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STRIKES

How French air traffic control strike will hit flights on Monday

French air traffic controllers have called a strike on Monday, leading to delays and cancellations.

How French air traffic control strike will hit flights on Monday
Photo by THOMAS SAMSON / AFP

Several of the smaller unions that represent French air traffic controllers have called a one-day strike on Monday, November 20th.

There are two bits of good news for travellers – the first is that the largest air traffic controllers’ union, the SNCTA, is not involved and has in fact declared an ‘Olympic truce’ and pledged not to strike until after the Paris Olympics in summer 2024. This has somewhat limited the disruption on Monday.

The other bit of good news is the reason for the strike – it was called in protest against a new law that has just been adopted in the Assemblée nationale which will reduce disruption in future strikes – full details here.

This strike affects only air traffic controllers – so trains, the Metro and other public transport will run as normal on Monday.

But despite these bright sides, passengers can still expect significant disruption on Monday.

Cancellations 

The French civil aviation authority DGAC has ordered four airports to cancel flights – Paris-Orly, Toulouse, Bordeaux and Marseille-Provence. 

Paris-Orly and Toulouse will cancel 25 percent of flights, while Bordeaux and Marseille-Provence will cancel 20 percent of flights.

Exactly which flights are cancelled is left up to airlines, who usually try and prioritise long-haul flights.

This affects flights that take off or land between the evening of Sunday, November 19th and 6am on Tuesday, November 21st. 

Anyone with a flight booked should contact their airline. 

Delays 

The rest of France’s airports – including its biggest airport Paris Charles de Gaulle – should see no cancellations, however it is possible that some flights will be delayed or even re-routed due to the knock-on effect of the cancellations on other routes.

Passengers will be notified by their airline if their flight is affected, but it is still recommended to check your flight status prior to departing for the airport.

Overflights 

Because of France’s geographic position many flights pass over France on their way to somewhere else, and while they are in French airspace they are handled by French air traffic control.

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This means that the strike also has the potential to disrupt flights that neither take off or land in France – although the most usual scenario is delays as flights take a longer route to go around France, rather than over it.

Refunds

If your flights is cancelled or delayed by more than three hours then may be entitled to a refund and compensation, provided you are covered by EU flights legislation – that is, if your airline is based in the EU or of your flight was due to take off from an EU country. 

READ ALSO Your rights if your flight is delayed or cancelled

You can keep up with all the latest strike news in our strike section HERE.

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For members

PARIS 2024 OLYMPICS

How Paris’s Olympic carpool lanes will work 

Throughout the Olympic and Paralympic Games periods, some 185km of lanes on roads around Paris will be reserved for event-related traffic – here’s what you need to know.

How Paris’s Olympic carpool lanes will work 

Between July 15th and September 11th, ‘Olympic lanes’ will be in use along certain stretches of key roads in and around Paris.

These lanes will be reserved for use by accredited vehicles to transport athletes, accredited journalists and official delegations, as well as emergency and security vehicles, cabs, ambulances and public transport.

READ ALSO Apps, reservations and flying taxis: What to know before visiting Paris this summer

The lanes will be activated on July 15, on the following roads:

  • A1 between Roissy Charles de Gaulle and Porte de la Chapelle, until September 11th;
  • A4 between Collégien and Porte de Bercy until August 13th, then from August 30th to September 8th;
  • A12 between Rocquencourt and Montigny le Bretonneux until August 13th, and again from August 27th to September 8th;
  • A13 between Porte Maillot and Rocquencourt until August 13th, then from August 27th to September 8th;
  • Boulevard périphérique, from Porte de Vanves to Porte de Bercy, via the north until August 13th, then from August 22th to September 11th;
  • Boulevard Circulaire (La Défense) until August 13th, then from August 22nd to September 11th;
  • Lanes on certain routes in Paris.

None of these roads will be closed – lanes along these routes that are not reserved for Olympic or Paralympic Games traffic are open to road users as usual.

The lanes in question will be signposted – signs, clearly marked with the words “Paris 2024”, will be in place from July 1st, and will be removed by the end of the day on September 15h. 

READ ALSO How to use Paris public transport during the Olympics

Who can use dedicated Olympic lanes?

Only vehicles and road users that have been properly accredited by the Organising Committee of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games can travel along these lanes during the periods indicated above. 

They include:

  • vehicles of accredited persons;
  • cabs;
  • public transport vehicles;
  • vehicles designed to facilitate the transport of people with reduced mobility;
  • and emergency and security vehicles.

READ ALSO Who needs a QR code to get around Paris during the Olympics

All other vehicles are prohibited from using these lanes throughout the Olympic Games period. Any vehicle circulating on an Olympic lane without having received prior authorisation is liable to a fine of €135 and possible further prosecution.

Road users without Olympic accreditation are advised to be aware of possible travel issues, as more vehicles are filtered into the other lanes. Therefore it would be wise to allow a little extra time for your journey if you are using one of the listed roads during the Games period.

An interactive map, showing routes with Olympic lanes is available here

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