French air traffic controllers suspend strike until next month

A strike by French air traffic controllers planned for September 18-19 has been suspended after the French government collapsed last week. 

Staff belonging to the SNCTA union, which represents about 70% of controllers, were set to walk out in a row over working practices in a strike due to last for 24 hours from the morning of September 18. 

However, the union announced last Friday that the walkout would be suspended and the action rescheduled for October 7-9, according to local reports.

Ryanair had warned that it "may be required” to cancel up to 700 flights across France over the two days, grounding the flights of more than 125,000 passengers due to the ATC strike.  

But all modes of transport could still be affected by a second general strike across France called for on September 18 following a similar nationwide ‘block everything’ protest on September 10.  

Airlines have been forced to cancel hundreds of flights, affecting thousands of passengers due to previous French ATC walkouts.