More than 1,500 flights have been cancelled on July 3-4, affecting practically 300,000 passengers, as a result of a strike by French air visitors controllers, European business foyer Airlines for Europe mentioned in a press release.
“Airlines for Europe (A4E) strongly condemns the French air traffic control (ATC) strike taking place today and tomorrow,” it mentioned.
“Tens of thousands of travellers in France and across Europe have seen their summer getaway grounded as French air-traffic controllers walk out during the Grand Départ; one of the busiest periods for summer travel,” it added.
“This strike is intolerable,” mentioned the pinnacle of Airlines for Europe, Ourania Georgoutsakou.
“French air traffic control already delivers some of Europe’s worst delay figures and now the actions of a minority of French air traffic control workers will needlessly disrupt the holiday plans of thousands of people in France and across Europe.”
Half of flights in Nice, France’s third-largest airport, and 1 / 4 of flights at Paris Orly and Paris Charles de Gaulle, one in every of Europe’s busiest hubs, have been cancelled.
Disruption is predicted to worsen on Friday, the eve of the college holidays.
“We’re trying to stay positive, there are worse things, but it’s annoying,” Nadia Rivet, a 51-year-old financial institution worker, advised AFP.
Rivet was planning to spend six days within the French capital, however her flight from the southwestern metropolis of Pau on Thursday morning was cancelled.
“Everyone has the right to strike, but it’s punitive. Air traffic controllers aren’t the worst off,” she mentioned.
The strike compelled the cancellation of 933 flights on Thursday, mentioned the DGAC civil aviation authority, which had requested airways to cancel a few of their flights to make sure there are sufficient controllers on responsibility.
The strike concerned 272 air visitors controllers from a workforce of round 1,000 employees on responsibility, the DGAC mentioned.
Source: www.dailysabah.com