France Largest Air Traffic Control Union Plans September Strike

France's largest air traffic control union, SNCTA, representing about 60% of controllers, has announced a 24-hour strike from the morning of September 18 until the end of September 19 due to unresolved pay disputes and poor working conditions. The strike follows a breakdown in dialogue with France’s Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) and aims to address wage indexation and governance issues. Disruptions are expected across all French airports, including Paris Charles-de-Gaulle, and will affect flights crossing French airspace from neighboring countries such as the UK, Spain, and Italy, causing delays and cancellations. This industrial action comes after previous strikes in July that caused widespread chaos, impacting over one million passengers and costing the European aviation sector around EUR120 million. Airlines and passengers are advised to monitor flight statuses closely as exact details of cancellations will be provided two days before the strike. The strike highlights ongoing tensions between essential air traffic services and labor rights, with calls from industry leaders for urgent reforms to European air traffic control governance.