Thousands of flights canceled in the middle of French school holidays, hundreds of thousands of passengers ” in the dark “ : despite a last minute agreement with a union of French air traffic controllers, air traffic is expected to be extremely disrupted on Thursday April 25 in France and, by extension, in Europe.
More than 2,000 flights in Europe have been canceled and 1,000 risk having to divert to avoid French airspace, according to the main association of airlines on the Old Continent, Airlines for Europe.
Three out of four flights will be canceled departing from or arriving at Paris-Orly, the second largest French airport; 55% in Roissy – Charles-de-Gaulle, the first; 65% in Marseille-Provence and 45% on all other platforms in mainland France.
These cancellations, on an unprecedented scale “for about twenty years”according to the boss of Paris airports, Augustin de Romanet, were imposed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC) in view of the number of strikers declared among the essential air traffic controllers.
Agreement to end the crisis too late
However, the announcement on Wednesday morning of an agreement to end the crisis by the main union, the SNCTA, had given rise to hope for a reduction in the constraints weighing on airlines. But, according to the DGAC, “the late conclusion of negotiations with the SNCTA and the need to finalize discussions with other trade union organizations will not allow disruptions to be avoided [jeudi] ».
Ryanair, whose boss continues to denounce the French strikes, single-handedly canceled “more than 300 flights” On Thursday, Transavia canceled 198 while Air France warned that “significant cancellations and delays [étaient] predictable “. The DGAC has advised passengers who can to “postpone their trip”.
The subject of the negotiations is the overhaul of French air traffic control. The SNCTA, which gathered 60% of the votes of air traffic controllers in the last elections, protested against the accompanying measures of this reform, in particular salaries, and demanded, among other things, a 25% increase in remuneration spread over five years. He planned a “record mobilization” for Thursday, despite the commitment not to strike for salary reasons as part of a “Olympic Truce” announced for September 2023.
The Minister for Transport, Patrice Vergriete, welcomed an agreement “win-win”. The redesign will produce “more security, fewer delays”declared Mr. Vergriete, without giving details on the concessions, salary or otherwise, granted to the controllers.
Le Monde Buying Guides
Reusable water bottles
The best water bottles to replace disposable bottles
Read
The minister assured that it would be a sham operation for the taxpayer, the DGAC budget being supplemented by fees paid by airlines. These nevertheless pass on their costs to the price of tickets.
New notice for Ascension weekend
According to Mr. Vergriete, the SNCTA waived a second notice, during the Ascension long weekend on May 9, 10 and 11. Air traffic controllers include two other representative unions, the UNSA-ICNA and the USAC-CGT, which did not communicate on Wednesday. “We are very optimistic about being able to close the agreement [avec eux] »said the minister.
In the meantime, Thursday promises to be very difficult for air travelers in France, but also in Europe, where “hundreds of thousands of passengers [sont] in the dark “, deplored Airlines for Europe. As for the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which brings together more than 300 companies capturing 83% of world traffic, it accused French air traffic controllers of engaging in ” blackmail “with their “exorbitant demands”.
Airlines stressed that their customers had the option to change flights for free or receive a refund.
According to the Eurocontrol organization, the airspace it monitors should see some 29,000 flights pass through on Thursday. In France, on Wednesday, the DGAC dashboard mentioned some 5,600 takeoffs and landings.
Without reaching summer levels, French air traffic is buoyant at a time when two of the three major academic areas are still on spring break. Roissy airport welcomed 203,000 passengers on Monday and Orly airport, 111,000. Between them, they concentrate around half of French traffic.