Paris airport chaos to enter second day after air traffic breakdown
The breakdown hit on Sunday and has affected thousands of passengers with some already sat in planes at the French capital's second biggest airport when flights were cancelled.
The control tower breakdown forced the cancellation of about 130 flights in and out of Orly Sunday, officials said.
It had not been resolved by late Sunday and the DGAC French civil aviation authority said it was "asking airlines to reduce their flight schedules by 15 percent" on Monday and warned that "delays are expected".
"The situation is improving but still requires traffic regulation," the DGAC said.
The authority blamed an air traffic control "malfunction". An airport source said there had been a "radar failure".
Flights to European and North Africa destinations and across France were among those hit. Long queues formed at terminals amid a frenzied rush to find alternative transport.
"We were in the aircraft, all seated and strapped in, ready to go, when they made us disembark and collect our bags ... then began the ordeal," said Azgal Abichou, a 63-year-old business owner.
"The only option is a 300 euro flight – and there's only one seat left, but there are two of us and we are not even sure it will take off," said Romane Penault, a 22-year-old student. "So for now, we're going home."
Agnes Zilouri, 46, tried desperately to find a seat for her 86-year-old mother and six-year-old son in the terminal. The family should have taken a flight to Oujda in Morocco on Sunday evening to go to a funeral.
"The flight is cancelled. Fortunately I am with my mother," she said.
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This is when you need to visualise success: Spend five minutes imagining yourself calm and capable – packing, arriving, enjoying the trip. You could also support your emotional wellbeing to reduce mood swings and anxiety by creating room in your itinerary for downtime. 'Practise self-care – journalling, mindfulness or quiet walks – and stay connected with supportive people, even if it's just a text check-in,' said Dr Games. 'If you need to skip a late dinner or take a midday nap, do it. You don't owe anyone an explanation.' Dr Games told CNA Women that, whether you're in perimenopause or post-menopause, the goal is to support your body, mind and mood so you can enjoy the trip fully – without powering through discomfort or anxiety. 'Menopause is a time of redefinition; so when you travel, you're not just packing clothes – you're bringing a changing self along for the ride,' she explained. 'Travel can be a wonderful place to explore that – not just new landscapes, but new parts of yourself.' Just because I had several uncomfortable moments doesn't mean I didn't have an enjoyable holiday. I was anxious and more sleepy than on any other trip but it also taught me that I need to prepare myself for a new chapter in life. With little adjustments, I'm confident that the next time I travel will be more pleasant. Also, as it turned out, I was worried about the wrong thing because, you know what? I never had an issue needing to pee urgently.
