Paris Orly Airport Faces Second Day Flight Cancellations After Air Traffic Breakdown

Paris-Orly airport has been experiencing severe disruptions following a breakdown in its air traffic control system, specifically a radar failure, which began on Sunday and has extended into Monday. This malfunction has led to the cancellation of about 130 flights on Sunday and forced airlines to reduce their flight schedules by 15% on Monday, causing widespread delays and cancellations affecting thousands of passengers traveling to European, North African, and domestic French destinations. Passengers have faced significant difficulties, including being asked to disembark after boarding, struggling to find alternative flights, and enduring long queues at terminals. The French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) has warned that the situation, while improving, still requires ongoing traffic regulation to maintain safe flight operations. Refunds are available for canceled flights, although compensation may not be provided if airlines classify the issue as an 'extraordinary circumstance.' The incident has sparked major travel chaos at the airport, which handles about 33 million passengers annually, roughly half the volume of Paris Charles de Gaulle airport.