Air traffic controllers in France have announced three more days of strikes this month after causing the cancellation of more than 1,000 flights last week.
Airlines were ordered to halve their flight schedules on Friday as air traffic controllers swept across the country disrupting hundreds of thousands of passengers.
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Ryanair has had to cancel 420 flights while easyJet has also had to provide ground services as planes were unable to fly over France during the strike.
This is because the air traffic controllers were needed to direct planes flying overhead.
Among other things, flights to Spain, Italy and other nations as well as direct flights to and from France were affected.
Air traffic controllers have now announced three more days of strikes, which will affect flights again next week.
The next round of strikes will take place on September 28th, 29th and 30th.
Frédéric Solano, chief executive of France’s aviation regulator DGAC, said talks were ongoing to avoid further disruption.
The French trade union Syndicat National des Contrôleurs du Trafic Aérien (SNCTA) has called for strikes over pay and working conditions.
Ahead of last week’s strike, Ryanair called on the EU to intervene as 80,000 of its passengers were affected by last week’s cancellations.
A spokesman said: “It is inexplicable that flights overflying France are being disrupted by French ATC strikes, yet French domestic flights are protected by minimum service laws.
“The European Union must intervene and protect overflights so that passengers traveling between Spain, Italy, Ireland, Germany, etc. are not disrupted simply for overflying France while French ATC unions are on strike.”
EasyJet urged passengers to check the status of their flights online before traveling.
A spokesman said: “Due to national air traffic control strikes in France affecting all French airports and airspace, airlines operating to and from French airports have been asked by French authorities DGAC to make some cancellations.
“As a result, we expect some disruptions to our French flight program as well as to routes operating through French airspace.”
More airlines are canceling flights this winter, which will affect thousands of passengers.
This couple got an entire plane to themselves after their original flight was cancelled.
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