Impact on transport of ongoing political disputes and strike actions
#61
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: FB, M&B, UA, AA
Posts: 1,582
Yeah I'm getting nervous. Flying SFO-CDG-FCO on Sunday (with wife and daughter). My parents on the same routing the next day. At least for now there is no chance of a preemptive rebooking on KLM or DL/ITA, correct?
Any recommendations on best social media or other news source to be alerted if/when the strike is planned? AF Twitter rarely seems to have these updates.
Any recommendations on best social media or other news source to be alerted if/when the strike is planned? AF Twitter rarely seems to have these updates.
a) they announce the strike days. On other days, you can be pretty sure flights go normally. So if 23 March is announced as the next strike day, do not expect too much hassle on other days
b) in practice these are not 100% strikes. I need RER B to go to CDG. Even on heavy strike days, they cut just 2 out of 3 or 3 out of 4 trains, which implies still a train every 8 minutes or so (and a change at Paris Nord, normally not needed). So just leaving 30 min earlier as usual I could reach CDG perfectly in time. Since all work from home on such days, the Metro's are not even overloaded despite having just a fraction of regular capacity.
c) As indicated on 15 March (main strike day) AF forecasted 100% flights on CDG and 80% on ORY, and some trouble locally. From BOD where I left everything was normal.
My overall verdict - only if you travel via CDG on an announced strike day you have some risk. But even that is a risk that seems not too high. I probably only would do an effort to rebook if you would pass France on a strike day if you can avoid France, nothing more, but even without that in the past month you would have been fine most of the time..
#62
Join Date: Jan 2018
Programs: DL Diamond, Hertz PC, Bonvoy Gold Elite; Hilton Gold
Posts: 623
I am in Paris for business 4-5 times a years so I know and love the city. I don’t think it is currently unsafe but in talking to many locals the people are livid and taking to the streets. My advice if you are here over the next week is to maintain situational awareness and ask others around you if you see police barricades or large protests in open plazas. And with metro shutdowns, be creative with getting around town. Your Apple or Google maps may not work well.
#64
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: FB, M&B, UA, AA
Posts: 1,582
We are in the city this week. It has been mostly great except for last night. We were over on the champs de elysee late afternoon when the protesters built up on the Place de la Concorde then overflowed into the Champs. The national police closed the Champs and the metro and formed long barricades of police in riot gear. We’re hundreds of police (maybe 1000) and hundreds of police motorcycles and vans.[....] And with metro shutdowns, be creative with getting around town. Your Apple or Google maps may not work well.
#65
Join Date: May 2022
Location: YHZ
Programs: Like to experience different airlines without being bound to any frequent flyer program...
Posts: 148
Strike on 20-23 March 2023
From here
The French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) has asked all airlines to reduce their flight schedules to and from Paris Orly and certain French airports from 20 to 23 March, 2023 as part of the national strike action in France.
In this context, Air France plans to operate all its long-haul flights and its flights to and from Paris - Charles de Gaulle on these days. Traffic forecasts to and from other airports in mainland France will be communicated no later than March 19, 2023. Customers affected by cancelled flights will be notified individually by SMS and e-mail.
Last-minute delays and cancellations cannot be ruled out.
Commercial measures, which can be consulted hereunder allow customers to change their date of travel free of charge. Customers whose flight is cancelled will receive a credit voucher or a full refund should they no longer wish to travel.
All Air France’s teams are mobilized to assist customers in their procedures
National call for strike action from 20 to 23 March, 2023
Updated: March 17, 2023 9 : 00 PM Paris local timeThe French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) has asked all airlines to reduce their flight schedules to and from Paris Orly and certain French airports from 20 to 23 March, 2023 as part of the national strike action in France.
In this context, Air France plans to operate all its long-haul flights and its flights to and from Paris - Charles de Gaulle on these days. Traffic forecasts to and from other airports in mainland France will be communicated no later than March 19, 2023. Customers affected by cancelled flights will be notified individually by SMS and e-mail.
Last-minute delays and cancellations cannot be ruled out.
Commercial measures, which can be consulted hereunder allow customers to change their date of travel free of charge. Customers whose flight is cancelled will receive a credit voucher or a full refund should they no longer wish to travel.
All Air France’s teams are mobilized to assist customers in their procedures
#67
#68
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: YYZ
Programs: Aeroplan, FB-AF, Marco Polo
Posts: 424
#71
FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Paris, France
Programs: AF/KL Flying Blue Platinum for life/Club2000 Ultimate, Accor ALL Diamond
Posts: 20,484
As said several times in this thread, CDG has been either not affected at all or very minimally affected. ORY was (and will be) affected every time with 20-30% of flights cancelled. MRS will be also affected for the next strikes.
#72
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: AMS / ATH
Programs: AFKL Plat, A3 Gold
Posts: 6,773
Just got a notification that my flight from CDG has been delayed by over 4 hrs, while I was already on the way to CDG.
Seems like I’m going to be spending a lot of time in the M lounge, probably 7 hours or more. Do they have a comfortable place to rest in that lounge somewhere?
Seems like I’m going to be spending a lot of time in the M lounge, probably 7 hours or more. Do they have a comfortable place to rest in that lounge somewhere?
Last edited by Xandrios; Mar 20, 23 at 2:46 am
#73
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: Delta Gold, UA Gold, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum
Posts: 265
All systems go
Relaxing in the 2F lounge now. Really crowded but not overly full. Departures board looks all green. If you hadn’t read the news, you’d have no clue there is a strike today. Everything is totally normal (for now at least).
#74
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: YYZ
Programs: Aeroplan, FB-AF, Marco Polo
Posts: 424
Just got a notification that my flight from CDG has been delayed by over 4 hrs, while I was already on the way to CDG.
Seems like I’m going to be spending a lot of time in the M lounge, probably 7 hours or more. Do they have a comfortable place to rest in that lounge somewhere?
Seems like I’m going to be spending a lot of time in the M lounge, probably 7 hours or more. Do they have a comfortable place to rest in that lounge somewhere?
#75
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: AMS / ATH
Programs: AFKL Plat, A3 Gold
Posts: 6,773
Thanks. We got moved to the L gates, I believe that there is a nap area in the L lounge - will investigate soon.
Our flight was delayed by over 4 hrs and is the only one delayed on the board today. This screws up quite a bit of the trip. Wondering if this could potentially be caused by something other than the strikes - it does sound odd to me having only one flight affected. Unfortunately I don't know the registration of the a/c originally scheduled to execute the flight to see if there was a delay elsewhere.
Our flight was delayed by over 4 hrs and is the only one delayed on the board today. This screws up quite a bit of the trip. Wondering if this could potentially be caused by something other than the strikes - it does sound odd to me having only one flight affected. Unfortunately I don't know the registration of the a/c originally scheduled to execute the flight to see if there was a delay elsewhere.