A sixth day of national strikes and action by workers in France protesting against plans to reform the country's pension system have forced the cancellation of a large number of flights into and out of the country today.
The protesters disrupted travel as airport staff, bus and train drivers and lorry drivers joined refinery workers and others in a day of nationwide strikes.
Fuel shortages are expected to worsen throughout the day and France’s DGAC civil aviation authority said up to half of flights out of Paris’ Orly airport would be scrapped. Up to 30 per cent of flights out of other French airports, including the country’s largest - Paris Charles de Gaulle - would also be cancelled.
At least eight flights to and from Ireland were affected today.
Aer Lingus said it cancelled the return flights between Dublin and Charles De Gaulle at 11am because of the strike. The company’s 7am flight from Dublin departed as normal and its later flight at 6pm is also due to depart as scheduled. All other services by the airline to France are operational as normal.
Passengers affected by the cancellation have been notified by text message and e-mail and can take a refund or arrange an alternative journey, a spokeswoman for Aer Lingus said.
The airline also warned customers they may experience difficulties in accessing public transport to and from French airports due to the strikes.
Ryanair cancelled six flights on the Dublin to Nice and Rodez routes and Knock and Reus (Barcelona) route.
In total the company cancelled some 221 flights around the Europe due to the strike and its knock-on effects.
Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary said the striking air traffic controllers didn’t care about consumers and once again called on the European Commission to end the “chaos”.
This year to date the airline said it has been forced to cancel 1,850 flights and delay more than 12,000 other flights – disrupting more than 2.5 million passengers – as a direct result of Belgian, French and Spanish air traffic control strikes and work to rules.
“If these people don’t want to work, then replace them with military and other controllers who do wish to work,” he said.
Ryanair advised passengers they can transfer to the next available flight free of charge or apply for a refund at the airport ticket desk, online or by calling its reservation centre.
Most of the flights cancellations were on short and medium-haul domestic and inter-European flights. The walkout by air traffic controllers was expected to last one day, with flights expected to return to normal on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, French truck drivers have also joined the protest by performing so-called “escargot” operations in which they drive at a snail’s pace on highways.
Vincent Caulfield of the Irish Road Haulage Association said most of his members have been trying to avoid the protests as much as they can.
He said the IRHA had been in contact with members advising them not to fuel in France and to make contingency plans if possible.
Mr Caufield said should the protest by truck drivers escalate France could become a “no go” area for Irish drivers.