isn’t appropriate for you. And when you have a connecting flight and also you determine to not journey, the airline should take you again to your authentic departure level. See more information here.

Will there be extra strikes?

Along with the strike on September 16-17, the union has introduced additional motion on the finish of the month, from Wednesday 28 to Friday 30. Particulars could but change, however this coincides with strikes deliberate by the CGT federation of commerce unions.