In France, air traffic slowed down on Thursday morning due to flight cancellations requested by airlines to cope with an air traffic controllers’ strike, despite a last-minute agreement with the main union. Only 2,250 flights were scheduled for the day, compared to nearly 5,200 the day before.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation reported that companies had been asked to cancel a significant number of flights in order to manage available staff and traffic. For example, three out of four flights departing from or arriving at Paris-Orly airport were canceled, along with 55% at Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle airport, 65% at Marseille-Provence airport, and 45% at all other mainland French airports. However, Lyon-Saint-Exupéry airport managed well to adhere to the cancellation rates.
Despite an agreement being reached with the main union SNCTA, other air traffic controller unions maintained their strike, causing disruptions for airlines. The delays for maintained flights were described as moderate, with Orly airport being the most affected. The strike also affected flights flying over French territory and caused many passengers to face uncertainty and additional delays. The number of flights planned to fly over France decreased significantly and caused delays in the southeast of the country.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had various effects on different regions and countries around the world. In Papua New Guinea for example, healthcare workers have faced shortages due to lack of resources during lockdowns while in Guam there have been concerns about rising cases among essential workers who are unable to isolate themselves due to their work duties.
