French air traffic controllers “cause third of Europe’s flight delays” costing £260m a year
Air traffic controllers in France lost 254 days through strike action between 2004 and 2006 while outdated technology at airports also cause problems
FRENCH air traffic controllers are responsible for a third of the flight delays in Europe – costing airlines £260m a year.
Their shocking record is detailed in a new report published by the finance committee of the Paris Senate yesterday.
It reveals that air traffic controllers in France lost 254 days through strike action between 2004 and 2006.
This compares to 46 days for Greece, 37 days for Italy, 10 for Portugal, four days for Germany, and none for the UK.
Not only is industrial action a headache, but increasingly outdated technology at key French airports is also causing massive problems.
“Every strike day in France has far greater consequences on European traffic than any other European country,” said Vincent Capo-Canellas, the author of the parliamentary report.
He said a single strike causes an average of 652 flight cancellations every day, adding: “Our country is responsible for 33 per cent of the delays in Europe caused by air traffic control.
“This represents 300 million euros (£260m) of annual losses for the airlines,” said the Senator.
The 4,000 French air traffic controllers are under heavy pressure because they have to cope with a sharp increase in traffic every year.
They dealt with more than 3.1 million flights in 2017, up four per cent from 2016 and more than eight per cent from 2015.
“In France, the control equipment is outdated,” said Mr Capo-Canellas.
“We are way behind our neighbours. Delays are all the more alarming, because more than ‘two billion euros (£1.75bn) have been spent on modernising controls since 2011.”
Heavily unionised French air traffic controllers are currently striking regularly after joining a national public sector movement opposing President Emmanuel Macron’s employment reforms.
Many are members of the USAC-CGT who said say they have to “resist the erosion of human rights,” said a spokesman.
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Air-traffic control in France handles more flights than any other country in Europe, because of the size of the country and its central geographical position.
Carriers such as British Airways and Ryanair, the biggest budget airline in Europe, regularly have to make cancellations or delay flights because of the French.
Under EU rules, passengers are not entitled to cash compensation if their journeys are ruined by strike action, although they may get accommodation and meals paid for.
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