France: Update – Strikes to target trains, Paris subway system, flight, ports this week

France: Update – Strikes to target trains, Paris subway system, flight, ports this week

Airports and ports will be the focus of fresh strikes this week, while rail workers settle into rolling strikes from Tuesday (31st May).

Staff at airports and airlines in France have called for a strike from 3-5 June citing problems within the industry.

Meanwhile four rail unions have called for rolling strikes from Tuesday (31st May) (CGT, UNSA, SUD-Rail, CFDT). These strikes are in opposition to negotiations on new contracts in preparation for opening the market.

The CGT has called for an “unlimited” strike for its members of the Paris public transport group RATP from Thursday. Another union, SUD-RATP, has asked members to begin similar action, but to start on 10 June - the opening day of Euro 2016.

The CGT has also called for a 24-strike among the national federation of ports and docks workers on 2 June.

France: Update – Strike action by Air Traffic Controllers on 26 May, other strikes possible 3-5, 14 June

France: Update – Strike action by Air Traffic Controllers on 26 May, other strikes possible 3-5, 14 June

The Travel Mole reported on Wednesday that travellers to France will face further disruptions on Thursday as the country's air traffic controllers walk out for the seventh day of strike action in two months.

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. Ryanair has already cancelled dozens of flights tomorrow, including several between the U.K. and France, Spain, Portugal and Germany.

British Airways said it planned to publish a revised flight schedule for Thursday later this afternoon. The airline has introduced a more flexible rebooking policy to encourage passengers booked on flights tomorrow to fly on different dates. Any customer due to fly to or from any French airport as well as Madrid and Barcelona on Thursday, regardless of whether their flight is operating or not, can fly today instead or move their flight back to a date up to and including June 1.

BA warned of the possibilities of further strikes on June 3, 4 and 5 at the end of the half-term. Further 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."