Q&A: What's going on with the French air traffic control strikes?

Tuesday’s French air traffic controllers strike was part of a national day of action, the 14th in a campaign of resistance to the raising of the pension age. Picture: AP/Michel Euler

Why are French air traffic controllers on strike?

Tuesday’s French air traffic controllers strike was part of a national day of action, the 14th in a campaign of resistance to the raising of the pension age. It caused the cancellation of seven flights to and from France from Cork and Dublin, and three flights to Spain and Italy that pass over France.

So why are flights to Spain cancelled?

Unlike Spain, Greece and other countries, the French do not allow overflights in their air space to be handled by adjoining countries. That means flights to Spain and Italy from Ireland and northern European countries are affected. Barcelona, Reus and the Balearic Islands are particularly vulnerable but other flights have been cancelled too.

What are my rights if my flight is cancelled?

When a flight is cancelled is a problem for the airline, not the passenger. Because of the frequency of these strikes, the airlines have become good at this. They text passengers with details of the rebooked flights almost immediately so there is no need to go to the airport for a cancelled flight.

French air traffic control strikes are not subject to compensation under EU261.

What are airlines doing about this?

Airlines have been campaigning at European level that overflights should be allowed.

Ryanair, who had 400 flights cancelled on Tuesday, is particularly agitated by this issue. This week, it presented a petition with 1.1m signatures to the EU commission to allow overflights.

The whine you hear after the Ryanair engine has been turned off is from the airline’s chief executive. Michael O’Leary is particularly exercised by the fact that when French air traffic control goes on strike and it has to cancel all overflights across France, the French government uses minimum service legislation to protect local French domestic flights. 

It says “free movement of people across Europe in a single market is allowed to be threatened by the French every time they have these recreational strikes, which they have frequently in the summer”. 

It was forced to cancel 600 flights on one day last summer because nine French air traffic controllers not only went on strike but picketed their two different air traffic control centres.

What can passengers do?

Don’t panic. The airline will get you to where you need to go.It will contact you if the flight is cancelled. Remember there are more than 30 flights to France from Irish airports every day. Only a small proportion of these are cancelled when French air traffic control goes on strike, usually 20%, so there are lots of alternatives.

Are things going to change?

There is a sense this time round that Europe’s airlines and Europe’s passengers have had enough. At the world aviation summit in Istanbul on Tuesday, International Air Transport Association director general Willie Walsh described the decision not to allow overflights as intolerable, and something that could be solved instantly by France’s politicians. 

The detours of 500km or more taken by flights to avoid French air space are also an issue in an industry which is under fire for carbon emissions.

Is this going to happen again?

Yes. As sure as night follows day, gréve follows gréve in France, air traffic control will be on strike again. Even if the pension issue goes into retirement, there are other legacy issues regarding pay and training which have kept the French air traffic controllers busy striking for over a decade are likely to return.

The peak summer dates, particularly August, are likely targets. So is the Rugby World Cup in September and October.