Flights grounded as French ATC staff strike AGAIN

Airlines have been forced to cancel scores more flights tomorrow due to the latest strike by French air traffic controllers, causing further disruption to fans attending the Euro 2016 football championships.

Ryanair has cancelled 44 flights to and from France and easyJet said it strongly advised passengers to check their flights were still operating before leaving for the airport.

British Airways said it too would have to cancel flights, but it didn’t say how many.

In a statement on its website, BA said: "Unfortunately we will have to cancel some flights as a result of the strike action and other short-haul flights may also experience some disruption, given how many flights would normally use French airspace each day.

"We will be using larger aircraft, where possible, to help affected customers and are doing all we can to reduce the levels of disruption.

"Please be aware that road and rail transport may also be affected by other industrial action in parts of France this week, so please allow extra time for your journeys to/from the airport."

BA passengers booked on flights to France, Barcelona and Madrid are being given the option to postpone their trips up to June 20, regardless of whether their flight is cancelled or not.

Airiines for Europe said there would be more than 100 flight cancellations and many delays during the 24-hour stoppage.

The French ATC strike – the ninth day of industrial action in three months, according to BA – comes on top of a strike by Air France pilots, which enters its fourth day tomorrow, and an eight-hour walk-out by easyJet pilots in Amsterdam tomorrow.

"We are reaching a pathetic milestone: more than 50 ATC strikes in France over the last seven years which account for more than 150 days of disruption. Understandably, European passengers and airlines are frustrated as these strikes take place at a very busy time of the year. The European Commission and governments must act immediately to protect the rights of millions of European travellers affected by this repeated and disproportionate industrial action", said Thomas Reynaert, managing director of A4E.

"It’s not only holidaymakers whose travel plans are in jeopardy, but fans visiting EURO 2016, which is being held in France, are also at risk and face the real prospect of sitting on the tarmac on a delayed flight while holding tickets to see their country playing", said Reynaert.

The latest ATC strikes in Greece, Italy, Belgium and France in March, April and May caused over 2,500 cancellations among A4E members and more than one million minutes of delay (more than 16,000 hours) across all airlines operating in European airspace.

In 2015 more than 10,000 flights operated by A4E members were affected by 28 days of ATC strikes in Europe.