French Air Traffic Controllers Staging Strike

By Staff, Agencies

France’s civil aviation authority told airlines to cut half of their flights on Friday due to a planned strike by air-traffic controllers, bringing disruption back to the country’s airports after a difficult summer.

French air traffic controllers are acting to demand higher wages due to soaring inflation.

The national strike will last from 6 a.m. on Friday to 6 a.m. on Saturday, DGAC announced.

In addition to calling for higher wages, air traffic controllers will also use this strike to force authorities to open up employment in aviation, especially in air traffic control.

"From 2029 to 2035, a third of the body will be retiring, it is imperative to anticipate and plan recruitment," the National Union of Air Traffic Controllers [SNCTA] said, adding that "failure to do so will have inevitable consequences in terms of public service, working conditions and mobility."

The SNCTA and the DGAC have called on airlines to reduce their flight services by 50 percent on Friday, both in Metropolitan France and in the French overseas territories. Passengers are being advised to postpone their trips.

Meanwhile, SNCTA said on Tuesday that a second strike could be expected between Sept. 28 and Sept. 30.