This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/08/french-air-traffic-controller-strike-flights-grounded-dispute-pension-age

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
French air traffic controller strike leaves thousands of travellers stranded French air traffic controller strike leaves thousands of travellers stranded
(about 1 hour later)
Thousands of travellers due to fly from British airports have been left stranded by French air traffic controllers striking over an increase in pension age.Thousands of travellers due to fly from British airports have been left stranded by French air traffic controllers striking over an increase in pension age.
Hundreds of flights were grounded on Wednesday while many more were disrupted, with delays and cancellations not only affecting journeys to France but also to other parts of Europe accessible through French airspace.Hundreds of flights were grounded on Wednesday while many more were disrupted, with delays and cancellations not only affecting journeys to France but also to other parts of Europe accessible through French airspace.
The Civil Aviation Authority said any passengers due to fly out in the next few days should check with their airline before going to the airport in case their journey is cancelled or badly delayed.The Civil Aviation Authority said any passengers due to fly out in the next few days should check with their airline before going to the airport in case their journey is cancelled or badly delayed.
Ryanair cancelled 250 flights on Wednesday from airports including Birmingham, Luton, Leeds Bradford, Stansted, East Midlands and Dublin.Ryanair cancelled 250 flights on Wednesday from airports including Birmingham, Luton, Leeds Bradford, Stansted, East Midlands and Dublin.
With flights heading through French airspace also affected by the strike, among the destinations on Ryanair’s cancelled list are Alicante and Malaga in Spain and Marrakech in Morocco.With flights heading through French airspace also affected by the strike, among the destinations on Ryanair’s cancelled list are Alicante and Malaga in Spain and Marrakech in Morocco.
EasyJet has cancelled 118 flights. Most of the axed services involve flights within France, but also include return flights to Paris from Gatwick, Belfast and Luton, as well as a Gatwick-Toulouse return service.EasyJet has cancelled 118 flights. Most of the axed services involve flights within France, but also include return flights to Paris from Gatwick, Belfast and Luton, as well as a Gatwick-Toulouse return service.
British Airways was among the other carriers that had to cancel flights, while Flybe axed 16 services including flights to Paris from Manchester, Birmingham and Exeter, as well as some flights from Southampton.British Airways was among the other carriers that had to cancel flights, while Flybe axed 16 services including flights to Paris from Manchester, Birmingham and Exeter, as well as some flights from Southampton.
Ryanair criticised the industrial action by French air-traffic controllers, who want fresh talks on working conditions and are angry at plans to push back their pension age by two years.Ryanair criticised the industrial action by French air-traffic controllers, who want fresh talks on working conditions and are angry at plans to push back their pension age by two years.
“It’s grossly unfair that thousands of European travellers will once again have their travel plans disrupted by the selfish actions of a tiny number of French ... workers,” the Irish airline was quoted as saying by AFP.“It’s grossly unfair that thousands of European travellers will once again have their travel plans disrupted by the selfish actions of a tiny number of French ... workers,” the Irish airline was quoted as saying by AFP.
An easyJet spokesperson said: “We can assure our passengers we are doing everything possible to limit the inconvenience of this strike on them.”An easyJet spokesperson said: “We can assure our passengers we are doing everything possible to limit the inconvenience of this strike on them.”
A BA representative said: “We are doing all we can to minimise disruption to customers. We will be using larger aircraft as well as rerouting some flights to try to help as many customers as possible get to where they need to be.A BA representative said: “We are doing all we can to minimise disruption to customers. We will be using larger aircraft as well as rerouting some flights to try to help as many customers as possible get to where they need to be.
“Unfortunately there will be some knock-on delays to other parts of our short-haul network as a result of the strike action, given how much airspace in Europe will be affected. We are sorry for any disruption to customers’ travel plans.”“Unfortunately there will be some knock-on delays to other parts of our short-haul network as a result of the strike action, given how much airspace in Europe will be affected. We are sorry for any disruption to customers’ travel plans.”
AFP reported that the situation in Paris terminals was relatively calm, with passengers apparently making other plans after heeding advance warnings of the strike. The Civil Aviation Authority asked for passengers flying from Britain to do the same.AFP reported that the situation in Paris terminals was relatively calm, with passengers apparently making other plans after heeding advance warnings of the strike. The Civil Aviation Authority asked for passengers flying from Britain to do the same.
A CAA spokesman said: “One thing we are really keen to do is to advise passengers, if they are due to fly in the next few days, to check with airlines before going to the airport.A CAA spokesman said: “One thing we are really keen to do is to advise passengers, if they are due to fly in the next few days, to check with airlines before going to the airport.
He stressed that passengers should exercise their consumer rights if they are faced with long delays. “When there is a long delay they are entitled to food and drink and the airline should provide that. If passengers are being delayed overnight airlines are obliged to provide accommodation,” the spokesman said.He stressed that passengers should exercise their consumer rights if they are faced with long delays. “When there is a long delay they are entitled to food and drink and the airline should provide that. If passengers are being delayed overnight airlines are obliged to provide accommodation,” the spokesman said.
“If their flights are cancelled at short notice they are obliged to offer passengers a refund or a rearranged flight.”“If their flights are cancelled at short notice they are obliged to offer passengers a refund or a rearranged flight.”
France’s civil aviation authority has asked airlines to scrap around 40% of flights and warned of ‘disruption across the country’. A spokesman for Eurocontrol, the agency that oversees air-traffic control across Europe, said France’s aviation authority had requested a 40% cut in flights to and from French airports.
The strike was called by the main air traffic union SNCTA, which wants talks over the specific working conditions of their members. He said flights to destinations elsewhere in Europe had, where appropriate, been re-routed to the east and west of French airspace. ‘Typically there would be about 4,000 over-flights [in French airspace]. Some of these are still happening but obviously people are re-routing around as much as possible,’ he said.
A particular bone of contention is the pushing back of the retirement age for air traffic controllers from 57 to 59. Across Europe flight delays had accumulated to a total of more than 278,000 minutes by this morning, Eurocontrol’s Network Operations Portal showed. Normally this figure would be somewhere between 3,000 and 15,000 minutes, the spokesman said. The average delay to flights across Europe was 12.7 minutes, smashing Eurocontrol’s usual target of half a minute.
The strike, which began on Wednesday at 5am and is set to last 48 hours, was called by the main air traffic union SNCTA, which wants talks over the working conditions of its members.
A particular bone of contention is the raising of the retirement age for air traffic controllers from 57 to 59.
Alain Vidalies, the French transport minister, “regretted” that the union had chosen to call for strike action and noted that a meeting was due to take place on 13 April to discuss the specific working practices in the sector.Alain Vidalies, the French transport minister, “regretted” that the union had chosen to call for strike action and noted that a meeting was due to take place on 13 April to discuss the specific working practices in the sector.
The SNCTA had originally called the strike from 25-27 March but scrapped it after the Germanwings crash in the French Alps that killed 150. SNCTA had originally called the strike from 25-27 March but scrapped it after the Germanwings crash in the French Alps that killed 150.