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Dubai Eye
04-07-2025
- Business
- Dubai Eye
French air traffic controllers' walkout disrupts early summer travel
A walkout by French air traffic controllers to protest against staff shortages and ageing equipment forced airlines to cancel hundreds of flights on Thursday, just as the summer season gets under way. The strike impacted operations at airports across the country, including Paris' Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport, one of Europe's busiest hubs, and is due to run into a second day on Friday. Lobby group Airlines for Europe said more than 1,500 flights would be cancelled over the two days, impacting nearly 300,000 travellers. Budget airline Ryanair said it had cancelled 468 flights and expected the number to keep rising. "Once again European families are held to ransom by French air traffic controllers going on strike," Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary said. "It makes no sense and is abundantly unfair on EU passengers and families going on holidays." France's civil aviation agency DGAC asked airlines to cut one in four flights in and out of Paris airports and almost half of flights out of the capital on Friday. Elsewhere, airlines were asked to reduce flights by 30 per cent-50 per cent, with the south hit particularly hard. Air France, France's largest airline, said it had adapted its flight schedule, but that it was maintaining its full long-haul flight schedule. EasyJet said it was cancelling 274 flights over Thursday and Friday. Lufthansa also reduced its schedule for the two days, affecting some flights in and out of Nice, Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Montpellier airports. IAG-owned British Airways was using larger aircraft to mitigate disruption. UNDERSTAFFING, OLD TECHNOLOGY The strike coincided with the start of the European summer holidays, one of the busiest travel periods of the year. France's second-largest air traffic controllers' union, UNSA-ICNA, said its members were striking over persistent understaffing, outdated equipment and a toxic management culture. Another union, USAC-CGT, said the DGAC had failed to comprehend the frustration felt by controllers. "The DGAC is failing to modernise the tools that are essential to air traffic controllers, even though it continues to promise that all necessary resources are being made available," UNSA-ICNA said in a statement. "The systems are on their last legs, and the (air traffic control) agency is constantly asking more of its staff to compensate for its difficulties," it added. The DGAC did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the trade unions' concerns. Their complaints echo grievances expressed by air traffic controllers in the United States over antiquated infrastructure, dramatic staffing shortfalls and failing technology. French Transport minister Philippe Tabarot called the unions' demands unacceptable. French air traffic control had proven to be one of the weakest links in Europe's ATC network, posting some of Europe's worst delay records so far this year, Airlines for Europe said. Ryanair's O'Leary urged the European Commission, the European Union's executive arm, to reform EU air traffic control services to ensure adequate staffing at peak periods and to protect overflights - those that pass over a country or region without landing there - during national strikes.
CNBC
03-07-2025
- Business
- CNBC
French air traffic controllers' walkout disrupts early summer season travel
French air traffic controllers began a two-day strike on Thursday to protest against staff shortages and ageing equipment, leading to hundreds of flight cancellations just as the summer season gets under way. France's civil aviation agency DGAC told airlines to revise their schedules, including at Paris' Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport - one of Europe's busiest hubs - forcing the carriers to cancel flights. Air France France's largest airline, said it had adapted its flight schedule, without giving details, but that it was maintaining its full long-haul flight schedule. Ryanair said it had been forced to cancel 170 flights affecting over 30,000 passengers on Thursday and Friday. "Once again European families are held to ransom by French Air Traffic Controllers going on strike," Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary said. "It makes no sense and is abundantly unfair on EU passengers and families going on holidays." EasyJet said it would be cancelling 274 flights over Thursday and Friday. Lufthansa also reduced its schedule for the two days, affecting some flights in and out of Nice, Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Montpellier airports. IAG-owned British Airways was using larger aircraft to mitigate disruption. The strike coincided with the start of the European summer holidays, one of the busiest travel periods of the year. France's second-largest air traffic controllers' union, UNSA-ICNA, said its members were striking over persistent understaffing, outdated equipment and a toxic management culture. Another union, USAC-CGT, said the DGAC had failed to comprehend the frustration felt by controllers. "The DGAC is failing to modernise the tools that are essential to air traffic controllers, even though it continues to promise that all necessary resources are being made available," UNSA-ICNA said in a statement. "The systems are on their last legs, and the (air traffic control) agency is constantly asking more of its staff to compensate for its difficulties," it added. The DGAC did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the trade unions' concerns. Their complaints echo grievances expressed by air traffic controllers in the United States over outdated infrastructure, dramatic staffing shortfalls and failing technology. French Transport minister Philippe Tabarot called the unions' demands unacceptable. The DGAC asked airlines to cut one in four flights in and out of Paris airports and almost half of flights out of the capital on Friday. Elsewhere, airlines were asked to reduce flights by 30%-50%, with the south particularly hard hit. "Despite these preventative measures, disturbances and significant delays are to be expected at all French airports," the agency said, urging passengers to change their flights if they were able to. Luxair Luxembourg Airlines warned that "additional delays and schedule changes are possible across other destinations, as air traffic rerouting and capacity constraints may cause knock-on effects throughout the network." Ryanair's O'Leary urged the European Commission, the European Union's executive arm, to reform EU air traffic control services to ensure adequate staffing at peak periods and to protect overflights - those that pass over a country or region without landing there - during national strikes.
TimesLIVE
03-07-2025
- Business
- TimesLIVE
French air traffic controllers' walkout disrupts early summer season travel
French air traffic controllers began a two-day strike on Thursday to protest over staff shortages and ageing equipment, leading to hundreds of flight cancellations as the summer season gets under way. France's civil aviation agency DGAC told airlines to revise their schedules, including at Paris' Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport — one of Europe's busiest hubs — forcing the carriers to cancel flights. Air France, France's largest airline, said it adapted its flight schedule, without giving details, but it was maintaining its full long-haul flight schedule. IAG-owned British Airways was using larger aircraft to mitigate disruption. Ryanair said it had been forced to cancel 170 flights affecting more than 30,000 passengers on Thursday and Friday. 'Again European families are held to ransom by French air traffic controllers going on strike,' Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary said. 'It makes no sense and is abundantly unfair on EU passengers and families going on holiday.' EasyJet said it would cancel 274 flights on Thursday and Friday. The strike coincided with the start of the European summer holidays, one of the busiest travel periods of the year. France's second-largest air traffic controllers' union, UNSA-ICNA, said its members were striking over persistent understaffing, outdated equipment and a toxic management culture. Another union, USAC-CGT, said the DGAC had failed to comprehend the frustration felt by controllers. 'The DGAC is failing to modernise the tools essential to air traffic controllers, though it continues to promise all necessary resources are being made available,' UNSA-ICNA said. 'The systems are on their last legs and the [air traffic control] agency is constantly asking more of its staff to compensate for its difficulties,' it added. The DGAC did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the trade unions' concerns. Their complaints echo grievances expressed by air traffic controllers in the US over outdated infrastructure, dramatic staffing shortfalls and failing technology. French transport minister Philippe Tabarot called the unions' demands unacceptable. The DGAC asked airlines to cut one in four flights in and out of Paris airports and almost half of flights out of the capital on Friday. Elsewhere, airlines were asked to reduce flights by 30%-50%, with the south particularly hard hit. 'Despite these preventive measures, disturbances and significant delays are to be expected at all French airports,' the agency said, urging passengers to change their flights if they could. Luxair Luxembourg Airlines warned that 'additional delays and schedule changes are possible across other destinations, as air traffic rerouting and capacity constraints may cause knock-on effects throughout the network.' Ryanair's O'Leary urged the European Commission, the EU's executive arm, to reform EU air traffic control services to ensure adequate staffing at peak periods and to protect overflights — those that pass over a country or region without landing — during national strikes.
TimesLIVE
23-06-2025
- Business
- TimesLIVE
Airlines suspend Middle East flights
Israel's strikes against Iran have prompted international airlines to halt flights to some Middle East destinations due to air space closures and safety concerns. As the conflict entered a new phase after the US attack on Iranian nuclear sites, some airlines moved to cancel flights to hubs like Dubai and Qatar's Doha. Below are some of the airlines that have cancelled their flights to and from the region: AIRBALTIC Latvia's airBaltic said that all flights to and from Tel Aviv until September 30 had been cancelled. AEROFLOT Russia's Aeroflot said that it had cancelled flights between Moscow and Tehran, and made changes to other routes in the Middle East. AIR EUROPA The Spanish airline said that it has cancelled its flights to and from Tel Aviv until July 31. AIR FRANCE-KLM The French flag carrier suspended flights to Tel Aviv until July 14 and to and from Beirut until June 25. Air France is also cancelling flights to and from Dubai and Riyadh until June 24. KLM said that it had cancelled all its flights to and from Tel Aviv until at least July 1 and added that some flights to, from or via Beirut until June 29 may be disrupted. DELTA AIR LINES The US carrier said that travel to, from, or through Tel Aviv may be affected until August 31. EL AL ISRAEL AIRLINES The carrier said that it had cancelled its regular flight schedule for EL AL and Sundor through June 27. Additionally, flights scheduled to depart through July 15 have been closed for new bookings until the security situation becomes clearer. ETIHAD AIRWAYS Etihad said it had cancelled flights between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv until July 15. EMIRATES Emirates said that it had temporarily suspended flights to and from Iran (Tehran) and Iraq (Baghdad and Basra) until and including June 30. FINNAIR The Finnish airline cancelled its flights to and from Doha through to June 30, as well as flight AY1982 on July 1. Finnair added that it is not flying through the airspace of Iraq, Iran, Syria or Israel. FLYDUBAI Flydubai said that it had temporarily suspended flights to and from Iran, Iraq, Israel and Syria until June 30. IAG IAG-owned British Airways said that its flights to Tel Aviv remain suspended until July 31 and flights to Amman and Bahrain are suspended up to and including June 30. The British carrier was set to resume Dubai and Doha flights on June 23 after cancelling routes to and from those airports the day before. IAG's low-cost airline, Iberia Express, had previously said that it had cancelled its flights to Tel Aviv until June 30. Iberia cancelled its flights to Doha or Dubai until June 24. ISRAIR The Israeli airline said that it had cancelled all its flights from and to Israel until June 30. Israir is stopping the sale of all its flights until July 7 (inclusive). ITA AIRWAYS The Italian Airline said that it would extend the suspension of Tel Aviv flights until July 31, including two flights scheduled on August 1. LUFTHANSA GROUP Lufthansa said that it had suspended all flights to and from Beirut until and including June 30 and to and from Tel Aviv and Tehran until and including July 31. Flights to and from Amman and Erbil are cancelled until and including July 11. The German airline added that it would also refrain from using the airspace of the countries concerned until further notice. PEGASUS The Turkish airline said that it had cancelled flights to Iran until July 30 and flights to Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan until June 30. QATAR AIRWAYS Qatar Airways said that it had temporarily cancelled flights to and from Iraq, Iran and Syria. RYANAIR Ryanair said that it had cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv until September 30. SINGAPORE AIRLINES The Asian carrier cancelled flying from Singapore to Dubai until June 25. TAROM Romania's flag carrier said that it had suspended all commercial flights to and from Tel Aviv, Beirut and Amman until June 24. TUS AIRWAYS The Cypriot airline cancelled all its flights to and from Israel scheduled until June 30 (inclusive). Flights scheduled for departure between July 1 and July 7 are currently closed for sale, pending further developments, it said. UNITED AIRLINES The US carrier said that travel to and from Tel Aviv may be affected between June 13 and August 1. Flights to Dubai between June 18 and July 3 may also be affected. WIZZ AIR Wizz Air said it had suspended its operations to and from Tel Aviv and Amman until September 15. The Hungarian airline will also avoid overflying Israeli, Iraqi, Irani and Syrian airspace until further notice.
The Star
23-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
Airlines weigh Middle East cancellations after US strikes in Iran
SOUTH-EAST ASIA (Reuters): Airlines on Monday were weighing how long to suspend Middle East flights as a conflict which has already cut off major flight routes entered a new phase after the U.S. attacked key Iranian nuclear sites and Tehran vowed to defend itself. Cancellations in recent days to typically resilient aviation hubs such as Dubai, the world's busiest international airport, and Qatar's Doha by international carriers show how aviation industry concerns about the region have escalated. The usually busy airspace stretching from Iran and Iraq to the Mediterranean has been largely empty of commercial air traffic for 10 days since Israel began strikes on Iran on June 13, as airlines divert, cancel and delay flights through the region due to airspace closures and safety concerns. Finnair was the first to announce a prolonged suspension of flights to Doha, with cancellations until June 30. Leading Asian carrier Singapore Airlines, which described the situation as "fluid", moved to cancel flights to Dubai through to Tuesday, having previously cancelled only its Sunday service. Air France KLM, IAG-owned Iberia and British Airways, and Kazakhstan's Air Astana all cancelled flights to either Doha or Dubai both on Sunday and Monday. Air France also cancelled flights to Riyadh and said it would suspend flights to and from Beirut, Lebanon until Wednesday included. A spokesperson for Iberia said the carrier has not made a decision regarding later flights. BA said its teams were keeping the situation under review. Carriers are likely avoiding airports in UAE and Qatar and, to a lesser extent, Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, due to concerns that Iran or its proxies will target drone or missile attacks on U.S. military bases in these countries, aviation risk consultancy Osprey Flight Solutions said. With Russian and Ukrainian airspace also closed to most airlines due to years of war, the Middle East had become a more important route for flights between Europe and Asia. Amid missile and air strikes during the past 10 days, airlines have routed north via the Caspian Sea or south via Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Added to increased fuel and crew costs from these long detours and cancellations, carriers also face a potential hike in jet fuel costs as oil prices rise following the U.S. attacks. Australia-based Flight Centre Travel Group said it is getting a small number of customer requests to route journeys to Europe away from Middle Eastern hubs. "The most common transfer hubs that we're seeing requested are Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Johannesburg, or even direct between Perth and London," said Graham Turner, CEO of Australia-based Flight Centre Travel Group. AIRSPACE RISKS Proliferating conflict zones are an increasing operational burden on airlines, as aerial attacks raise worries about accidental or deliberate shoot-downs of commercial air traffic. Location spoofing and GPS interference around political hotspots, where ground-based GPS systems broadcast incorrect positions which can send commercial airliners off course, are also a growing issue for commercial aviation. Flightradar24 told Reuters it had seen a "dramatic increase" in jamming and spoofing in recent days over the Persian Gulf. SkAI, a Swiss company that runs a GPS disruption map, late on Sunday said it had observed more than 150 aircraft spoofed in 24 hours there. Safe Airspace, a website run by OPSGROUP, a membership-based organisation that shares flight risk information, said U.S. attacks on Iran's nuclear sites could heighten the threat to American operators in the region. This could raise additional airspace risks in Gulf states like Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, it said. In the days before the U.S. strikes, American Airlines suspended flights to Qatar, and United Airlines and Air Canada did the same with flights to Dubai. They have yet to resume. While international airlines are shying away from the region, local carriers in Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq are tentatively resuming some flights after widespread cancellations. Israel is ramping up flights to help people return home as well as leave. A handful of so-called rescue flights landed in the country on Monday morning, with 24 in total scheduled for the day. The country's Airports Authority said that Israeli airlines would resume outbound flights on Monday, with a limit of 50 passengers. Israeli airline El Al on Sunday said it had received applications to leave the country from about 25,000 people in about a day. (Reporting by Jack Queen in New York and Lisa Barrington in Seoul; additional reporting by Inti Landauro in Madrid; Editing by Sonali Paul, Kate Mayberry and Louise Heavens) - Reuters
