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Morocco World
20-05-2025
- Morocco World
Paris-Orly Airport Resumes Normal Operations After Radar System Failure
Doha – Flight operations at Paris-Orly Airport are set to return to normal today after a two-day disruption caused by a radar system failure. The technical malfunction, which began on Sunday, has been fully repaired. 'The ensemble of actions conducted by the DGAC teams has enabled a return to normal technical operations,' announced the French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) in a statement Monday evening. 'The complete flight program will be assured in the coming days.' The radar visualization tool used by the control tower experienced difficulties on Sunday, May 18, forcing air traffic controllers to switch to backup systems. This led to drastic reductions in flight capacity. Around 130 flights were canceled on Sunday, representing 40% of the scheduled 330 rotations. Airlines were ordered to reduce their flight schedule by 15% on Monday as technicians worked to resolve the issue. 'Only some delays linked to traffic disorganization might still be observed,' the DGAC statement cautioned, while thanking airlines and Airports of Paris (ADP) for their cooperation. The disruption affected thousands of passengers, with many experiencing last-minute cancellations. Some travelers were already seated on planes with seatbelts fastened when they were informed of cancellations, forcing them to disembark and retrieve their luggage, causing inconvenience. Royal Air Maroc (RAM) had previously announced multiple flight disruptions due to the radar failure. The Moroccan carrier offered affected passengers either free rescheduling within ten days or full refunds. The airline had warned that disruptions could continue for up to 48 hours, depending on how the technical situation evolved. Orly Airport, located 10 kilometers south of Paris, handled over 33 million passengers in 2024 – half the traffic of Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport, situated about 20 kilometers north of the capital. The DGAC has apologized to travelers affected by the disruptions. Tags: Morocco France flightsParis-Orly
Khaleej Times
20-05-2025
- Khaleej Times
At least 130 flights cancelled at Paris airport after control tower breakdown
A control tower breakdown forced the cancellation of about 130 flights at Paris Orly airport Sunday, leaving thousands of passengers to scramble for alternative routes, officials said. A spokesman for Aeroports de Paris, which operates the French capital's second busiest airport, said about 40 per cent of the day's departures and arrivals had been called off. France's DGAC civil aviation authority blamed "a failure of the air traffic control systems at the Orly tower early in the afternoon" for what it said had been a "significant" reduction in the number of flights. An aviation source told AFP that a radar breakdown caused the airport chaos. The airport spokesman said about half the 130 cancelled flights were departures and half incoming flights. Flights across France and to other European destinations and North Africa were among those hit. The DGAC would not say whether flights would return to normal on Monday. Stood near a line of suitcases, Agnes Zilouri, 46, tried desperately to find a seat for her 86-year-old mother and six year old son. The family had been meant to take 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. Last year Orly handled about 33 million passengers, approximately half the number of the main Paris Charles de Gaulle international airport.
Morocco World
19-05-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
RAM Announces Flight Disruptions Due to Paris-Orly Radar Failure
Doha – Royal Air Maroc (RAM) announced numerous disruptions to its flights to and from Paris-Orly airport following a radar system failure. The technical malfunction, which began on Sunday, May 18, continue to impact flight operations today. The French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) requested airlines to reduce their flight schedule by 15% for Monday. This followed approximately 130 flights — representing 40% of the 330 scheduled rotations — that were canceled on Sunday. RAM offered affected passengers two options. They could either postpone their travel free of charge within ten days of their original flight date or receive a full refund through their original payment method. Passengers with updated contact information in their reservation received notifications via SMS and email. The airline recommended that customers check the 'Manage My Reservation' section on its website to monitor their booking status or update their contact details. The Moroccan carrier advised passengers affected by cancellations not to go to the airport. Instead, they were instructed to contact their original point of sale or the company's call center to benefit from the assistance measures in place. The DGAC confirmed Monday morning that the radar issue was not fully resolved. While the situation was gradually improving, it still required traffic regulation measures. The impact remained substantial with many flights delayed or canceled throughout the day. Sunday's cancellations created heavy congestion at information counters across the airport. Many passengers were informed of cancellations at the last minute. RAM indicated that disruptions could continue for up to 48 hours, depending on how the technical situation at Orly evolved. The airline stated it was monitoring the situation to minimize impact on travelers. The DGAC had initially demanded a 40% reduction in flights on Sunday evening until the 11:30 p.m. curfew. A source from the airport confirmed to AFP it was a radar malfunction. Paris-Orly, located 10 kilometers south of the French capital, handled over 33 million passengers in 2024. This represented half the traffic of Paris' central air hub, Charles de Gaulle airport, according to figures published by Aéroports de Paris (ADP). Read also: Airbus Set to Supply Royal Air Maroc with 200 Aircraft by 2037 Tags: Paris-OrlyRoyal Air Maroc
Euronews
19-05-2025
- Euronews
Flights cancelled and delayed at Paris-Orly airport for second day
France's civil aviation authority said some flights were still being cancelled and many others are delayed on Monday at Paris-Orly airport. It comes a day after air traffic control systems suffered a breakdown that caused substantial disruption at the French transport hub. 'The situation is improving,' the authority, known as DGAC, said in a statement. Airlines have been asked to reduce flights by 15 per cent on Monday - down from a 40 per cent reduction on Sunday. 'Despite these preventive measures, delays are expected,' the statement said. On Sunday afternoon, 130 flights at Paris-Orly were grounded due to the system failure. Thousands of passengers were affected, including some who were already on planes and were required to disembark when the glitch occurred. The DGAC blamed an air traffic control "malfunction", while an airport source told the news site France 24 that it was the result of a "radar failure". Paris-Orly airport serves domestic and international flights, including to most European countries and the United States. Flights to Italy, Spain, Portugal and southern France have notably been cancelled on Monday. Departures to Lisbon, Porto, Helsinki, Rome, Nice and Toulon have already been scrapped this morning. Fewer flights seem to be affected in the afternoon so far. Services that have not been cancelled are expected to face delays throughout the day. This is because arrivals and departures are being spread out around the airport to help maintain a steady and safe flow of aircraft while the situation is being resolved. The DGCA and Orly operator Aeroport de Paris are advising passengers with flights scheduled today to contact their airline for the latest information. More than 33 million passengers travelled through Paris-Orly airport last year, about half the number at the French capital's larger hub Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle, according to figures released by the operator Aeroport de Paris. Under UK and EU law, passengers will receive a refund for a cancelled flight. However, travellers are unlikely to be entitled to additional compensation for services scrapped on Sunday and Monday at Paris-Orly. This is because airlines will likely argue that an air traffic control failure is considered an 'extraordinary circumstance' that could not be avoided. Passengers are also entitled to a duty of care for flights delayed over two hours. Airlines are required to provide refreshments as appropriate after a specified length of time. If the delay is prolonged overnight, the airline is obliged, in theory, to find and pay for accommodation. In practice, operators often claim this is 'too difficult' and invite passengers to book their own and request reimbursement later.
The Independent
19-05-2025
- The Independent
Paris airport ordered to reduce flights due to air traffic control issues
France 's civil aviation authority (DGAC) has asked airlines to cut flights by 40 per cent at Paris-Orly airport due to a breakdown in air traffic control systems. The DGAC stated that the significant reduction in flights was a necessary "regulation" but did not specify the cause of the breakdown. Teams from DGAC are working to restore normal operations as quickly as possible. Flights to various destinations including Spain, Denmark, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Ireland, and several French cities were cancelled or delayed on Sunday. Paris-Orly airport served over 33 million passengers last year, which is about half the number served by Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle.
