Strike in France on October 16

We were in Paris 9/23 for the strike. We went to a TI the day before and they really didn't know anything. In fact, they kind of scared us saying they didn't know if our train to Bruges on the 26th would be affected. Seemed like they were kind of pushing the panic button. There were signs up announcing the strike at bus stops, but the buses ran. Also, museums closed or had limited hours. It only lasted a day. In Brussels the air traffic controllers went on an unannounced strike and shut down the airport. We were scheduled to fly the next day. Our flight was delayed 5 hours, but we got out without any problems. Sorry, no info about where to check to monitor the situation. Can you contact the airlines you'll be flying to Venice and ask them what you should do if you have problems?

There is no way to know in advance. The strike begins October 12 and the strikers will vote day-by-day to continue the next day or not. It will depend on the type of concessions made by the government to change parts of the proposed law. It's impossible to know in advance if you flight crews, baggage handlers and air controllers will be on strike or not. We spent five unplanned days in London due to the US air controllers' strike in 1981. When we went to bed a midnight our flight was posted; the next morning every flight to the US was canceled.

We landed in Paris on Sept 7 when the rail and bus lines were having a strike. Air travel was not affected. We had planned to take a train to our Paris lodging. The TI told go to the RER anyway as about one in three trains were running. They said the strikes were pretty normal and generally only lasted a day. It took us about 35 minutes longer than expected to go the Les Halles-Chatalet stop. We left France on 9/23 by train, and even though a "strike" schedule was posted in Nice, we had no problem or delays getting to Cinque Terre. While it is of no help to you, the French we talked with about the strikes gave a Gaullic shrug and said c'est la vie.

You'll want to stay in close contact with the airline. There are going to be large protest marches and gatherings on Saturday. It is anticipated there will be the largest number of people participating in over 20 years. Air travel is likely to be interrupted as a result of employees participating in one of the manifestations. Priority is being given to intercontinental flights, so the connection is iffy.

Kathy, when is your flight? The 16 October will be a Saturday! Do you mean the 18 October?

Darcy, I do mean Saturday the 16th. I just read that more strikes are scheduled for Saturday. I read an article that said the strikes have disrupted rail and commuter travel but it did not mention airlines.

Kathy - I think you need to come up with Plan B on what you'll do if you can't get to Venice that day. The strikes are announced on a day-by-day basis and so you won't know until the afternoon on Friday whether the airlines will be affected. Tuesday and WEdnesday they were, but today they are not. Yesterday Sarkozy announced that he isn't going to budge no matter how large the demonstrations are on Saturday. I'm wondering if that's going to encourage more people to participate in the demonstrations. Which sometimes means people walk off their jobs to participate (thus the closure of the Eiffel Tower on Tuesday). Good luck with this. Hopefully you won't be affected, but it's best to be prepared.

Mara (or anyone else in Paris on the 16th) - Please be aware that there are going to be demonstrations for repealing the change in retirement age. It is expected to be the largest demonstrations in over 20 years. Expect lots of traffic, congestion, and people walking off their jobs to join in. THe one in Paris starts at 2:30pm at Place de la Republique and they are marching in the direction of Natation. Now, normally, these are peaceful parades. However, high school and college students have been joining in and clashing with police. So if you see police in riot gear with tear gas pointed at the crowd, I'd recommend leaving the area ASAP. Bonne chance!

According to news reports today, the strikes are now into a fourth day, with no end in sight. They appeared to be picketing around Orly airport and a fuel depot. ¶ In the same situation, I'd carry on with the original plans and hope for the best. However, I'd probably try to take a bit more in carry-on (clothing, toiletries, etc.), in case my checked luggage didn't arrive in Venice for a few days (keeping in mind that European airlines usually allow only ONE carry-on bag of approved size and weight). Which airline is your connecting flight with?

We are in Paris now. Strikes have closed different venues on different days and trains are running slower. No one really seems to know anything as each day brings something different, so an alternate plan is suggested in case your first plan falls through.

Hi everyone, Just to let you know we left for Paris on the 15th and had no problem with our connecting flight to Venice on the 16th. Came back yesterday, also with no problems or even a mention at the airport of a strike. Thanks for all your advice!--Kathy

Thanks for the update. Glad it went smoothly. My husband too had no problem flying to Verona via Paris. We'll see about the return flight this weekend.