Potential travel chaos is looming for many Brits travelling to Spain this summer as air traffic controllers in France are planning to walk out en masse at the start of July. The industrial action will affect flights flying through French airspace, in particular those from the UK to Majorca and other popular Spanish holiday hotspots.
The strike has been called for the beginning of the peak summer season for airlines. A strike motion covering July 3 and 4 has been filed by the UNSA-ICNA union, the second-largest representative of air traffic controllers in France. These dates fall just a day before the start of the school summer holidays in France. The action could result in flights being delayed and cancellations, impacting other flights that travel through French airspace.
Flights that pass over France on their way to another country, may end up being re-routed around France.
Knock-on delays into the following days are also possible, other unions may also join the strike action, bringing further chaos.
British travellers hoping to fly back from Spain on June 25, 26 and 27 could face major disruption as EasyJet cabin crew members in Spain go on strike.
The Unión Sindical Obrera (USO) in Spain said the strikes could involve more than 650 flight attendants based in various travel hotspots, including Alicante, Barcelona, Malaga, and Palma de Mallorca.
The union has demanded higher wages in line with easyJet staff at the budget airline’s other European bases, according to the Majorca Daily Bulletin, which it alleges pay workers between 30% and 200% more.
Representatives have also reportedly demanded “decent, fair and equitable” working conditions to match their European counterparts.
Michael O’Leary, CEO of Ryanair, has issued a warning to UK tourists flying to Europe this year by alerting holidaymakers to what could be a summer of chaos.
He said the “scandal” of understaffing and the mismanagement of air traffic control networks have already caused issues for the airline and its passengers, pointing out air traffic control in five countries in particular.