The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC) requested, Thursday, December 14, “Airlines to reduce their flight schedules for this day by 30% at Paris-Orly airport and by 50% at Brest airport” Monday, due to a social movement by air traffic controllers.
“Despite these preventive measures, disruptions and delays are nevertheless to be expected”the DGAC, in a press release, inviting “passengers who can postpone their trip”. Civil aviation, for “limit traffic disruptions”, “will apply the minimum service provisions” there where “the regulations allow it”that is to say the en route air navigation center (CRNA) North, Paris-Orly, Lyon and Poitiers.
Several union organizations have filed strike notices concerning the staff of CRNA Nord, which manages the trajectories of aircraft flying over the territory. Notices concern the approach control centers of Paris-Orly, Lyon, Lille, Brest, Rouen, Poitiers and Saint-Yan, specifies the DGAC.
Defense of the “territorial network” and the “minimum service”
The USAC-CGT called a strike on Monday “to defend our territorial coverage and our minimum service”.
A previous social movement by air traffic controllers on November 20 had already caused significant delays for travelers. Air traffic controllers are particularly up in arms against a reform of their right to strike.
The reform plans to oblige air traffic controllers to individually declare themselves on strike or not 48 hours in advance, as is already the case at the RATP or the SNCF.
Air traffic was regularly disrupted by strikes by air traffic controllers at the start of the year, during the pensions conflict. At the beginning of February, Orly was paralyzed by a surprise movement, sparking calls from political leaders to reform the framework for controllers’ right to strike.