Three-day strike by French air traffic controllers disrupts flights across Europe
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A three-day strike by French air traffic controllers will cause sweeping cancellations and major delays for holidaymakers across the whole of Europe starting from today.
All airlines using French airports have been asked to cancel 50 per cent of their services, but flights that cross over French airspace will also be affected, causing further disruption across the continent.
The strike action began at 6am local time and air traffic controllers will not return to work until 6am on Friday.
Disruption: One in two flights at France's main airports are cancelled until Friday
British Airways said their were "significant" cancellations to flights to and from France and warned there may also be delays to services to and from Spain and North Africa due to airspace restrictions.
easyJet also warned travellers that airlines have been advised to expect only 50 per cent of normal services, which means it will have to cancel approximately 128 flights each day.
France's civil aviation authority confirmed that one in every two flights to Paris, Lyon, Toulouse and Bordeaux is cancelled.
Protest: French air traffic controllers are against proposals to create a pan-European airspace
Airlines are contacting passengers affected by cancellations and offering them the chance to rebook or receive a refund.
The latest updates can be found on each website and passengers are advised to check with their airline before travel.
The French strike is being held to protest plans by the EU to create a single European airspace instead of allowing each member state to control its own skies.
The European Commission argues that the Single European Sky (SES) plan would eliminate current inefficiencies in the way European air traffic is managed, which is estimated to add 26 miles to the average flight.
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