Airlines face disruption until the weekend due to a national strike in France ahead of the Rugby World Cup quarter finals.
Air traffic controllers are due to join the industrial action which is due to start tonight (Thursday) and run until 6am local time on Saturday.
Travellers due to attend the rugby quarter final matches on Saturday – Wales v Argentina and Ireland v New Zealand – could see their travel plans disrupted.
Around 40% of flights from Paris-Orly airport will be cancelled, according to France’s civil aviation authority.
The authority also confirmed 20% of flights from Marseille, and 15% from Beauvais – Paris’ third airport used by Ryanair – will be cancelled, and that more airports could be affected.
It will be the first major nationwide strike action in the country in four months, since the final day of protests against the French government’s pension reform bill.
The latest walkouts are part of a demand from eight major unions for better pay, pensions and social benefits.
EasyJet confirmed: “We have been advised of a national strike in France starting 18:00 local time on Thursday 12th October to 06:00 Saturday 14th October.
“Air traffic control staff are joining the strike action and therefore like all airlines, our flights to and from French airports, as well as those flying in French airspace, could be affected.
“We expect that there will be delays and some disruption due to the industrial action, therefore we advise all customers to check the status of their flight on our flight tracker either on our mobile app or website.
“Please also be aware that public transport services may be affected by the strike. We recommend all customers allow plenty of extra time to get to the airport and consider alternative transport options where possible.”
Ryanair said: “Due to the French ATC strike on Friday, we have been forced to cancel a small number of flights mainly overflying France.
“Affected passengers have been notified of their options to change flights, free of charge, or receive a full refund.”
The Irish no-frills carrier reiterated its call on the European Commission to protect flights affected by striking air traffic controllers.
“So far in 2023, there has been 64 days of ATC strikes (over 12 times more than in 2022) forcing airlines to cancel thousands of EU overflights from Germany, Spain, Italy, Ireland, and the UK, while France uses minimum service laws to protect French flights,” the airline said.
“This is unfair. France and all other EU states should protect overflights during ATC strikes as they do in Spain, Italy and Greece, and cancel flights to/from the affected state.”