In short: we currently know of no announced strike in France likely to disrupt flights. French strikes mostly involve air traffic controllers, whose action also hits flights between the UK, Ireland and Spain, Portugal or Italy that only fly over France. Controller, airport and general strikes are usually extraordinary circumstances (no compensation); a strike by the airline’s own pilots or cabin crew usually gives you €250–€600. Care and a refund or re-routing are owed either way. Last checked: 10 November 2026.
Strikes in France
As of 10 November 2026 we know of no announced strike in France that is likely to disrupt flights. French strike notices often appear only a week or two ahead, so check again before you travel.
Recent and called-off strikes
- Thursday, 5 November 2026 – nationwide: union day of action (CFDT, CGT, FO, Unsa, FSU); SUD Aérien also called on airport workers to join. The DGAC (the French civil aviation authority) did not ask airlines to cut flights. The main controllers’ union SNCTA did not take part; FO, USAC-CGT and Unsa-UTCAC did. Delays at check-in and security were possible. (MisterTravel (5 Nov 2026))
- 17 October 2026 – 21 October 2026 – nationwide: pilots and cabin crew under French law (SNPL, SNPNC, SNGAF, UNAC, UNSA PNC) (called off). A five-day strike notice over the pension reform (cumul emploi-retraite) was suspended on 9 October after government concessions. The unions said action could return if the promised decree is not published. (TourMaG (9 Oct 2026))
Looking for other countries? See the full aviation strike calendar.
Who goes on strike in France
Air traffic controllers
French air traffic controllers are civil servants working for the DGAC (Direction générale de l’Aviation civile, the French civil aviation authority), through its air navigation service. They are represented by several unions: SNCTA is the largest, alongside UNSA-ICNA and USAC-CGT. Each union can call a strike on its own, and how much a strike disrupts flights depends heavily on which union is involved. On 5 November 2026, for example, SNCTA did not join the national day of action while FO, USAC-CGT and Unsa-UTCAC did – and the DGAC did not ask airlines to cut any flights.
Typical disputes are about pay, staffing, equipment and the way the service is run. Because France controls a large block of airspace between northern Europe and Spain, Portugal, Italy and North Africa, a French controllers’ strike affects far more passengers than its size would suggest.
Airline pilots and cabin crew
Pilots’ unions (such as SNPL) and cabin crew unions (such as SNPNC, SNGAF, UNAC and UNSA PNC) call strikes at Air France and at other airlines employing crew under French law. In October 2026 these unions filed a five-day national notice for 17–21 October over a pension reform affecting crew; it was suspended on 9 October after government concessions, but the unions said action could return if the promised decree is not published. A strike by an airline’s own crew is the case where compensation is usually due.
Airport staff, security and general strikes
Ground handlers, security screeners and airport company staff at Paris Charles de Gaulle, Orly and regional airports sometimes strike over local pay disputes. France also has national “interprofessional” days of action called by several unions at once; these can affect airport staff, public transport to the airport and, if controllers join, flights themselves. A disruption caused by staff who do not work for your airline is usually an extraordinary circumstance.
How French strikes are announced – and where to check
- Strike notice (préavis). In French public services, a union must file notice at least five days before a strike. Notices often cover several days and are sometimes lifted at the last minute after talks.
- Individual declarations. Since the law of 28 December 2023 on the predictability of air navigation services during strikes, controllers must tell their employer individually, at least 48 hours in advance, whether they intend to strike. This lets the DGAC plan more precisely instead of cancelling flights “just in case”.
- DGAC flight-reduction request. Usually one or two days before a strike, the DGAC asks airlines to cut a set share of their flights at named airports (for example a percentage at Paris Orly, Marseille or Nice). Airlines then choose which flights to cancel and notify passengers.
- Airline notices. Your airline’s app, e-mails and text messages are the most reliable source for your own flight. Many airlines publish travel alerts with free rebooking before a strike day.
There is no single official French strike calendar for aviation of the kind Italy publishes. That is why we keep the list above, with a source for every entry.
Overflights: when you are not even flying to France
During a French controllers’ strike, fewer controllers are on duty in the en-route centres that manage French airspace, so capacity is cut for flights crossing France too. Flights between the UK or Ireland and Spain, Portugal, Italy or Greece regularly pass through French airspace. During the French strike of 3–4 July 2025, Ryanair said it had to cancel 170 flights affecting more than 30,000 passengers, and that most of them were not flying to or from France at all but only over it.
Airlines sometimes re-route these flights around France, which adds flying time and can cause long delays. If your London–Málaga or Dublin–Barcelona flight is delayed or cancelled on a French strike day, the strike is the likely reason – and it is treated in the same way as a strike at your departure airport.
Your rights during a French strike
EU261 applies to flights departing from France or another EU airport, and to flights arriving in the EU on an EU airline. UK261, the UK version, applies to flights departing from the UK and to flights into the UK on a UK or EU airline. The rules on strikes are the same under both.
| Who is on strike | Compensation | Care and refund or re-routing |
|---|---|---|
| Air traffic controllers (DGAC) | Usually not due – extraordinary circumstance | Always owed |
| Airport, security or ground-handling staff | Usually not due – extraordinary circumstance | Always owed |
| National day of action / general strike | Usually not due | Always owed |
| The airline’s own pilots or cabin crew | Usually due: €250 / €400 / €600 (UK261: £220 / £350 / £520) | Always owed |
The legal basis: recital 14 of Regulation 261/2004 lists strikes that affect an airline’s operation as a possible extraordinary circumstance, but the Court of Justice of the EU has held that a strike by the airline’s own staff – even one called lawfully by a union and announced in advance – is not one (C-28/20, Airhelp v SAS, 2021). The European Commission’s Your Europe page also lists “strikes by air carrier staff” as not extraordinary. More detail and the case law are in our guide to strikes and extraordinary circumstances.
Even when the strike is extraordinary, the airline must still:
- offer you a refund (within 7 days) or re-routing to your destination at the earliest opportunity, or later at your convenience, if your flight is cancelled;
- provide care while you wait: meals and refreshments, two phone calls or e-mails and, if you have to stay overnight, a hotel and transport to it;
- reimburse reasonable costs if it did not provide care – keep every receipt.
Compensation is also not due if the airline told you about the cancellation at least 14 days before departure, whatever the reason.
What to do if your flight is affected
- Check your booking and the airline’s app the day before – DGAC cuts are usually announced only one or two days ahead.
- If your flight is cancelled, choose between a refund and re-routing. Ask about other airlines or routes that avoid French airspace.
- Keep the cancellation message, which should state the reason, and all receipts for meals, hotels and transport.
- If the airline’s own staff were on strike – or the airline cannot show the strike caused your disruption – check whether compensation is due below.
Flight cancelled or delayed by a strike? Check if you are owed compensation
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Strike days at France’s airports since 2024
EUROCONTROL attributes every arrival flow restriction to a cause. These are the days on which restrictions at France’s airports were put down to industrial action, from January 2024 to 30 September 2026 – 19 in 2024, 11 in 2025, 2 in 2026.
| Date | ATC strike delay (min) | Other strike delay (min) | Airports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 September 2026 | 2,535 | – | CDG, MRS |
| 10 January 2026 | – | 210 | CDG |
| 27 December 2025 | – | 159 | CDG |
| 26 December 2025 | – | 337 | CDG |
| 2 October 2025 | 2,451 | – | BVA, LIG |
| 18 September 2025 | 2,314 | – | CDG, BVA, BOD, FNI, TUF |
| 10 September 2025 | 1,059 | – | CDG, MRS, LYS |
| 4 July 2025 | 1,084 | – | NCE, MRS, BOD, AVN |
| 3 July 2025 | 3,729 | – | NCE, MRS, BOD |
| 5 June 2025 | 1,139 | – | MRS, LDE, AVN |
| 19 May 2025 | – | 21 | MRS |
| 14 May 2025 | 662 | – | MRS |
| 13 May 2025 | 2,609 | 1,344 | ORY, MRS, AVN |
| 5 December 2024 | 2,631 | – | ORY, NCE, MRS, BOD, AVN |
| 4 October 2024 | – | 27 | BIA |
| 3 October 2024 | – | 65 | FSC |
| 5 July 2024 | 121 | – | LDE |
| 12 June 2024 | 494 | – | MRS |
| 11 June 2024 | 2,069 | – | ORY, MRS |
| 5 June 2024 | 376 | – | MRS |
| 4 June 2024 | 797 | – | MRS |
| 1 June 2024 | 89 | – | LDE |
| 30 May 2024 | 20 | – | LIG |
| 29 May 2024 | 2,440 | – | MRS, BVA |
| 26 May 2024 | 6,188 | – | ORY |
| 25 May 2024 | 8,631 | – | ORY |
| 23 May 2024 | 23 | – | LIG |
| 26 April 2024 | 255 | – | MRS |
| 25 April 2024 | 1,777 | – | CDG, ORY, MRS, BVA, AJA, BZR, LIG |
| 17 January 2024 | 64 | – | BOD |
| 15 January 2024 | 125 | – | BOD |
| 14 January 2024 | 2,205 | – | BOD |
Only restrictions on arriving flights at the airports themselves are counted; strikes by air traffic controllers elsewhere (for example in France, affecting overflights) and by airline staff do not appear here. A strike by air traffic controllers or airport staff is usually an extraordinary circumstance; a strike by the airline’s own staff is not. Source: EUROCONTROL. Check a specific day: delay cause checker.
Frequently asked questions
Do I get compensation if French air traffic controllers strike?
Usually not. A strike by air traffic controllers is outside the airline’s control, so it normally counts as an extraordinary circumstance under EU261 and UK261. You are still entitled to a refund or re-routing and to care (meals, refreshments and, if needed, a hotel) while you wait.
My flight from London to Spain was cancelled because of a French strike. What are my rights?
The same as for a flight to France: the airline must offer you a refund or another flight, and look after you while you wait. Compensation is usually not due if the cause really was the French controllers’ strike. Ask the airline to confirm the reason in writing.
What if Air France pilots or cabin crew go on strike?
Then compensation is usually due. The Court of Justice of the European Union ruled in 2021 (C-28/20, Airhelp v SAS) that a strike by an airline’s own staff is not an extraordinary circumstance. You can claim €250–€600 (or £220–£520 under UK261) if your flight was cancelled less than 14 days before departure or arrived 3 or more hours late.
How far in advance are French air traffic control strikes announced?
Unions must give notice at least five days before a strike in a public service. Since a law of 28 December 2023, controllers must also tell their employer individually, at least 48 hours ahead, whether they will strike. The DGAC usually asks airlines to cut flights one or two days before.
Can I cancel my trip to France because a strike has been announced?
Not for free under EU261. If your flight is still scheduled, the airline does not have to refund you. If it is cancelled, you can choose a refund or a new flight. Some airlines offer free rebooking before strike days – check their travel alerts.
Strike dates are taken from union announcements, official notices and press reports; each entry lists its sources. Strikes are often called off or changed at short notice – always check with your airline. Last checked: 10 November 2026. General information, not legal advice.
Sources
- Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 – full text (recital 14 on strikes) – EUR-Lex
- Judgment C-28/20 Airhelp v SAS (23 March 2021) – Court of Justice of the EU
- Air passenger rights – extraordinary circumstances and internal strikes – Your Europe (European Commission)
- Loi du 28 décembre 2023 – contrôleurs aériens : déclaration individuelle de grève – Vie-publique.fr (French government)
- Sénat debate on the organisation of air navigation during strikes (15 June 2023) – Sénat
- Ryanair cancels 170 flights due to French ATC strike (3 July 2025) – Ryanair Holdings (SEC filing)
- Grève du 5 novembre : trains perturbés, vols maintenus (5 November 2026) – MisterTravel
- Aérien : le préavis de grève nationale suspendu en France (9 October 2026) – TourMaG
We check every rule against the sources above. Spotted an error? Tell us – see our editorial policy.