Workers at main airports in Paris announce strikes that will disrupt travel - just nine days before Olympics due to begin

Five different unions representing employees for the Aéroports de Paris (ADP) - including the airports of Roissy-Charles de Gaulle and Orly - are preparing to go on strike on July 17. The 24-hour walkout is over a dispute about staff bonuses.

The unions are demanding that all workers receive a pay increase during the busy event from July 26 to August 11. During the one-day strike next Wednesday (17 July), which is due to start at 5am, union members will ultimately decide whether they want to extend the walkout in the run-up to the Olympic Games. The dispute is unlikely to result in flight cancellations, however it could disrupt travel in and out of the capital by causing baggage and security delays.

The Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports will be the main entry points for foreign visitors, which include spectators and athletes alike. The French newspaper Le Monde estimated that up to 350,000 people would be arriving in the city daily through its airports, with competitors expected to begin arriving on July 18 when the Olympic Village opens.

This strike concerns airport staff, not air traffic controllers. Air traffic control representatives aid they would commit to an ‘Olympic Truce’ and not strike over the summer so as not to affect the event.