“Black Thursday” at airports: air traffic controllers called to strike this April 25, up to 70% of flights could be canceled

Flight cancellations and delays are likely to number in the hundreds for flights departing from France. MAXPPP ILLUSTRATION – MICHAEL REYNOLDS

A strike notice was filed for this Thursday, April 25, by the main air traffic controllers union, the SNCTA, to denounce a new version deemed "unacceptable” of a protocol currently being negotiated aimed at restructuring air navigation services.

It's a Black Thursday coming up this April 25 at airports. Indeed, a national strike of all air traffic controllers is being prepared, at the call of the main union of the profession, the SNCTA, report our colleagues from Figaro.

The trade union organization denounces a new version of a protocol which aims to restructure air navigation services. "The version published (by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, DGAC) is in no way significant for the SNCTA which considers it a provocation if not an insult", mentions the union on its website.

This call for strike follows negotiations initiated fifteen months ago by the DGAC with the aim of a total overhaul of French air traffic control to bring about convergence with its European counterparts, both in terms of territorial coverage. as acceleration of training or organization of work.

Up to 70% of flights could be canceled

No agreement has been concluded, but the SNCTA, which represents 60% of the votes among the controllers, evokes a "about-face& ;quot; putting "directly into question the sincerity of the negotiations and the compromises found so far".

Another union, UNSA-UTCAC, also filed a strike notice for the same day, demanding "the immediate launch of ;a real consultation" and threatens a second mobilization from June 1 to 30.

Flight cancellations and delays risk numbering in the hundreds for flights departing from France, but also those which only pass through our airspace. The entire European air traffic should be affected according to the newspaper Les Échos which mentions up to 70 % cancellation of flights, according to the first estimates.