French air-traffic controller strike grounds 39 flights from Spain to the rest of Europe

AIR-TRAFFIC controller strikes in France led to 39 flights to and from Spain being cancelled by last night (Thursday) and will continue until at least this evening.

As at 19.00 yesterday, a total of 18 flights between Spanish and French airports out of the 224 scheduled were cancelled, and another 21 out of the planned 1,817 between Spain and other European destinations which either crossed French air space or used its terminals for connecting flights.

Although proportionately low for four days of continuous strikes, with an average of 10 flights a day in Spain grounded, travellers have suffered considerable upheaval – especially at Madrid's Adolfo Suárez-Barajas airport, which ws the worst affected with 12 cancellations, of which nine were between the Spanish capital and France, and three to other parts of Europe.

Another eight, four each for France and for other European airports, were grounded at Barcelona's El Prat terminal.

Four flights due to take off from Valencia, five from Alicante, three from Zaragoza, two each from Málaga, Sevilla and Asturias, and one from Vitoria in the Basque Country were also cancelled.

In France itself, 10 times as many planes were grounded as in Spain, nearly 100 a day, between Monday morning and last night.

The photo shows passengers queuing at the Vueling information desk after the low-cost carrier had to cancel flights bound for France.

 

 

Source: French air-traffic controller strike grounds 39 flights from Spain to the rest of Europe