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Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Daily Mail
Get ready for the WORST summer of airline delays ever! EU's warning for Brits looking to go on holiday in Europe this summer
The EU has warned that holidaymakers could face the worst airline delays ever this summer, as short-staffed crews struggle to meet surging demand for foreign travel and wildfires wreak havoc across the continent. EU officials told the Financial Times on Wednesday that staff shortages are pushing air traffic control teams to their operational limits, while post-Covid demand for international travel continues to rise. One senior official said that after the 'worst summer ever' for delays and cancellations last year, 'this year will be very similar.' In April, Eurocontrol, the continent's air traffic control body, reported that air traffic was already up five per cent compared to the same period in 2024, with delays rising in tandem. This year, the situation is made worse by airport strikes, particularly in France, where tens of thousands of passengers have already been affected by walkouts by air traffic controllers. Last week, France's DGAC civil aviation authority asked airlines to cancel some flights to ensure enough controllers were on duty. Eurocontrol warns that a lack of air traffic control capacity is expected to cause 'high delays' in nine countries, including France, Spain, Germany and Greece. French air traffic controllers went on strike for two days, from July 3 to July 4, to protest understaffing and management practices. But further industrial action is expected if an agreement cannot be reached. Currently, that seems likely. France's transport minister last week called the unions' demands 'unacceptable'. Similar walkouts are expected across Europe as the continent prepares for its busiest season. Baggage handlers at several airports in Italy are set to take part in a 24-hour strike today. Tomorrow, aviation service staff at Falcone Borsellino Airport in Palermo are also planning a 24-hour strike, before a nationwide airline and airport strike on July 26, lasting four hours. Spain, also, is bracing for industrial action. Airline and airport workers are expected to strike today, tomorrow and on July 26, bringing further disruption. Passengers affected by strikes may be entitled to compensation, depending on the airline and nature of the strike. Getting away for the summer could still be further complicated by wildfires sweeping the continent. Speaking to the FT, the senior EU official acknowledged that they expected 'a lot more extreme weather events' in future due to climate change. They said many were 'quite dangerous for aviation'. Marseille Airport was temporarily closed on Tuesday as firefighters dealt with a huge blaze and smoke billowed into the sky. Train traffic was also stopped in the area and some roads were closed. More than 100 people were injured and hundreds more evacuated on Tuesday as the fires broke out. Around 800 firefighters were called in, working through the night to try to control the blaze as strong winds helped it spread at a rate of 0.75 miles every minute at its peak. Marseille's mayor Benoît Payan said emergency services were 'waging guerilla warfare,' against the fire, 'hoses in hand', in a desperate bid to stop the spread. In neighbouring Spain, more than 18,000 people in Tarragona were ordered to stay indoors on Tuesday as a wildfire raged out of control, destroying more than 3,300 hectares of vegetation before the lockdown was lifted today. Spain recently sweltered through a heatwave that parched the land, while national weather agency AEMET said last month that it was the country's hottest June on record. Around 21,000 hectares of land have burned so far this year. Travellers could still claim compensation if their flights are disrupted by industrial action, but airlines are not legally required to compensate for security risks or dangerous weather. Remarking on the recent French strikes, Alvaro Iturmendi, travel insurance expert, said the best thing to do is keep up to date with your airline, as they will issue any announcements of delays or cancellations. 'As these strikes are from airport staff, it's unlikely you will be able to claim compensation for any delays or cancellations as a result. 'But if your travel insurance policy covers you for such events, then you may be able to reclaim any costs this way. 'Check your travel insurance policy to see if it covers strike-related delays or cancellations, especially if the strikes were announced before you bought your ticket. 'In all circumstances, it's always best to have travel insurance. And you can even organise this just days away from your trip. 'This will help if you're hit with an unexpected event which leaves you out of pocket. Our guide to flight delay compensation will help to breakdown your options and legal rights.' Thousands of holidaymakers had their plans disrupted by the strikes in France last week. Budget airline Ryanair slashed 170 flights because of French air traffic control strikes, affecting more than 30,000 passengers. 'Once again, European families are being held hostage by French air traffic controllers,' said Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary at the time. The Airlines for Europe association, which includes Ryanair, Air France-KLM, Lufthansa, British Airways and EasyJet, described the action as 'intolerable'. According to sources familiar with the matter, 270 air traffic controllers out of a total workforce of around 1,400 went on strike. Flights saw an average delay of 1.5 hours for arrivals and one hour for departures in Nice, the country's third largest airport. Chaos also erupted on the Eurostar as travellers flooded social media with complaints they had been left stranded at terminals with delays of up to four hours. All trains from London St Pancras to Paris were cancelled due to a fire on the track.
Local Norway
06-07-2025
- Local Norway
Hundreds of flights cancelled across Europe as travel chaos continues
Aviation authorities had to ask airlines to scrap hundreds of flights not just to-and-from France but also overflying the country as summer holidays kick off. The European Airlines for Europe (A4E) association said 1,500 flights would be cancelled on Thursday and Friday in Europe, affecting 300,000 passengers. "French air traffic control already delivers some of Europe's worst delay figures and now the actions of a minority of French air traffic control workers will needlessly disrupt the holiday plans of thousands of people in France and across Europe," said A4E chief Ourania Georgoutsakou. READ ALSO: Will travel in Europe be hit by more French air traffic control strikes this summer? The association said the strikes also caused "almost 500,000 minutes" in delays in Europe on Thursday on nearly 33,000 commercial flights. Ryanair, Europe's largest airline by passenger numbers, said it had cancelled more than 400 flights. "These strikes are unacceptable," said Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary, urging the EU Commission to protect such overflights by law in case of strikes. "Of these 400 flight cancellations, 350 would not be cancelled if the EU protected overflights over France." Advertisement Paris airports worst hit Paris airports risked being even more severely affected than on the first day of the strike on Thursday, which was called by two minority unions calling for better working conditions and staffing. The timing of the strike is particularly acute with Friday the final day of school in France before the summer holidays, with many families planning an early getaway. France's DGAC aviation authority said 933 flights departing from or arriving at French airports were cancelled on Thursday, some 10 percent of the total number of flights initially scheduled. The proportion of cancellations rose to 25 percent at the main airports in Paris. But on Friday the situation risks being even more severe with the DGAC asking companies to cancel 40 percent of flights to deal with the strike. French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou described the strike as "shocking". "Choosing the day when everyone goes on holiday to go on strike at air traffic control is taking the French hostage," he told BFMTV. The effects of the strike are not limited to France and the stoppage has triggered hundreds of cancellations of flights that fly over the country. LISTEN: From strikes to extreme heat - What to expect in France this summer
Local Italy
06-07-2025
- Business
- Local Italy
Flights disrupted across Europe as French air traffic controllers strike
The DGAC civil aviation authority has asked airlines to cancel some of their flights to ensure there are enough controllers on duty. The strike affected air traffic across Western Europe. Ryanair, Europe's largest airline, said on Thursday it was forced to cancel 170 flights, affecting 30,000 passengers. "Once again, European families are being held hostage by French air traffic controllers," said Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary. The Airlines for Europe association, which includes Ryanair, Air France-KLM, Lufthansa, British Airways and EasyJet, described the action as "intolerable". According to sources familiar with the matter, 270 air traffic controllers out of a total workforce of around 1,400 went on strike. UNSA-ICNA, the second biggest labour group in the sector, launched the action to demand better working conditions and more staff. It was joined by the third largest union, USAC-CGT. Shortly after 10 am on Thursday, flights were experiencing significant delays, including an average of 1.5 hours for arrivals and 1 hour for departures in Nice, France's third-largest airport. A quarter of flights departing from or arriving at Paris Charles de Gaulle and Paris Orly have also been cancelled. Airports in the south were particularly hit. In addition to Nice, 30 percent of flights have been cancelled in cities including Lyon, Marseille, and Montpellier. On the eve of the school holidays on Friday, the situation is expected to become even more tense at Paris airports and Beauvais, where the DGAC has ordered a 40-percent reduction in the number of flights. On Thursday morning, the Eurocontrol monitoring agency warned airlines of "significant" delays in the airspace managed by the air traffic control centres in Marseille, Brest and Reims. Sources said that business aviation, particularly in Nice and Le Bourget near Paris, has also been significantly affected. France's transport minister called the unions' demands unacceptable. "The demands made by minority unions are unacceptable, as is the decision to hold this strike at the start of the holiday season," Philippe Tabarot said on Wednesday.
eNCA
05-07-2025
- eNCA
Second day of travel chaos as French air traffic controllers strike
PARIS - A strike by French air traffic controllers brought a second day of chaos to European skies, with flights for hundreds of thousands of people cancelled as the summer holiday season gathered pace. More than 1,100 flights arriving or leaving France and hundreds that were to fly over the country were cancelled on Friday, according to official figures. Paris airports were even more severely affected than on the first day of the strike on Thursday, which was called by two unions protesting against understaffing and "toxic management". The timing of the strike is particularly acute with Friday the final day of school in France before the summer holidays. At Paris airports, passengers stared at departure boards loaded with cancellations to assess their options. Some travellers appeared distraught. The strike was due to end Friday evening and no disruptions were expected on Saturday. France's DGAC civil aviation authority said 1,125 flights had been cancelled on Friday, compared to 933 flights on Thursday. French flag carrier Air France said its long-haul flights were not affected. The travel disruption also affected hotels. Many travellers cancelled hotel bookings, particularly in cities with large airports such as Nice and Paris, according to the UMIH hotel and restaurant union. "There's a bit of panic among those arriving and those leaving, airlines are trying to rebook their customers, it's complicated to manage and it's going to cost them a lot," Veronique Siegel of the UMIH union told AFP. In the Mediterranean city of Nice, the airport said 200 trips had been cancelled on Thursday, and 220 on Friday, affecting 50,000 passengers. The government condemned the strike. "Choosing the day when everyone goes on holiday to go on strike at air traffic control is taking the French hostage," Prime Minister Francois Bayrou told broadcaster BFMTV. Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said the strike was "unacceptable". "Yesterday and today, 272 people in our country will impact the well-being of more than 500,000 people," he told broadcaster CNews, referring to the number of workers on strike. UNSA-ICNA, the second-largest labour group in the sector, launched an action to protest against "chronic understaffing", the introduction of a clocking-in system, outdated equipment, and "toxic management practices that are incompatible with the requirements of calm and safety".
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Yahoo
Second day of travel chaos as French air traffic controllers strike
A strike by French air traffic controllers brought a second day of chaos to European skies Friday, with flights for hundreds of thousands of people cancelled as the summer holiday season gathered pace. More than 1,100 flights arriving or leaving France and hundreds that were to fly over the country were cancelled Friday, according to official figures. Paris airports were even more severely affected than on the first day of the strike on Thursday, which was called by two unions protesting against understaffing and "toxic management". The timing of the strike is particularly acute with Friday the final day of school in France before the summer holidays. At Paris airports, passengers stared at departure boards loaded with cancellations to assess their options. Some travellers appeared distraught. Sabrina Taristas, 42, was set to fly to the southern French city of Toulouse. "We can't go against the strike but it's true that it's a real inconvenience for us travellers," she told AFP. The strike was due to end Friday evening and no disruptions were expected on Saturday. France's DGAC civil aviation authority said 1,125 flights had been cancelled on Friday, compared to 933 flights on Thursday. French flag-carrier Air France said its long-haul flights were not affected. The travel disruption also affected hotels. Many travellers cancelled hotel bookings, particularly in cities with large airports such as Nice and Paris, according to the UMIH hotel and restaurant union. "There's a bit of panic among those arriving and those leaving, airlines are trying to rebook their customers, it's complicated to manage and it's going to cost them a lot," Veronique Siegel of the UMIH union told AFP. In the Mediterranean city of Nice, the airport said 200 trips had been cancelled on Thursday, and 220 on Friday, affecting 50,000 passengers. The government condemned the strike. "Choosing the day when everyone goes on holiday to go on strike at air traffic control is taking the French hostage," Prime Minister Francois Bayrou told broadcaster BFMTV. - 'Unacceptable' - Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said the strike was "unacceptable". "Yesterday and today, 272 people in our country will impact the well-being of more than 500,000 people," he told broadcaster CNews, referring to the number of the workers on strike. UNSA-ICNA, the second biggest labour group in the sector, launched the action to protest against "chronic understaffing", the introduction of a clocking-in system, outdated equipment and "toxic management practices that are incompatible with the requirements of calm and safety". The third largest union, USAC-CGT, joined the strike but not the main SNCTA union. The effects of the strike were not limited to France and the stoppage has triggered hundreds of cancellations of flights that fly over the country. The European Airlines for Europe (A4E) association said 1,500 flights would be cancelled on Thursday and Friday in Europe, affecting 300,000 passengers. A4E chief Ourania Georgoutsakou said Thursday that "the actions of a minority of French air traffic control workers" would "needlessly disrupt the holiday plans of thousands of people in France and across Europe". The association said the strikes caused "almost 500,000 minutes" in delays in Europe on Thursday on nearly 33,000 commercial flights. Ryanair, Europe's largest airline by passenger numbers, said it had cancelled more than 400 flights. Chief executive Michael O'Leary has urged the EU Commission to protect such overflights by law in case of strikes. "Of these 400 flight cancellations, 350 would not be cancelled if the EU protected overflights over France," he said. Around 30 flights at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam were cancelled while others were delayed on Friday due to the strikes, an airport spokesperson said. "Around 30 flights have been cancelled today by airlines as a precaution," the spokesperson said. tq-sjw-ah-as/phz
