[Update] French national strike (22 March 2018) and Air France strike (23 March 2018)

A national strike in France -and the first air traffic control strike of this year- is causing extensive flight delays and cancellations, the impact is particularly high in the Brest, Bordeaux and Marseille control centres. Organisation A4E (airlines for Europe) wrote that 800 flights have been cancelled thus far, 100,000 passengers have been affected by the strike.

French Civil Aviation Authorities gave instructions to all airlines to decrease their flight schedule from and to French airports by 30%, but Air France expects to run 100% of long-haul flights, 75% of medium-haul flights to and from Paris-Charles de Gaulle and 60% of short-haul flights to and from Paris-Orly and French provinces.

The French airline is facing another day of difficulties as the unions have called for a strike action tomorrow (23 March), the unions have requested a 6% general pay increase, but Air France replied that “the company’s economic and financial situation, in a particularly aggressive competitive environment, made this general pay increase impossible without jeopardizing its growth, investment and resumed recruitments.”