Latest news with #traveldisruptions
CTV News
04-07-2025
- CTV News
A strike by air traffic controllers is disrupting travel to, from and over France
A departures information board is seen at Orly airport, near Paris, as French air traffic controllers launched a two-day strike to demand better working conditions, Friday, July 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard) PARIS — About 40 per cent of flights were cancelled Friday at all Paris airports and tens of thousands of passengers were rearranging plans at the height of the summer travel season because of a strike by French air traffic controllers seeking better working conditions. Disruptions started hitting airports around France on Thursday and intensified Friday. The national civil aviation authority asked airlines to cancel 40 per cent of flights Friday at Charles de Gaulle, Orly and Beauvais airports serving Paris, half of flights in Nice and 30 per cent of flights in Marseille, Lyon and some other cities. Despite the preventive cancelations, the authority warned in a statement that ″disruptions and long delays are to be expected at all French airports.' Ryanair was among airlines that announced widespread disruptions, saying in a statement it cancelled more than 400 flights affecting 70,000 passengers. The company said the strike affects all its flights over French airspace, as well as traffic in and out of French airports, and urged the European Union to reform air traffic rules. One of the two unions leading the strike, UNSA-ICNA, said in a statement there are not enough employees to handle surging air travel and that inflation is eating away at salaries. The unions also are protesting new reform measures aiming to more tightly monitor their work, prompted by a near-collision at the Bordeaux airport. Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot called the union demands — and their decision to strike just as French schools close for the summer and many families head on vacation — ″unacceptable.″ The Associated Press
Irish Times
04-07-2025
- Irish Times
Dublin Airport: 14 flights cancelled today over French and Finnish strikes
Fourteen flights in and out of Dublin Airport have been cancelled by airlines today bringing to 34 the number of flights cancelled over the last two days. The cancellations are due to an air traffic control strike in France and also a ground staff strike in Finland. No flights have been cancelled at Cork Airport so far today, however some delays are possible at both Dublin and Cork airports due to disruption to the wider flight network as a result of the strike action. [ Q&A: What does the French air traffic controller strike mean for flights from Ireland? Opens in new window ] DAA spokesman Graeme McQueen advised passengers to check with their airlines before departing. READ MORE 'At a time when passengers are expressing such high satisfaction with their experience at Cork and Dublin airports it is regrettable that their journeys – including many families' hard-earned summer holidays – are being impacted by this action,' he said. 'Daa encourages the European Union and member states to look at reforms which would reduce the unfair and unnecessary impact of these disruptions on passengers from other countries.' [ Holiday flight delays, cancellations, denials or downgrades: know your rights Opens in new window ] A strike by French air traffic controllers entered its second day today, causing further flight delays and cancellations at the start of Europe's peak travel season. Civil aviation agency DGAC told airlines to cancel 40 per cent of flights at the three main Paris airports on Friday because of the strike, which the air traffic controllers say is over staff shortages and ageing equipment. Up to half of flights at France's other airports, mostly in the south, were also affected, DGAC added. French transport minister Philippe Tabarot called the strike unacceptable. 'The idea is to disturb as many people as possible,' he said in an interview with CNews. Even with the cancellations, DGAC warned that passengers could be affected by delays and significant disruptions. The Airlines for Europe (A4E) lobby group said late on Thursday that 1,500 flights had been cancelled over the two-day strike, affecting 300,000 passengers and causing cascading delays. – Additional reporting Reuters
Associated Press
04-07-2025
- Associated Press
A strike by air traffic controllers is disrupting travel to, from and over France
PARIS (AP) — About 40% of flights were canceled Friday at all Paris airports and tens of thousands of passengers were rearranging plans at the height of the summer travel season because of a strike by French air traffic controllers seeking better working conditions. Disruptions started hitting airports around France on Thursday and intensified Friday. The national civil aviation authority asked airlines to cancel 40% of flights Friday at Charles de Gaulle, Orly and Beauvais airports serving Paris, half of flights in Nice and 30% of flights in Marseille, Lyon and some other cities. Despite the preventive cancelations, the authority warned in a statement that ″disruptions and long delays are to be expected at all French airports.' Ryanair was among airlines that announced widespread disruptions, saying in a statement it canceled more than 400 flights affecting 70,000 passengers. The company said the strike affects all its flights over French airspace, as well as traffic in and out of French airports, and urged the European Union to reform air traffic rules. One of the two unions leading the strike, UNSA-ICNA, said in a statement there are not enough employees to handle surging air travel and that inflation is eating away at salaries. The unions also are protesting new reform measures aiming to more tightly monitor their work, prompted by a near-collision at the Bordeaux airport. Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot called the union demands — and their decision to strike just as French schools close for the summer and many families head on vacation — ″unacceptable.″
Fox News
02-07-2025
- Climate
- Fox News
Travel nightmare unfolds as storm system grounds East Coast flights ahead of July 4
Flights across the country were halted Tuesday as severe thunderstorms were expected to batter the East Coast, affecting millions of travelers close to the holiday weekend. Ground stops and delays were issued at Newark Liberty International Airport and LaGuardia Airport in the New York City area, as well as at airports in Boston, Washington D.C., Philadelphia and Orlando, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Scattered storms, excessive rainfall and flooding were expected in the northeast, the National Weather Service (NWS) said. The NWS expects up to three inches of rain along the East Coast. On Monday, Newark Liberty Airport, which has been plagued by disruptions due to ongoing staffing shortages, experienced delays of a whopping four hours due to thunderstorms, with the interruptions expected to affect flights until 2 a.m. Philadelphia International Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport began experiencing delays this week, with bad weather continuing to wreak havoc on flights as they moved through the area. Collectively, five airports logged about 600 cancellations and 1,900 delays, according to data from FlightAware. LaGuardia Airport had about 180 flights canceled and 400 delayed, according to the site. Tuesday's expected storms come as many people are flying out of major airport hubs or driving ahead of the July 4 holiday weekend. A flood watch was in effect for the Washington, D.C., area, and heavy rains were expected in New York City.
CTV News
24-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
U.S. strikes on Iran add to global travel disruptions and flight cancellations
An Emirates Boeing 777 stands at the gate at Dubai International Airport as another prepares to land on the runway in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Aug. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell, File) NEW YORK — The U.S. entry into Israel's war with Iran has caused travel disruptions to pile up globally. Following unprecedented bombings ordered by President Donald Trump on three Iranian nuclear and military sites over the weekend, Iran on Monday launched a missile attack on U.S. forces at Qatar's Al Udeid Air Base. Qatar had closed its airspace just hours earlier, after both the U.S. and U.K. also urged their citizens to shelter in place there. The region has been on edge following the weekend strikes from the U.S. — and since Israel began the war with a surprise bombardment on Iran, which has responded with its own missile and drone strikes, earlier this month. As deadly attacks escalated between Israel and Iran, sections of airspace and airports throughout the region have temporarily closed. And airlines canceled more flights in recent days, with some halting select routes through the middle of the week — particularly in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, just across the Persian Gulf from Iran. Mideast is worst affected The Middle East carriers were severely affected with cancellations and delays. Qatar Airways said its flights were suspended because of the closure of air traffic in Qatar. 'The airline is working closely with government stakeholders and the relevant authorities to support impacted passengers, and will resume operations when the airspace reopens,' it said, while warning that delays were likely even after operations resume. Additional ground staff was sent to Hamad International Airport and other key airports to assist affected passengers, it said. Emirates suspended all flights to Iran and Iraq, including those serving Baghdad and Basra, until and including Monday 30 June 2025. An unspecified number of other Emirates flights were rerouted but continuing to operate flights as scheduled, using flight paths well distanced from conflict areas. Some flights may be delayed. Etihad Airways, the other of the two flag carriers of the United Arab Emirates, suspended all flights between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv through 15 July, and also announced several regional flight cancellations for Monday and Tuesday, including those connecting Abu Dhabi to and from Kuwait, Doha, Dammam and Muscat. Gulf Air, the carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, extended the cancellation of scheduled flights to Jordan and until June 27. 'As the safety of its passengers and crew members remains a top priority, Gulf Air will continue to monitor developments in the region closely, and work with its partners to help accommodate and reroute passengers affected by these flight cancellations,' it said. Many other airlines cancel and delay flights Singapore Airlines, for example, canceled some flights to and from Dubai starting Sunday and through Wednesday, citing 'a security assessment of the geopolitical situation in the Middle East.' And British Airways has similarly suspended flights to and from Doha through Wednesday. 'Safety is always our highest priority,' British Airways said in a statement confirming its cancellations to The Associated Press, adding that it 'will keep the situation under review.' Air India on Monday announced it was ceasing 'all operations to the region as well as to and from the East Coast of North America and Europe' immediately until further notice. The airline, which is still reeling from a plane crash that killed at least 270 people earlier this month, added that India-bound flights from North America were being diverted or rerouted away from closed airspaces. Air tracking data from FlightAware showed 243 cancellations worldwide as of Tuesday. Dubai International Airport topped the list with 26 cancellations in and out of the airport as of 0600 GMT. And Air India had had the highest amount of cancellations among carriers, totaling 25 at about 0600 GMT. In other developments, Philippine Airlines canceled several flights to the Middle East, including those to Doha, Dubai and Riyadh for Tuesday and one to Doha Wednesday. Japan Airlines said a flight from Tokyo's Haneda airport to Doha had to return Monday, and subsequently scheduled flights have all been canceled through June 27. A Qatar Airways flight from Hong Kong to Doha was canceled on Tuesday. Hong Kong's flagship carrier Cathay Pacific said none of its flights enter the airspace of Israel, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Jordan or Lebanon, and their operations to and from the Middle East remain normal. Safety comes first Such disruptions have snarled travel, particularly as central hubs in the Middle East often connect flights worldwide — but experts stress that these kind of airspace closures and flight diversions are critical to ensuring safety, especially if future escalation emerges suddenly. 'It is the responsibility of states, countries to ensure that their airspace is safe for passage of aircraft,' Hassan Shahidi, president and CEO of the Flight Safety Foundation. He added that on Monday 'the Qataris did the absolutely right thing to close their airspace because of the threat of conflict.' Beyond Qatari airspace, Flightradar24 reported that UAE airspace was also closed on Monday. After several hours of diversions, flights appeared to be landing and taking off in the country again. Monday marks the latest 'dramatic increase' in this kind of impact, said Ian Petchenik, director of communications at Flightradar24. And while the future is unknown, he added that it's important to remember airspace closures and flight cancellations reflect that 'airlines, air traffic controllers and flight crews are doing their best to keep everybody safe.' Shahidi adds that it's important for travelers to monitor government guidance — such as safety notices from the U.S. State Department. How long the war lasts and what, if any, future escalation comes next could carry more widespread implications. Beyond disrupting global flight networks farther down the road, Shahidi stresses that it's very difficult for people who may need or want to evacuate countries impacted by the war to do so without access to commercial flights. At the same time, he adds, it's critical that state authorities focus on keeping their skies safe — pointing to past tragedies of passenger flights that were shot down by strikes. That includes Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, which was shot down by Russian-backed forces while flying over Ukraine in 2014, killing 298 people. 'We are all praying and urging resolution to this conflict — and especially as it relates to protection of civilian air travel," Shahidi said. 'We do not want to have an MH17, with innocent lives being lost in a missile strike ... We do not want to repeat that history.' Wyatte Grantham-philips, The Associated Press
