Major Air Traffic Strike In France Set For September, Fresh New Disruptions Expected Across Europe, All You Need To Know

Published on August 30, 2025

A major aerial postulation strike is group to return spot successful France this September, bringing fresh caller disruptions that are expected to impact not conscionable French airports, but overmuch of Europe. The strike, led by France’s largest aerial postulation power union, nan SNCTA, will statesman connected nan greeting of September 18 and extremity astatine nan adjacent of September 19. With 60% of aerial postulation controllers successful France backing this action, nan effect could beryllium severe. Paris airports, including Charles-de-Gaulle, will apt spot awesome disruptions. The onslaught is simply a consequence to a breakdown successful negotiations pinch nan French Civil Aviation Authority, pinch nan national pushing for amended wages and a change successful management. Passengers flying to and from France should hole for imaginable delays and cancellations, arsenic nan fresh disruptions are expected to ripple crossed European aerial routes.

Why is nan Strike Happening?

The SNCTA union’s move to onslaught comes aft a prolonged play of negotiations pinch nan DGAC. According to nan union, nan narration has been marked by mistrust and “punitive practices.” This breakdown successful connection has led to nan onslaught action being seen arsenic a past edifice aft respective grounded attempts to reside aerial postulation controllers’ grievances.

One of nan superior demands from nan SNCTA is for wages to beryllium adjusted successful statement pinch ostentation by 2024. Air postulation controllers successful France presently gain an mean net of 96,000 euros annually, but nan national argues that nan rising costs of surviving has eroded their purchasing power. In summation to costs concerns, nan national is besides calling for a betterment of nan guidance practices wrong nan DGAC, which they opportunity are characterized by “degrading” and “punitive” methods.

What Impact Will nan Strike Have connected Air Traffic?

The onslaught is expected to person a important effect connected aerial postulation astatine each awesome airports successful France, including Paris Charles-de-Gaulle (CDG) and Paris-Orly. Airports successful France grip thousands of flights daily, and nan onslaught could lead to wide delays and cancellations, not only for home flights but besides for those walking done French airspace. Routes to and from nan UK, Spain, and Italy, each of which walk done French airspace, are besides apt to beryllium disrupted.

While nan nonstop specifications of nan strike’s effect are not yet afloat available, passengers are advised to enactment informed astir their formation status. The French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) is expected to merchandise updates connected nan level of disruption 2 days anterior to nan strike, giving travelers immoderate clip to set their plans. Airlines, including awesome carriers specified arsenic Air France, will apt accommodate their schedules to minimize nan impact.

Previous Strikes and Lessons for Travelers

This is not nan first onslaught to disrupt air traffic successful France this year. In July 2025, aerial postulation controllers organized a onslaught that caused wide delays and cancellations. Nearly 1,000 flights were canceled, and much than 125,000 passengers were affected astatine Paris airports alone. The union’s demands past were akin to those of nan existent strike, including amended moving conditions and salary raises successful statement pinch inflation.

For those who retrieve nan July strikes, nan disruption from nan September onslaught could beryllium moreover worse. While nan smaller unions UNSA-ICNA and USAC-CGT organized nan July action, nan SNCTA, which has overmuch greater power and representation, did not participate. This time, however, pinch nan SNCTA starring nan charge, nan imaginable for much wide disruption is higher.

The July onslaught costs nan aviation manufacture much than €100 million, according to Ryanair, which blamed nan chaos connected mediocre guidance practices. If the SNCTA’s action garners much wide participation, passengers tin expect similar, if not greater, disruptions crossed French airports.

What Are nan Union’s Key Demands?

The main demands of nan SNCTA are centered astir 2 cardinal issues: wages and governance. The national wants aerial postulation controllers’ salaries to bespeak nan existent ostentation rate. In summation to this, nan national is calling for a basal alteration successful really air postulation control operations are managed. They reason that existent governance practices are marked by a toxic ambiance of mistrust, punitive measures, and degrading managerial tactics, each of which inhibit their expertise to execute effectively.

In its statement, nan SNCTA emphasized that nan onslaught was a past resort. The national had antecedently tried to prosecute successful societal speech and had put guardant proposals to amended nan situation, but according to them, these efforts were ignored aliases rejected by nan authorities. As a result, nan national felt it had nary prime but to return action.

Potential Disruptions astatine Paris Airports

The effect connected flights astatine Paris airports will apt beryllium felt astir acutely. Paris Charles-de-Gaulle, 1 of Europe’s busiest airports, will beryllium heavy affected. Airlines, particularly those operating world flights, whitethorn person to set their schedules to debar nan onslaught period. Passengers flying retired of Paris connected September 18 and 19 are advised to cheque their formation position regularly and enactment successful interaction pinch their hose to guarantee they are kept up to date.

During nan July strikes, astir 25% of flights from Paris airports were canceled, and akin cancellations are expected this clip around. Low-cost carriers, including Ryanair, are apt to beryllium peculiarly impacted, arsenic they trust heavy connected European routes passing done French airspace.

What Should Passengers Do?

For travelers affected by nan September strike, location are respective steps they tin return to minimize nan impact:

1. Check Flight Status: Passengers should regularly cheque their formation position done nan airline’s app aliases nan charismatic airdrome websites.
2. Expect Cancellations: If flights are canceled, passengers are entitled to a afloat refund aliases rebooking connected different flight. However, financial compensation for delays owed to strikes will not beryllium available, arsenic strikes are considered an “extraordinary circumstance.”
3. Prepare for Delays: Even if flights are not canceled, delays are highly likely. It is advised to let other clip for connections and beryllium prepared for agelong waits astatine airports.

Airlines are besides required to supply assistance and accommodation to passengers successful nan arena of agelong delays aliases cancellations, but again, compensation will not beryllium offered owed to nan strike’s “extraordinary” nature.

The Bigger Picture: French Aviation successful Crisis

The upcoming strike connected September 18 is portion of a wider shape of disruptions successful nan French aviation sector. Air postulation controllers are not nan only workers facing issues successful nan industry. Flight and crushed unit person besides raised concerns astir staffing levels, moving conditions, and nan wide guidance of nan aviation assemblage successful France.

These ongoing issues item nan challenges facing French aviation arsenic it seeks to retrieve from nan effect of nan COVID-19 pandemic. The industry’s strained workforce and nan governance issues wrong nan DGAC person contributed to a ambiance of unrest, which shows nary signs of abating successful nan adjacent future.

A Critical Moment for French Aviation

With September’s strike group to disrupt air traffic crossed France, nan broader image remains 1 of hostility and unresolved issues wrong nan French aviation sector. As aerial postulation controllers request fairer wages and amended moving conditions, passengers tin expect awesome disruptions not conscionable connected September 18 and 19 but perchance for months to come. Travelers are urged to enactment informed and return each basal precautions erstwhile readying flights during this turbulent time.

Source: euro news