70% Of French Airlines' Flights Are Canceled At Paris Airport During Widespread Strike

The French civil aviation authority has mandated airlines to cancel 70 percent of flights at Paris Orly airport over the weekend due to a strike by air traffic controllers. The cancellations will affect commercial flights from early Saturday morning until late Sunday, as announced by the DGAC authority. This strike coincides with preparations for the Paris Olympics, scheduled to begin on July 26, adding pressure to one of France's busiest airports.

This marks the second major air traffic controllers strike in a month, with the previous one resulting in the cancellation of numerous flights across Europe. While an agreement was reached between airport authorities and the main union, SNCTA, following the previous dispute, the UNSA-ICNA, the second-largest labor group, initiated this strike, citing inadequate staffing levels. According to their statement, they accuse Orly's management of cost-cutting measures that could lead to understaffing by 2027.

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The government has condemned the strike, with Deputy Transport Minister Patrice Vergriete criticizing local-level agents for refusing to acknowledge the legitimacy of a majority agreement and imposing the consequences on passengers. Orly Airport, situated south of Paris, serves as the capital's second-largest airport after Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle, catering to over 32 million passengers last year.

It is a crucial hub for national carrier Air France and its low-cost subsidiary Transavia, as well as for more than 20 other airlines, including easyJet, Iberia, and TAP. Only flights between Orly and French overseas territories are expected to operate normally during the weekend, according to the DGAC's directives.