Thursday and Friday’s two-day strike by French air traffic controllers threw European air travel into disarray, with over 1,500 flights cancelled and tens of thousands of passengers facing significant delays.
While no publicly announced air traffic controller strikes in France are scheduled for the immediate future beyond the recently concluded strike on July 3-4, 2025, it is inevitable that there will be further strikes given the lack of progress on core issues of digitization of attendance . French law requires air traffic controllers to provide at least 48 hours’ notice before striking, and unions typically give at least three days’ notice due to voting processes.
Friday’s disruption cancelled seven rotations in Dublin, and one each in Belfast International and Shannon. Thursday’s disruption cancelled eight rotations in Dublin. The smaller two of the three French air traffic control unions were involved in the strike – members of UNSA-ICNA and USAC-CGT trade unions.
The industrial action, led by the UNSA-ICNA and USAC-CGT unions, targeted chronic understaffing, outdated equipment, and what unions described as “toxic” management practices. The strike, timed just before France’s school summer holidays, has been branded “unacceptable” by airlines and France’s Transport Minister, Philippe Tabarot, as it disrupted the plans of nearly 300,000 travellers.
The French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) mandated drastic reductions in flight schedules, with Paris airports—Charles de Gaulle, Orly, and Beauvais—seeing 25pc of flights cancelled on 3 July, escalating to 40pc on 4 July. Southern airports, including Nice, Bastia, and Calvi, faced up to 50pc cancellations, while Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier, Ajaccio, and Figari saw 30pc reductions. The ripple effect extended beyond France, impacting flights crossing French airspace, with delays reported as far afield as Lisbon, Vienna, and Palma de Mallorca, where departures faced average delays of 57 minutes and arrivals 51 minutes.
Ryanair, Europe’s largest airline, cancelled over 400 flights, affecting more than 70,000 passengers, including 170 flights initially reported on 3 July, with an additional 30 cancellations announced later. The airline’s CEO, Michael O’Leary, condemned the strike, accusing French air traffic controllers of “holding European families to ransom” and urging European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to protect overflights and reform air traffic control staffing. EasyJet axed 274 flights over the two days, with a spokesperson expressing frustration at the “intolerable” disruption, particularly given French ATC’s poor delay record this summer. Air France adapted its schedule but maintained its long-haul flights, while Lufthansa reduced services to Nice, Paris, Marseille, Lyon, and Montpellier. British Airways adjusted its schedule, deploying larger aircraft to mitigate disruptions, and Luxair warned of potential delays across its network.
Passengers voiced mixed sentiments. Nadia Rivet, a 51-year-old bank employee from Pau, whose flight to Paris was cancelled, called the strike “punitive” but acknowledged the right to industrial action. Canadian traveller Carol Jelic, stranded at Charles de Gaulle en route to Stuttgart, accepted the inconvenience, stating, “Striking is a right. We can’t lose that.” Others, like Eric Nouen, travelling from French Guiana to Montpellier, took a philosophical view: “Everyone has a reason to strike right now.”
Airlines for Europe (A4E), representing carriers like Ryanair, Air France, and Lufthansa, labelled the strike “intolerable,” noting French ATC’s dismal performance as a leading cause of European airspace delays. The association highlighted the broader issue of an outdated air traffic control system struggling with post-pandemic travel surges and geopolitical complexities, such as rerouting due to conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. Eurocontrol reported that air traffic delays in 2024 were the worst in 25 years, a trend likely to worsen in 2025.
A4E recommended four changes:
- Mandatory arbitration before ATC unions can threaten strike action
- A 21-day advance notification of strike action.
- Provision of a 72-hour advance individual notification of participation in industrial action
- Protection of overflights, while ensuring this is not at the expense of departures and arrivals in the country where the strike originates
- A right of redress with Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) for the impact of disruption
Under EU Regulation EC 261, passengers affected by cancellations are entitled to refunds, rebooking, or alternative transport, but compensation is unlikely as strikes are deemed “extraordinary circumstances.” Travel experts advise checking flight statuses via airline websites or apps like FlightRadar, keeping receipts for expenses, and arriving early at airports to navigate potential chaos.
The DGAC expressed regret over the strike’s timing and cited ongoing recruitment efforts to address staffing shortages. However, with no resolution reached and further action possible this summer, travellers are urged to stay vigilant and plan for contingencies. For now, Europe’s skies remain fragile, with the strike exposing deep-rooted issues in the continent’s air traffic control network.
