Travelers across Europe breathed a sigh of relief this week as the threat of widespread flight cancellations in France was temporarily lifted. The main French air traffic control union, the SNCTA, announced it would suspend a strike originally planned for Thursday and Friday, September 18 and 19, 2025. The decision came on the heels of a dramatic collapse of the French government, leaving the union without anyone in power to negotiate with. While this reprieve offers short-term relief, a much longer and potentially more disruptive strike is already on the horizon for October.
The SNCTA, which represents about 70 percent of France’s air traffic controllers, is the largest and most influential union in the sector. According to its recent statement, the union has been locked in a protracted dispute with France’s Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC). For years, the SNCTA claims, governance of air traffic control has been marred by “mistrust, punitive practices, and brutal managerial methods.” The union’s grievances center on calls for wage increases adjusted for inflation and sweeping reforms in the management of operations at the DGAC.
The union originally intended to press its demands with a walkout on September 18 and 19. However, the sudden fall of Prime Minister Francois Bayrou’s government last week changed the calculus. The SNCTA explained, “The absence of a minister of transport currently makes it impossible to achieve demands at the ministerial level.” With no government interlocutors available, the union declared the strike “no longer compatible with the possibility of achieving demands.”
But travelers, airlines, and airports alike are not out of the woods yet. The SNCTA has already set new dates for a longer strike next month, from the morning of Tuesday, October 7, to the morning of Friday, October 10. This longer walkout is designed to give the new French government time to consider the union’s demands, but if talks fail, the consequences could be even more severe than those already endured this summer.
French airspace is a critical artery for European aviation. According to Eurocontrol, the pan-European aviation coordinator, one in three European flights is routed to, from, or over France. This means that when French air traffic controllers go on strike, the impact ripples far beyond France’s borders. The most direct air routes from London to Spain, the Canary Islands, and Madeira all pass through French skies, making disruptions in France a continental headache.
The chaos caused by previous strikes underscores just how disruptive these walkouts can be. In early July, a two-day strike organized by the smaller unions UNSA-ICNA and USAC-CGT led to the cancellation of nearly 3,000 flights and delayed one in nine flights by an average of 41 minutes. Eurocontrol estimated the cost to the aviation industry at a staggering €120 million (£104 million), factoring in lost revenue and the expense of caring for stranded passengers. Palma de Mallorca and Barcelona airports in Spain bore the brunt of the disruption, with Ryanair alone canceling 718 flights—21 percent of its schedule on those days.
Ryanair, never shy about voicing its frustrations, was quick to sound the alarm ahead of the now-postponed September strike. The Irish airline warned that 700 flights carrying a total of 125,000 passengers could be canceled if the strike went ahead. After the July turmoil, Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary called on the European Commission to intervene, declaring, “The French can go on strike, but Europe must protect overflights.” O’Leary’s comments reflect the growing impatience among airlines, which argue that national strikes should not be allowed to paralyze the continent’s skies, especially for flights merely passing over France.
Even with the SNCTA’s September strike off the table, uncertainty remains for travelers. Other strikes and demonstrations are still possible on September 18 and 19, with unions urging Air France staff to join planned protests. While pilot organizations are not currently participating, smaller air traffic control unions could still walk out, and a general strike similar to the nationwide “block everything” protest held on September 10 has been called for September 18. The French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) will publish its forecast of disruptions on September 18, advising airlines how many flights will need to be cut. Passengers are being strongly advised to check with their airlines before traveling and to allow extra time for connections, as long delays and cancellations remain a possibility.
The SNCTA insists that industrial action is a last resort, emphasizing in its latest statement, “On numerous occasions, the SNCTA has favoured social dialogue and made concrete proposals.” Yet, the union’s patience appears to have run out after what it describes as years of fruitless dialogue and degrading management practices. The breakdown in talks with the DGAC, coupled with the government’s collapse, has left the union feeling boxed in. “It is clear that this fruitless dialogue is now blocking any prospect of progress and reform,” the SNCTA said, underscoring the depth of frustration among controllers.
Looking ahead, the planned October strike looms large. If it goes ahead, the disruption could be even more damaging than July’s chaos, given the SNCTA’s size and influence. The timing is especially fraught: the annual convention of Abta, the travel association, is scheduled to take place in Calvia, Mallorca from October 6 to 8. Delegates returning from the event could find themselves caught in the crossfire if French controllers walk out as planned.
For now, passengers and airlines alike are left in limbo, hoping for a breakthrough in talks between the SNCTA and the incoming French government. The stakes are high—not just for France, but for all of Europe’s interconnected air travel network. As the SNCTA’s actions have shown, the skies above France are critical to the smooth functioning of European aviation. When dialogue breaks down and strikes loom, the effects are felt from London to Barcelona and beyond.
With the possibility of further strikes still hanging in the air, all eyes are on the new French government to see whether it can restore dialogue and avoid another round of travel chaos next month. For now, travelers would be wise to keep their plans flexible and their eyes on the headlines.