STRIKES in France this week are set to cancel as many as 70 per cent of inbound and outbound flights – and they will also affect people due to fly through the country.

Passengers have been warned about “major disruption” and a “huge impact” as air traffic controllers (ATC) are planning walkouts tomorrow (Thursday, April 25).

French airports and international flights face disruption during the strikes, with further action also planned in May.

Workers are staging the walkouts to protest the restructuring of their services.

The strikes are due to last 24 hours, with the local press in France describing it as a “journée noir” (black day) for the country’s air services.

The SNCTA union, who represent more than 60 per cent of France’s ATC staff, told the French press that they are expecting a “record turnout” for the strikes.

A spokesperson told AFP: “People should expect major disruption and long delays.”

Flights that need to enter French airspace will likely also be affected – even if they do not take off or land in the country.

This is because ATC workers are needed to guide flights through French airspace.

Therefore, flights due to fly over or through France en route to their destinations will have to go around it, adding time onto their journeys and delaying flight schedules.

The strikes come despite an agreed ‘Olympic truce’ to cancel any industrial action until the end of the games, which will be held in Paris this summer.

Tomorrow’s strikes aren’t the only ones threatening to disrupt French air travel, with further strikes planned for May.

On Tuesday, the SNCTA union also said that it would be filing strike notice for Thursday May 9, Friday May 10 and Saturday May 11.

This will hit France during a significantly busy travel period, with both May 8 and 9 public holidays this year.

The Local reports that many French people are planning to take advantage of the rare double holiday by taking a trip abroad.

The number of flights set to be cancelled by the strikes this week remains to be seen with the French civil aviation authority currently working out how many ATC staff members they will be without.

However, the strike is expected to be “very strongly followed” according to Pascal de Izaguirre, head of FNAM, a large group of French aviation industry unions.

He explained that 75 per cent of flights could be cancelled at Paris Orly airport and 65 per cent at Charles de Gaulle.

Meanwhile, France’s DGAC aviation authority has also told airlines to cut 60 per cent of flights at both Toulouse and Nice airports, and 50 per cent at other regional transport hubs.

Mr de Izaguirre added: “It will have a huge impact.”

EasyJet told Sun Online Travel: “Due to national air traffic control strike action in France on Thursday 25 April, the French authorities (DGAC) have requested that all airlines make significant cancellations to their flying programmes, with overflights also expected to be impacted by the action.

“Any customers whose flights are impacted by this have been notified in advance and offered the option to change their flight for free or receive a refund. 

“While this is outside of our control, we would like to apologise to our customers for any disruption to their travel plans and inconvenience they may experience as a result of the strike action.

“To provide additional support all our customer services lines’ opening hours will be extended to 10pm.”

Sun Online Travel has also contacted British Airways, Jet2 and Ryanair for comment.

Similar strikes affected passengers last year, leading to Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary to call for protection for flights flying over France.

At the time, he said: “It is unfair that flights from the UK to Spain or from Italy to Portugal are being cancelled simply because a bunch of French air traffic control units want to go on strike.

“We respect their right to strike, but if they want to strike, cancel the French flights, protect the overflights.”

Passengers in the UK are also set to be disrupted by walkouts at Heathrow airport next month.

Unite said around 800 of its members will launch a week of strikes from May 7-13.

At least 37 airlines at the airport face the prospect of cancelling flights, with passenger service workers protesting the prospect of their jobs being outsourced, according to Unite.

A Heathrow spokesperson said: “Unite’s threats of potential industrial action are unnecessary, and customers can be reassured that we will keep the airport operating smoothly, just like we have in the past.”

Meanwhile, this is how you can avoid delays by booking certain flights.

And this is how you can tell whether or not your flight is going to be delayed.

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