Any impact of UK-Spain flights during the French ATC strike this week?
 

Is anyone aware if there is likely to be any impact on ex-LON flights to MAD this weeks during the French ATC strike?

I'm positioning there on Thursday morning to catch a late afternoon flight back to LHR as the first leg :eek:

Not certain if I should cancel the award flight to MAD and rebook one for tomorrow instead so at least I'm there :confused:. Any advice very welcome :)

Hard to predict with certainty. But last Thursday (strike day) I flew to BCN. Two LHR flights were cancelled. My LGW flight had to fly round France and it took 3 hours plus to each there (via Lands End, Out over Atlantic and down etc.)

Yes there certainly can be impacts.

My most recent MAD flight was cancelled and the flight I did take probably took 30-40 minutes extra flying time.

It's not predictable and so it might well be worthwhile giving yourself enough leeway to cope with a cancellation and extra flying time. If this means an overnight to be sure, then I would recommend doing this. The situation in France shows no signs of an early resolution.

Yesp - same happened to me in June 2014. Big delay in flight departing LGW for BCN, then had to fly out over the Scilly Isles before heading south and then back east south of the Pyrenees over Portugal and Spain.

I would expect 1-1.5 hour increase in flight time with cancellations to match (so maybe 1/3 cancelled) assuming BA use the oceanic route outside the influence of French ATC.

Creative back to back or self-constructed connections should be avoided.

I've a BA flight from LCY to AMS on Monday morning (post strike). I'm just hopping that there won't be any domino effect..

Thanks all. Decided not to take the chance and changed the flight to tomorrow. Managed to get business plus on the Iberia A346 so looking forward to trying that out too. Just need to find a cheap hotel for tomorrow night now.....

I think you should be OK. I haven't seen any impact to AMS flights - the French action seems to impact France, Spain and Portugal (to a slightly lesser extent).

That's a good result - I walked through the business plus cabin to my more humble seat further back a few weeks ago - but even in economy the IFE was good and the service was impressive. The business plus looks like pure luxury for a shorthaul ;)

Yup, very happy with that one. Had a quick look at the hotels and plenty around the airport for £70 too so not breaking the bank for this last minute shuffle.

Banana Airways
 

That was my flight path last week on a 7am departure, very annoying to travel this long just to get to LHR,

I won't complain any more about the circling above London after that!

Looks like this is too late for the OP as he has already rebooked, but for others who may be affected:

http://www.britishairways.com/travel...s/public/en_gb

My choice of Lyon for a long weekend to get the TPs I need to keep silver now seems like less of a good idea than it did when I booked it!

Is it clear cut these strikes end on time?
or do the french have a history of letting them run on?

Im flying LCY to Angers on Monday, hence the interest.

Am I correct in thinking that the strike begins on Friday 3rd rather than on Thursday 2nd? And if I am correct then shouldn't this mean that my 1150 flight tomorrow from LHR to PMI will be able to overfly France?

Argh, flying MAD-LHR-HKG on Friday, luckily a 4 hour layover. Hope its enough.