Air Traffic Controllers' Strike in France CANCELLED June 3-5

Probably worth noting that this would affect travel to/from other countries as well. We were once delayed for 6 hours because our flight from Vienna to Palma went through French airspace during a similar strike.

Kim, your updates are much appreciated. We're due to arrive at CDG June 2 and our son and wife, June 4, so we're right in the target dates. I also appreciate your rail updates and links as three of our four train tickets are for Thursday's in June. Many thanks!

Kim, we are flying into CDG on May 31. Might you have any input about getting into Paris given the expected RER strike, etc strike on that date. I'm afrraid taxis/Uber's could be very impacted and scarce. Thanks.

Is the possible air traffic controller work action part of the bigger dispute of "President Francois Hollande's plan to overhaul the country's labor policies"?

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/05/26/479570899/protests-escalate-in-france-as-labor-groups-face-off-with-government

Union members have been striking at oil refineries and blockading oil
imports for days now, leading to the gasoline shortages.

On Thursday, employees at more than a dozen nuclear power plants
walked off the job — hence the drop in power supply.

And the unions blocked the printing and delivery of newspapers
Thursday morning.

... thousands of dock workers headed to City Hall instead of their
work sites. They threw colorful smoke bombs around the square and into
fountains.

Railroad workers have also been on strike, though Eleanor reports
train travel in France hasn't been interrupted this week.

well yes, in part (part of it has to do with coincidental timing of regularly due negotiations in their own sector). Although characterizing this as a plan to overhaul labor policies is a bit excessive. The ironic part of all this is that most of the teeth have been taken out of the bill - and STILL people protest. The socialist government certainly isn't trying to do anything very much, but anything around here is seen TOO much.

Emily - excellent point. That had never occurred to me, but it makes sense. That makes it even more unfortunate.

Linda - it's a little early to say for Tuesday. Actually I don't think there will be a problem then, but anything could happen between now and then to cause a problem. I think you're right to think of taking a taxi or Uber and avoiding the RER B, but right now I don't see a situation that causes problems for taxis/Ubers in from the airport. I'll write again if I see something that gives me pause. But of course if the situation changes Tuesday morning, you'll just be coming off the plane!

Linda, we arrived at CDG on March 31, the day of Metro, RER and SNCF strikes, and had to get to Gare Montparnasse. All RER and Metro lines were running, albeit on a reduced schedule. We were planning to take the RER, but as we left the terminal I saw a sign suggesting taking an alternative because of the strike. Then I saw an Air France bus across the way, which settled the issue. We took the bus, and made surprisingly good time, given the traffic. Of course, I don't know whether the percentage of trains that will be running on May 31 is more or less than on past strike days.

http://www.easytravelreport.com/#anchor_2280

​

French Air Traffic Controllers Strike AGAIN French Airport Strike
Several unions involved, high participation of workers expected.
Strike starts Friday 3 June 2016 6am local time Saturday 4 June 2016
Sunday 5 June, 2016 strike ends Monday 6 June 2016 6am. Can you change
your flight before the world does? Meeting planned Monday afternoon.

French General Strikes - June 15, 2016 Several unions have called for
two new strike days and demonstrations Thursday 26 May and Tuesday
June 14 seven unions involved in transport. ​14 June will be a
national strike and "Paris reinforced by a general strike day" (It's
the first day the French senate debate the new labour laws)

Fuel depots have been blocked for several days, fuel shortages are
imminent. Increased demand caused by panic closes stations. Expect
fuel rationing. Update:-Tourists stranded Daily Mail Renting a car in
France? We've seen this before. it's not uncommon for tourists to
abandon rental cars on roads due to lack of petrol - don't be that
guy.

​​​​French Air Traffic Control Strike planned for Thursday May 26,
2016 Update:-24 May 2016 French air traffic controllers will strike
from 6am Thursday 26th May, 2016 till 6 am local time Friday morning
the 27th of May. Your likely to be delayed. Paris Orly airlines asked
to cut back flights by 15%. Your airline can work with this. Don’t
delay call them. Air France takes the brunt of any strike action. Euro
Airport, Marseille, Bordeaux, Lyon, Lille expect flight delays.

(Strike will be lifted early in some airports. Perhaps similar to last
week, flights were delayed an hour or so. More rumblings in press
regarding 14 June strike, nothing in stone yet, (tablet! I’ll shut up)
and something horrendous is coming down for the 3-5 June, more on this
coming 31 May 2016 see USAG-CGT

Thanks so much Kim & Robert!

Thanks Kim. I'm currently here. Will be in Colmar Monday and will have to deal with the rail strike on Tuesday. Our departure date back to SFO of course is 5 June. Off to Notre Dame this morning.

Edgar's citation may be outdated. My husband is reading through all the French sites and finds no call for a general strike June 15th.

Bets,
Do the french language news sources have anything about a June 14th General Strike? I'm reading a couple of day old report about strikes that may affect the football EURO 2016 event:

http://www.thelocal.fr/20160527/which-of-frances-strikes-could-affect-euro-2016

Which of France's strikes could affect Euro 2016? Published: 27 May
2016 17:31 GMT+02:00

A series of ongoing strikes in France could continue to affect the
country throughout the Euro 2016 tournament, which starts in just two
weeks.

The month-long tournament, which is being hosted by France and kicks
off on June 10th, is expected to bring approximately 2.5 million
visitors to France. This includes 500,000 British football fans, who
will arrive by plane, train and car. However, life won't be easy for
them. The CGT and other trade unions called for strikes all over
France in the coming days and weeks in continued protests of the
labour reforms and other grievances around working conditions and
salaries. The impact of the strikes is still unknown until we can
gauge how many workers will following the unions' call to arms.

Here’s how you could be affected if you are planning on coming to
France for Euro 2016: Nationwide strikes When: After striking on
Thursday May 26th, unions opposed to the labour reforms have called
again for nationwide walkouts and street protests on June 14th, four
days after the opening game of Euro 2016. How serious: As of
late, these days of action have resulted in transport problems on
train services and in airports across France. Matches affected: This
could be a particular problem for those attending games on 14th June,
when the group stage will be in full swing. Austria will be playing
Hungary in Bordeaux and Portugal will be playing Iceland in
St-Etienne. It could also affect those trying to arrive for future
matches or trying to return home after the opening few days.

We just returned from France last Thursday. We had a reservation for a train from Lyon to CDG directly and with the train strikes every Thursday the train was cancelled. Luckily we knew about the cancellation the Tuesday before so we went to the train station on the Wednesday to find out information on other trains. We were able to take an earlier train using the same ticket. We just sat in other seats no problem. In fact no one ever came by to check our tickets. If you have purchased your train tickets already and your train is cancelled just try to find another one (which could be earlier like ours). It all worked out well because the extra hour we had was used going through check in, border, and security at CDG. Was able to relax a little before our flight. I know this thread is dealing with air traffic controllers' but thought I would add my comment about the trains.

Edgar--he says he saw nothing for the 14th either. He keeps up with all French politics pretty thoroughly. If you keep posting, he can keep verifying, as can Kim. We'll keep looking.

FYI for some who may worry in advance--
As Kim stressed in the OP, a notice to strike doesn't guarantee there will be a strike. Two years ago I convinced Delta to move our flight up by one day due to an air controllers' notice to strike. We left a day early. The strike never took place.

Carole's experience paralleled ours on March 31, as I commented in another place. We were on our TGV for 3 1/4 hours, and no one came through to check anyone's tickets. There was staff on the train, but no one checked tickets. I guess that might be standard operating procedure on strike days.

Edgar--yes they've called for 'a day of action", meaning mostly transportation on the 14th.

I'm flying out of SFO Thursday 6/2, arriving in CDG Friday afternoon 6/3.

Has any word come out yet (5/31 in France now) about air traffic controllers and/or Air France pilots striking on June 3rd?

Thanks, everyone!

Hi Annie -- I don't think AirFrance pilots will be striking that soon (I think they will wait for during the Euro football championships, which begin June 10), but the air traffic controllers will unfortunately be striking then.

I am confused, I was trying to switch my friday flight into Paris to a Thursday. I am monitoring the news and today this story (out of Ireland) says there is a one day ATC strike on Thursday (tommorow). Is this story correct?
Here is the story:
http://www.dublinlive.ie/news/dublin-news/french-air-traffic-control-strikes-11413181

Yes, there's a one-day strike tomorrow, Thursday, June 2. French air authorities have said about 10% of flights into/out of Paris Orly will be cancelled.

You should check with your carrier to see if your flight is affected.

Air France, oddly enough, is saying that the June 3-5 strike is still "possible," not definite. Note that they say negotiations are still ongoing. I saw a tweet last night from someone on one of the national boards on one of the air traffic controllers' unions, he said that so far the government had not offered up enough to keep them from striking . . . .

I'm the one that bolded "if this industrial action is confirmed" in the info I pasted from their webpage below.

http://www.airfrance.fr/FR/en/common/page_flottante/hp/news_air_traffic_air_france.htm

INDUSTRIAL ACTION CALLED BY FRENCH AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS

Industrial action called by French air traffic controllers on 3, 4 & 5
June 2016

Update on 01 June, 15:30 (Paris local time)

A call for strike action has been issued by some French air traffic
controllers' unions on 3, 4 and 5 June 2016.

Currently, negotiations are still going on between the involved
parties. If this industrial action is confirmed, we will conform to
the request of French Civil Aviation Authorities.

We will inform you as soon as possible and make our utmost to assist
you and minimize the impact of this industrial action on your travel
plans.

In case you read quickly and didn't notice: the title has been changed to CANCELLED.
Thanks Kim.

Excellent news!! We fly home from Paris June 5! Now just hoping our train will be running. Avignon TGV to CDG on Saturday. We are prepared to take a later train if necessary. Today, mid shower, our electricity went out. Our landlord said it was part of the rolling blackouts due to strikes. It was short but my shower was cold☺️.

Thanks Kim for keeping us informed!

My thanks as well to you Kim.

That was great news for us on 2 June, since we were departing on 5 June. Lucked out on the rail strike as well. The strike began Tuesday 31 May at 7:00 p.m. & we were departing Colmar to Paris at 11:00 a.m.