France looks set for its first major aviation stoppage of 2026 after the SNCTA—the country’s largest air-traffic-controller (ATC) union—filed notice of a four-day strike from Wednesday, 7 October through Saturday, 10 October. The walk-out, reported on 24 January by business wire AK&M, is timed to hit the start of the autumn school-holiday period, when traffic at Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle, Orly, Lyon, Nice and Marseille typically spikes.
Although strike ballots are still being counted, the SNCTA says an “overwhelming” share of members support the action to demand inflation-indexed pay rises and modernised rosters. Controllers argue that an 11 % real-wage erosion since 2021—combined with a hiring freeze during the pandemic—has left many area-control centres short-staffed, forcing compulsory overtime. The union also wants the government to accelerate investment in the 4-Flight air-traffic-management system, whose repeated delays mean controllers still rely on 1990s-era consoles.
The Directorate-General for Civil Aviation (DGAC) will impose minimum-service obligations, but analysts expect a high cancellation ratio: during a comparable 48-hour stoppage in July 2025, 43 % of departures at CDG and 31 % of overflights using French airspace were trimmed. Low-cost carrier Ryanair has already warned that it may have to cancel roughly 1 800 flights, while easyJet, British Airways and Lufthansa all anticipate schedule thinning.
![Four-Day Air-Traffic-Controller Strike Announced for 7–10 October]()
If your rerouting plans force you to transit new countries or adjust entry dates, VisaHQ can ease the paperwork. Its intuitive France portal (https://www.visahq.com/france/) lets travellers check visa requirements, submit expedited Schengen or onward-destination applications and receive live status updates—helpful safeguards when flight schedules are in flux.
For corporate mobility managers the strike could up-end carefully planned post-summer travel. Companies are advised to: 1) move critical meetings online or shift them earlier in the week; 2) book refundable fares and flexible hotel rates; and 3) brief travellers on EU Regulation 261/2004—passengers may not receive compensation for ATC strikes (categorised as “extraordinary circumstances”) but are still entitled to meals, accommodation and rerouting.
Logistics operators should also prepare for ripple effects on belly-hold freight capacity and for re-routing of time-critical goods through Amsterdam, Brussels or Frankfurt. Private-aviation users face similar constraints as DGAC historically prioritises scheduled commercial flights over charters.
If no agreement is reached, observers fear the walk-out could be the opening salvo in a longer campaign stretching into the peak Christmas season—an unwelcome prospect for France’s efforts to showcase a smoothly running transport system ahead of the Rugby League World Cup in 2027.
Although strike ballots are still being counted, the SNCTA says an “overwhelming” share of members support the action to demand inflation-indexed pay rises and modernised rosters. Controllers argue that an 11 % real-wage erosion since 2021—combined with a hiring freeze during the pandemic—has left many area-control centres short-staffed, forcing compulsory overtime. The union also wants the government to accelerate investment in the 4-Flight air-traffic-management system, whose repeated delays mean controllers still rely on 1990s-era consoles.
The Directorate-General for Civil Aviation (DGAC) will impose minimum-service obligations, but analysts expect a high cancellation ratio: during a comparable 48-hour stoppage in July 2025, 43 % of departures at CDG and 31 % of overflights using French airspace were trimmed. Low-cost carrier Ryanair has already warned that it may have to cancel roughly 1 800 flights, while easyJet, British Airways and Lufthansa all anticipate schedule thinning.
If your rerouting plans force you to transit new countries or adjust entry dates, VisaHQ can ease the paperwork. Its intuitive France portal (https://www.visahq.com/france/) lets travellers check visa requirements, submit expedited Schengen or onward-destination applications and receive live status updates—helpful safeguards when flight schedules are in flux.
For corporate mobility managers the strike could up-end carefully planned post-summer travel. Companies are advised to: 1) move critical meetings online or shift them earlier in the week; 2) book refundable fares and flexible hotel rates; and 3) brief travellers on EU Regulation 261/2004—passengers may not receive compensation for ATC strikes (categorised as “extraordinary circumstances”) but are still entitled to meals, accommodation and rerouting.
Logistics operators should also prepare for ripple effects on belly-hold freight capacity and for re-routing of time-critical goods through Amsterdam, Brussels or Frankfurt. Private-aviation users face similar constraints as DGAC historically prioritises scheduled commercial flights over charters.
If no agreement is reached, observers fear the walk-out could be the opening salvo in a longer campaign stretching into the peak Christmas season—an unwelcome prospect for France’s efforts to showcase a smoothly running transport system ahead of the Rugby League World Cup in 2027.
