Beany

Been rumbling for the past few days and now on ba.com:

British Airways has been informed that air traffic controllers across France are threatening to hold industrial action on Wednesday 8 April and Thursday 9 April, 2015.

Unfortunately in addition to cancelling some flights to and from France, other short-haul flights are also likely to experience significant delays throughout the two days, given how many flights would normally use French airspace.

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

We will continuously review the situation on Wednesday 8 April and will look to publish our revised schedule for Thursday 9 April, during Wednesday afternoon.

Although the industrial action in France is beyond our control and will affect all airlines, we apologise for any disruption to your travel plans.

fransknorge

So ATC strikes on two days, then 16/18th April which is last days of Easter vacation for some part of France, then on the 1st May long weekend All that because the long term plan for consolidating the different ATC zones in Paris and around will mean the union at ORY will lose its majority.

I am due ABZ-LHR-CDG 1st May, return 4th. It smells bad already.

r00ty

Is that 16th AND 18th April, or 16th until 18th? I have a flight on the 17th, from Italy mind you. But, France is usually quite a feature of that trip.

Likewise on 1st May another trip to Italy. This could be interesting in a not so fun way.

EDIT: Thinking about it, the reroute isn't THAT drastic I suppose. So maybe nothing to worry about.

Beany

16th to 18th April - just when I fly from New York to Nice via London

fransknorge

It is from 16th until 18th.
Link: http://www.sncta.fr/communique-de-presse-6/ (in French, sorry)

r00ty

Ah well, my trips are Milan/Venice. It's not actually much of a reroute at all. In theory at least. We'll see I guess.

Thanks for the answer though.

Yahillwe

Managed to squeeze out of the strike dates, I travel on the 10th.

PoincianaKings

I seriously hope the strike for 16-18 April gets called off or there is minimal disruption. I have a long planned (and I mean I have been counting down the weeks for the last four months) four day trip to Bordeaux flying LGW-BOD on 16 April back on 19 April.

Jenzo

I would be careful, Venice last time the french ATC strike was out the planes were being delayed hours at a time, and they didnt move check in. I managed to get us moved to a earlier flight, however most were not as lucky.

r00ty

If it's Venice, then I'll be annoyed in one way (since it's a holiday) but, I'll make BA (even if it's not their fault) pay by draining the lounge bar dry! :P

If they mess up Milan for work.. I'll be extremely un-amused. I'm also not convinced I can make up for this with glasses of water, and coronation chicken sandwiches.....

orbitmic

The DGAC (the French aviation authority) has asked airlines to cancel 40% of rotations from most French airports (CDG, NCE, ORY, LYS, MRS, TLS, BOD, etc) for the 8th and the 9th. In addition, severe disruptions are expected at some airports like ORY and LYS because of the strike.

This will likely have a significant effect on BA operations to/from France and will have some ripple effects due to rotations. A major pain in the back.

Dicksbits

I'm going to get caught out twice in this disruption. Advice please:

16th: Booked on the IB 17:10 to MAD fro LHR, with a connection down to LEI (last connecting flight of the day). Bought ticket through BA as a code share. Am a Gold member. When will I be told if the IB service is running or delayed? I would need to catch an earlier flight to make my connection, and how do I do this?

30th: Due to fly back from LIS on BA. I'll be on holiday there. I guess I will be advised the day before if the flight is running or not?

Yahillwe

Would that affect flights leaving on the 10th? If so, maybe I need to move my flight to the 11th. I have 2 connections where it has a domino affect if the first flight is cancelled or delayed.

dnajockey

Ah Merde, I am heading to ORY on the 16th ... eurostar.com here I come

orbitmic

For the most part it shouldn't. Only would if/when an airline decide to cancel their last flight to a French airport which is due to be the first flight out of there the next morning (e.g. BA cancel the 20.15 LHR-NCE on 9/4 which arrives at 23.10 and normally leaves the next morning at 7.30) but I would be really surprised if they did that except to a minor extent in the case of AF European flights.