French air traffic control strikes affect thousands of passengers

A strike on Friday by French air traffic control will disrupt travel for tens of thousands of passengers. 

Ryanair has cancelled 420 flights, most of which were scheduled to fly over France – affecting 80,000 passengers. 

So far, EasyJet has cut 72 flights, British Airways has cancelled 22 while Air France said it would only run 45% of its short-haul flights. 

Separately, many flights over London on Monday have been altered or cancelled due to Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral. 

The French strikes by the SNCTA air traffic control union are over wages and recruitment. 

French laws protect French domestic flights but not ones flying over the country – which is why there have been so many cancellations.