French air traffic controllers call for strikes as busy summer holiday season begins
By Euronews Journey
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French air site visitors controllers are threatening to strike because the summer season vacation season begins for thousands and thousands throughout Europe.
The UNSA-ICNA union – the second largest union for air site visitors controllers in France – has filed a strike movement for the three and 4 July. They’ve cited “poisonous” and “authoritarian” administration as one of many causes for the walkout.
The union is looking for elevated staffing ranges and a pay rise. A gathering on Wednesday this week with the French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) failed to stop the strikes.
The third-largest ATC union, USAC-CGT, additionally issued a strike discover this week for 3 July. The biggest union representing French air site visitors controllers, SNCTA, has indicated that it isn’t calling for a strike.
What influence will the strikes have on summer season vacation flights?
A walkout by air site visitors controllers would possible trigger delays and cancellations throughout many French airports.
The strike comes on the eve of the college summer season vacation in France, which is because of start on 4 July (or 5 July for many who have Saturday courses), when air site visitors peaks. These dates are among the busiest of the 12 months, in keeping with DGAC, as many head off on their summer season break.
With each unions putting on Thursday, there may be more likely to be a worse influence than on Friday. The walkout may additionally influence ‘overflights’ or these which journey by French airspace.
This may occasionally imply plane should be rerouted round France, resulting in delays. Flights to and from Belgium, Portugal, Spain and Morocco have been among the many worst affected throughout earlier ATC actions in France.
The DGAC has mentioned it’ll announce within the days main as much as the strikes what number of flights will should be cancelled. It can then be as much as airways which companies they select to axe.
Air site visitors controllers have been in an ongoing battle with the DGAC for years, however that is their first strike since 2024. There was an ‘Olympic truce’ final 12 months, which noticed industrial motion paused in the course of the video games.
In 2023, air site visitors controller strikes led to main disruption in France with tens of 1000’s of cancellations, delays and widespread journey chaos. Greater than 10 million passengers had been impacted by French walkouts between March and April, in keeping with knowledge from Eurocontrol.
A brand new regulation was introduced in to cut back disruption, which requires air site visitors controllers who’re planning to strike to tell their bosses no less than 48 hours upfront. It’s supposed to offer employers sufficient time to attract up non permanent timetables primarily based on the variety of employees who can be working.
An identical rule was already in place for workers of the SNCF nationwide railways and the Paris public transport operator RATP.
