French Air Traffic Controller Strike Postponed to October

The air traffic controller strike in France, originally planned by the SNCTA union for September 18–19, has been postponed. The new strike dates are set for October 7, 8, and 9, 2025. The delay gives the newly formed French government more time to review the union’s demands, which include staffing increases and equipment modernization.

 

Air traffic controller strikes in France often have a ripple effect across Europe, causing widespread delays and cancellations. The French airspace is a major corridor for European flights, and disruptions often lead to rerouting, longer travel times, and increased fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions.

While delays and cancellations are the most visible consequences, airlines also preemptively cancel flights to minimize disruption and avoid compensation claims when given sufficient notice. This strike would be the second by French air traffic controllers in 2025, following one in July that affected around 1,000 flights and 125,000 passengers.

According to the SNCTA union, recent talks with France’s Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGAC) have been a “total failure.” The air traffic control dispute is part of a wider crisis in the French aviation sector, which also includes grievances from cabin crew and ground staff over understaffing, workload, and poor working conditions.

Negotiations between unions and the French government are expected to resume in early October, ahead of the newly scheduled strike.