Possible issues with flights to/from/above France on Thursday 5 December
Dec 2, 2019, 11:58 am
#1
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Possible issues with flights to/from/above France on Thursday 5 December
There is a widespread strike scheduled to affect public services in France on Thursday 5 December with effects extending all the way to 7 december. While the main ATC union are not calling a strike, it is likely that some staff will join the broader national movement anyway with a potential for cancellations and delays. I thought I would start this thread so that anyone scheduled to fly from, to, or above France on that day can get the heads up and monitor the situation (or even consider "plans B" in case of connections) and we can collectively update the thread with information on specific flights affected as information comes in (often the day before).
Last edited by orbitmic; Dec 2, 2019 at 1:22 pm
Dec 2, 2019, 12:07 pm
#2
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Good point, and indeed there is a customer advisory out on MAD and BCN. BCN in particular gets badly hit by ATC restrictions over France for obvious reasons.
If you are travelling to BCN or MAD on 5, 6 or 7 December, you can ring up and move your flight to before 5 December, or from 8 to 12 December included. One change only allowed, redemptions are in scope for this too.
If you are travelling to BCN or MAD on 5, 6 or 7 December, you can ring up and move your flight to before 5 December, or from 8 to 12 December included. One change only allowed, redemptions are in scope for this too.
Dec 2, 2019, 1:50 pm
#3
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Spanish public holidays December 6 and 9 - what a coincidence?
Haven't checked EF but I suspect every flight out of BCN/MAD is close to a big fat zero on December 5.
I ha\ve got MAD to LHR for a Christmas do whilst Ms Modo has Mad to MAN direct on Dec 5. Groan....
Haven't checked EF but I suspect every flight out of BCN/MAD is close to a big fat zero on December 5.
I ha\ve got MAD to LHR for a Christmas do whilst Ms Modo has Mad to MAN direct on Dec 5. Groan....
Dec 2, 2019, 1:50 pm
#4
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My partner and I are flying to GVA on the 6th, with a moderately tight connection to a coach to Annecy. Can anyone reasonably predict how this route might be affected? It's not clear to me how much a reroute over Germany might add compared to the direct usual path. Even if GVA is added to the advisory, we can't change our dates off work at such short notice. 
Last edited by dsf; Dec 2, 2019 at 7:20 pm
Dec 2, 2019, 4:42 pm
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I'm flying to NCE on 7th and returning on 8th. Does the end of rebooking window on 12th mean I cannot postpone the trip by one week (i.e. 14-15th)? Seems quite unfair to expect me to reschedule a weekend away into a midweek trip!
edit: in fact, 14-15th isn't really very convenient either. would 21-22nd be completely out of question?
edit: in fact, 14-15th isn't really very convenient either. would 21-22nd be completely out of question?
Dec 2, 2019, 10:33 pm
#6
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I'm flying to NCE on 7th and returning on 8th. Does the end of rebooking window on 12th mean I cannot postpone the trip by one week (i.e. 14-15th)? Seems quite unfair to expect me to reschedule a weekend away into a midweek trip!
edit: in fact, 14-15th isn't really very convenient either. would 21-22nd be completely out of question?
edit: in fact, 14-15th isn't really very convenient either. would 21-22nd be completely out of question?
If your flight is announced as significantly delayed or cancelled, ba will likely be more generous and likely accept your new dates, but you’d only know if that’s the case the day before or on the day.
Dec 2, 2019, 10:35 pm
#7
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My partner and I are flying to GVA on the 6th, with a moderately tight connection to a coach to Annecy. Can anyone reasonably predict how this route might be affected? It's not clear to me how much a reroute over Germany might add compared to the direct usual path. Even if GVA is added to the advisory, we can't change our dates off work at such short notice.
Dec 3, 2019, 6:44 am
#8
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The problem with the strike that's been announced is that it's open-ended. Meaning that if the French government doesn't back down on its pensions overhaul, we can expect some lines of workers to carry on. From the word on the ground it's mostly rail/tube workers for now, but France has a history of so-called "sympathy" strikes which extend to different workgroups. Thursday's strike is almost a general strike, so far it's rail, tube, lawyers, judges, ATC, teachers and most of the civil service and public utilities -- there have also been talks in hospitals and people who don't normally have a right to withdraw their labour (police, fire service etc.). This could drag out all the way to Christmas and beyond.
Dec 3, 2019, 6:53 am
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Basel, Geneva and Zurich have now been added to BCN and MAD where rebooking is now allowed, see my earlier post above.
Dec 3, 2019, 7:03 am
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I’m supposed to be going to Paris on the evening of the 8th. My French customer seems to think that it will be fine, I have visions of getting to CDG and no further.
This trip is on a refundable ticket, if chaos reigns on Saturday I must just can it. Also booked to go back the last week before Christmas - that one’s not refundable.
This trip is on a refundable ticket, if chaos reigns on Saturday I must just can it. Also booked to go back the last week before Christmas - that one’s not refundable.
Dec 3, 2019, 7:17 am
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Dec 3, 2019, 7:20 am
#12
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Unfortunately not at the moment, it would have helped if you were flying on 5 - 7 December. If you move one leg due to the strike they tend to be amenable to changing the other leg too if you present a plausible reason, but at the moment you appear to be out of scope.
Dec 3, 2019, 7:21 am
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Dec 3, 2019, 7:40 am
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I'm flying to NCE on 7th and returning on 8th. Does the end of rebooking window on 12th mean I cannot postpone the trip by one week (i.e. 14-15th)? Seems quite unfair to expect me to reschedule a weekend away into a midweek trip!
edit: in fact, 14-15th isn't really very convenient either. would 21-22nd be completely out of question?
edit: in fact, 14-15th isn't really very convenient either. would 21-22nd be completely out of question?
