A SUMMER OF DISRUPTION AND FRUSTRATION

Posted on 05/26/2016 | About France

French air traffic controllers will walk out today for the seventh day of strike action in two months. Orly airport said 15 percent of flights will be cancelled and delays are expected at Charles de Gaulle airport.

In the UK, airlines have warned that several flights to Europe will be cancelled, while flights that travel through French air space will also be subject to delays. The state railroad said that three out of four long-distance high- speed trains will run, as will two of three Paris-region suburban trains. The government said 20 percent of the country's 12,200 gas stations were facing shortages, though some private applications that track gas stations estimated as many as 40 percent were missing at least one type of fuel. France has used three days of emergency reserves out of 115 days worth of supply, according to Alain Vidalies, the transport minister.

Paris transport workers are due to strike next week. On June 14, a major union demonstration is planned in Paris. Eurotunnel service to London and Thalys trains to Brussels have so far been spared any disruptions. British Airways said it will be operating larger aircraft on some routes, but it has re-introduced its more flexible rebooking policy to encourage passengers booked on flights today to postpone their trips.

Any customer due to fly to or from any French airport as well as Madrid and Barcelona today, regardless of whether their flight is operating or not, can move their flight back to a date up to and including Wednesday June 1. BA warned of the possibilities of further strikes on June 3, 4 and 5. Strikes are also planned for June 14. Airlines for Europe MD Thomas Reynaert said, "We are hurtling towards a summer of disruption and frustration for customers."