Strike to cause massive delays at Paris airports

Up to 20 percent of flights into Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport and 50 percent of flights into Orly may be canceled due to a walkout by air-traffic controllers that began on Tuesday evening and is expected to last until Thursday morning.

By Carla WESTERHEIDE (video)
News Wires (text)

AP - French air traffic controllers have launched a strike that is expected to cancel many flights in and out of France on Wednesday.

France's civil aviation authority said it asked airlines to scrap 20 percent of flights Wednesday at Charles de Gaulle airport and 50 percent at the smaller Orly airport.

FRANCE 24

N. Germain reports from Orly airport.

While the strike officially started Tuesday evening, major disruptions weren't expected until the following day. The protest is to end Thursday morning.

Unions of air traffic controllers are striking over a plan to unify European airspace. The Single European Sky concept is meant to ensure greater efficiency and deal with a projected increase in traffic, but French air traffic controllers are worried about how it will affect them.

National carrier Air France said all its long-haul flights were scheduled to run normally Wednesday. It said 80 percent of short- and medium-haul routes would operate at Charles de Gaulle, while half of short- and medium-haul flights would run at Orly.