Unions reject the chronic lack of personnel and poorly managed technical projects.

France’s main airports faced major disruption starting Thursday due to a two-day strike by air traffic controllers, resulting in the cancellation of thousands of flights during the first week of the summer vacation period.

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The strike, led by UNSA-ICNA, the country’s second-largest air traffic controller union, and USAC-CGT, the third-largest, comes after failed negotiations over working conditions.

Unions cite chronic understaffing, poorly managed technical projects, and what they call “toxic management” within the French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC). The largest union, SNCTA, declined to join the strike.

One-quarter of all flights at Paris’ three airports — Orly, Charles de Gaulle, and Beauvais — were canceled. In Nice, France’s third-busiest airport and a major tourist hub, half of all flights were suspended, as was the case in Bastia and Calvi, located on the island of Corsica. In the southern half of the country, 30% of flights were canceled at the airports in Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier, Ajaccio, Figari, and across Corsica.

Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot called the strike “completely unacceptable,” especially as it comes during the start of the school vacation period for millions of French families.

Flight cancellations are expected to increase Friday, with 40% of flights scrapped at the three Paris airports, coinciding with the first weekend of July. In Nice, half of the flights will again be canceled, while Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier, Ajaccio, Bastia, Calvi, and Figari will each see 30% of flights grounded.

The DGAC warned that despite preventive measures, “significant delays and disruptions” could occur at airports nationwide. The agency advised passengers who can postpone their trips to contact their airlines to explore rescheduling options.

teleSUR/ JF

Sources: EFE – Xinhua

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