Flights to and from France grounded due to strike… only for industrial action to be cancelled

Thousands of passengers have been stranded as confusion over French air strike has cancelled flights for the seventh weekend in a row.

Up to 300 flights have been grounded today and tomorrow after the French air traffic control called a strike – only to cancel their industrial action at the last minute.

Ryanair and easyJet had already taken the steps of cancelling or offering customers refunds, but the cancelled industrial action has left the airlines with little to no time to reinstate the previously scheduled journeys.  

Up to 300 flights have been grounded today and tomorrow after the French air traffic control called a strike – only to cancel their industrial action at the last minute

easyJet said it was trying to reinstate some of the cancelled flights to and from France today although Ryanair said all its cancellations will remain in place.

Customers travelling over airspace in Marseilles may also be affected due to the cancelled strike, as airlines struggle to reschedule flights on their normal flight paths.  

In a statement, easyJet said: ‘Unfortunately, at this late stage, it will not be possible to reinstate many of the affected flights however we are working hard to see if it is possible to reinstate some flights.  

‘We recommend that all customers flying this weekend check the status of their flight on our Flight Tracker page.’ 

Ryanair said: ‘We regret that it came too late (on Friday afternoon) to reinstate the flights that we were requested to cancel on Saturday and Sunday. 

‘We were requested to cancel Saturday flights by French ATC on Thursday at 10.15am and again to cancel Sunday flights on Friday at 09.55am.

Ryanair released a statement that despite the strike being called off, it is not able to reinstate its initial flight schedule at such late notice

Ryanair released a statement that despite the strike being called off, it is not able to reinstate its initial flight schedule at such late notice

‘As all affected customers have already been contacted by email and SMS text message (on Thursday from 10.15am and on Friday from 10.00am) and have availed of their refund/rebooking options, and as these cancelled flights had been removed from the system and the crews reallocated to alternative duties, we are regrettably unable to reinstate these cancelled flights.’

Travellers have taken to social media to express their anger at the cancelled flights.

Clara Perner tweeted: ‘I have booked 4 flights and the 4 of them have been cancelled. I cannot go back to France. This is a shame, I will never fly again with you.’

Al Ilingworth added: ‘Call yourself Europe’s favourite airline! I just had to fork out an extra £150 so I can leave . Disgraceful. Abhorrent. Nasty. I won’t be flying with you again. Too bad!’

easyJet said it was trying to reschedule some of its flights which had been cancelled due to the strike

easyJet said it was trying to reschedule some of its flights which had been cancelled due to the strike

Andy Clayton wrote: ‘I detest #Ryanair. The one thing they do well is ruin most of our flights to and from France.’

Another user wrote: ‘Dear @easyJet, you cancelled EZS1168 on 30.06 claiming strike in France, although French air is full of aircrafts today and now I have to fly to Geneva over France, having sleepless night and paying train ticket from Geneva to Basel for 2 pax, any comments?’

Davy Stoet said: ‘@easyJet out flight EZY7978 IBZ-AMS on saterday is cancelled due to airtraffic controle strike in France while Transavia is flying it’s flight back to AMS. We really like some compensation on our €1482,= flight back… Tuesday flight is not an option!’  



Read more at DailyMail.co.uk