EasyJet and Ryanair cancel hundreds of flights as chaos affects 300,000 flyers
EasyJet and Ryanair are amongst the airlines that were forced to cancel hundreds of flights due to strike action by French Air Traffic Controllers this week.
Ryanair's CEO Michael O'Leary said that the airline had been forced to cancel over 400 flights due to the disruption, affecting over 70,000 passengers. Meanwhile easyJet had to cancel 274 flights across the two days.
It's estimated that around 1,500 flights in total were cancelled or disrupted by the industrial action, with a quarter of flights at Paris Orly and Paris Charles de Gaulle reported to have been cancelled.
The industrial action on Thursday 3 July and Friday 4 July is believed to have impacted around 300,000 passengers, with routes to airports including Paris, Lyon and Marseille all affected.
The French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) asked for a reduction in airport capacity across the country, meaning airlines were left with no choice but to cancel flights.
The UNSA-ICNA union - the second largest union for air traffic controllers in France - is calling for increased staffing levels and a pay rise. The third-largest ATC union, USAC-CGT, also issued a strike notice for Thursday 3 July. The move came on the eve of the school summer holidays in France.
Unfortunately, passengers affected by air traffic control strikes may not be able to get all of their money back, as airlines may be able to claim 'extraordinary circumstances' ie that were out of their control, and therefore you may not be entitled to a full refund.
READ MORE: Brits heading to Spain, France and Greece this summer issued '24-hour warning'
According to the experts at MoneySuperMarket, you would only be eligible for extra compensation if you are made aware of strikes less than 14 days before the flight. However, that doesn't mean you'll be left fully out of pocket, as travel insurance may be able to cover you depending on when you booked your ticket.
Kara Gammell, who works for the comparison site, explains: "As long as the airline strikes were announced after you booked your trip and your travel insurance, you may be able to claim through your insurer. Always check the terms and conditions of a policy before you buy it as not all travel insurance providers offer cover for airline strikes.
"If your policy includes travel disruption cover though, then it might be possible to claim for disruption or losses incurred as a result of your trip being delayed or cancelled. This may include alternative accommodation, or expenses incurred such as travel, food and drink, and can even stretch to covering the full cost of your holiday should you end up not being able to go.
"However, it is worth noting that not all policies cover this as standard and cover levels, conditions and exclusions can vary between providers, making it important to check with your insurer as your first port of call."
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