Mass cancellations loom despite French air union calling off strike

Authorities have cancelled hundreds of flights at French airports on Thursday despite the country’s main air traffic controllers’ union dropping a call for a one-day strike after making a deal for higher pay.

In Paris around 75 percent of flights at Orly and 55 percent at Charles de Gaulle airport would be dropped Thursday, the DGAC civil aviation authority told airlines in a notification seen by AFP.

Around 65 percent of services at Marseille airport and 45 percent elsewhere in France would also be cancelled, it added — adding up to a similar impact nationwide to the reductions announced when the walkout was believed to be going ahead.

The SNCTA union had earlier walked back a strike call in a statement, saying it had struck a deal for higher pay and other measures with the DGAC.

Its demands had come in response to a planned overhaul of French air traffic control systems.

However, the DGAC did not confirm the union statement, and neither side released details of the reported agreement.

It was also unclear whether the two smaller unions, which had also backed strike action, would follow suit and call off the stoppage.

Unions had called the strike after an initial breakdown of talks, raising new concerns over the risk of walkouts during the Olympic Games that Paris is due to host in late July, when millions of visitors are expected.

The DGAC had asked airlines to cancel most of their flights scheduled for Thursday.

The main air traffic controllers’ union had previously warned it could also order several days of strike action over a busy May holiday weekend if its demands were not met.