France air traffic control strike set for Sept 18-19

Published on Aug 31, 2025, 9:29 am CDTUpdated on Aug 31, 2025, 9:37 am CDT

5 min read

France's largest controller union has filed a nationwide France air traffic control strike running from the start of the morning shift on September 18 through the end of the night shift on September 19. Overflights and airport operations could be curtailed as DGAC issues capacity reductions and NOTAMs, with airlines likely to preemptively cancel, reroute, or retime services across Western Europe. Travelers transiting France or flying through French airspace should avoid tight connections on these dates.

Key Points

Why it matters: A France air traffic control strike can disrupt one third of European flights via overflight restrictions.
Travel impact: Expect DGAC guidance, NOTAM windows aligned to Sept 18-19, and airline waivers with fee-free changes.
What's next: Detailed DGAC reduction orders typically publish 24-48 hours prior; monitor carrier alerts and Eurocontrol.
Major hubs at risk include Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) and Paris Orly Airport (ORY).
Overflights may reroute around French FIRs, lengthening block times and raising missed-connection risk.

Snapshot

SNCTA, the majority French ATC union, has mandated a national walkout covering September 18 into September 19 after talks stalled over inflation catch-up and management reforms. The strike notice spans from the first morning shift on September 18 through the end of the next night shift, a period that typically frames DGAC NOTAM windows and flow-rate cuts. During a two-day action in early July, Eurocontrol recorded more than 1,400 cancellations per day and widespread overflight delays that rippled into Spain, the UK, and Italy. With network loads still high, airlines may consolidate frequencies, swap routings around France, and issue waivers for voluntary changes. Build generous buffers at CDG and ORY, and avoid short connects across Western Europe.

Background

France's ATC network controls dense cross-border flows, so industrial action creates outsized effects beyond local airports. In the July 3-4 stoppage, Eurocontrol measured significant ATFM delays, excess fuel burn from detours, and reduced punctuality across the network. French law requires advance notice of ATC strikes, improving predictability, but overflights are not protected by minimum-service rules, so reroutes remain likely. The current notice cites 2024 inflation catch-up and governance concerns as core issues. For historical context and practical planning, see our earlier coverage, including French Air Traffic Controller Strike Grounds Over 1,000 Flights and France's September ATC strike could ripple across Europe. Travelers should watch for DGAC guidance, Eurocontrol advisories, and airline waivers in the days leading up to September 18.

Latest Developments

France air traffic control strike timeline and coverage

SNCTA's formal notice covers all controllers nationwide from the start of the morning shift on Thursday, September 18, through the end of the night shift on Friday, September 19. Practically, DGAC often aligns NOTAM windows and required flight-reduction orders to those shifts, then tailors hourly caps by center, approach, and tower staffing. Expect Paris-area flows, plus key en-route sectors, to be regulated. Overflights are especially vulnerable, so carriers may prefile detours via Spain, Italy, Germany, or the UK, extending block times and squeezing downline connections.

DGAC guidance and NOTAM windows to watch

DGAC typically publishes reduction programs 24-48 hours before industrial action, with NOTAMs defining the operational window, exempt services, and coordination procedures with Eurocontrol. Look for instructions on required schedule cuts, prioritized flights, potential minimum-service bands, and any exemptions for essential operations. Once published, these DGAC directives drive airline cancellation tallies and flow-management rates. Travelers should plan around the full Sept 18-19 period and assume recovery delays into September 20.

Airline waivers and rebooking windows

Airlines commonly post fee-free change windows and reaccommodation policies 24-72 hours before a France air traffic control strike. Typical options include moving to earlier or later flights, rerouting via non-French hubs, or accepting a refund if a flight is cancelled. Expect early waivers from Air France, easyJet, Ryanair, and British Airways on itineraries touching French airports or airspace. If your trip crosses France on September 18-19, avoid tight connections, consider hand-carry only, and rebook now into longer buffers.

Analysis

A France air traffic control strike exerts leverage on European flows because so many city pairs depend on French upper airspace. When en-route sectors cap throughput, airlines either cancel or detour. Detours help preserve rotations but add flying time and cost, raising missed-connection risk at downline hubs that were never in France. July's strike demonstrated that dynamic, with Eurocontrol reporting thousands of delayed flights, more than a million affected passengers, and tens of thousands of excess tons of CO₂ emissions due to reroutes. Expect similar patterns here, albeit scaled by the precise DGAC caps.

For travelers, the best hedge is time. Push departures off the peak strike hours, route via non-French hubs when feasible, and add at least one extra bank of connection time if your aircraft is arriving from, or crossing, French airspace. For Paris connections at Charles de Gaulle or Orly, budget longer minimum connect times and keep checked baggage to a minimum. Rail alternatives can be sensible, but remember Eurostar and domestic TGVs may absorb spillover demand; price and capacity will tighten. Monitor DGAC guidance for the NOTAM window, airline waiver pages for fee-free changes, and Eurocontrol for evolving sector caps.

Final Thoughts

France's September 18-19 action will test the network's late-summer resilience. Overflights are likely to bear the brunt, pushing airlines into longer routings and tighter aircraft utilization. If your itinerary touches France or uses French airspace, pad connections, consider reroutes via non-French hubs, and lock in any airline waivers early. Once DGAC publishes NOTAM windows, recheck every leg. With proactive planning, most travelers can navigate the France air traffic control strike with manageable disruption.