France air traffic control strike 2025: Flights to be cancelled or delayed as controllers to walkout in September - full list affected dates
Flights are likely to be cancelled or delayed as an air traffic control strike in France has been announced.
France’s largest air traffic control union has filed a strike motion for September. The SNCTA union confirmed it has filed a motion covering the period from the morning of Thursday September 18 to the end of Friday September 19.
The announcement comes after a breakdown in social dialogue, said the union in a press release on its website. Fellow unions in the sector UNSA-ICNA and USAC-CGT have not confirmed whether they will join the action.
Controllers at all airports across France are being urged to join the strike, which also covers traffic control agents at Paris Charles-de-Gaulle airport. Many flights both to and from French airports are expected to be affected, as will those that fly through French air space, including routes from the UK, Spain, and Italy due to France’s central position in Europe.
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Exact details of the expected level of disruption are not yet available, but will be relayed two days in advance by France’s Civil Aviation Authority. If scheduled to fly during the strike period, it is advised to keep in contact with your airline.
The SNCTA is the largest union in the sector, with around 60% of air traffic controllers covered by the union. It did not take part in the most recent disruption in July – a strike backed by the UNSA-ICNA and USAC-CGT unions – which saw thousands of flights cancelled.
It is expected that September’s disruption will be greater than in July due to the relative size of the SNCTA, even if the other unions do not join.