Travelers across Europe are being warned of major flight disruptions in early October as French air traffic controllers plan a three-day strike from October 7 to 9, 2025.
The strike, organized by France’s main air traffic control union (SNCTA), was originally set for mid-September but has been postponed and extended – instead of a two-day walkout, controllers now intend to stop work for three full days in early October.
This escalation raises the prospect of widespread delays and hundreds of flight cancellations, impacting not only journeys to and from France but also those flying over French airspace en route to other destinations.
In effect, any flight that traverses France – which is roughly one-third of all European flights – could be affected.
Strike Dates and Why It’s Happening
The nationwide ATC strike is scheduled for Tuesday, October 7 through Thursday, October 9, 2025, potentially running from the morning of the 7th until the morning of the 10th.
The SNCTA union, which represents about 70% of French air traffic controllers, called this strike after suspending a previous walkout planned for September 18–19.
Union leaders explained they delayed the September action because France’s government leadership changed in mid-September, leaving “no one to negotiate with” on their demands at that moment.
Now, with a new prime minister in office, the union is pressing ahead in October, following its typical strategy of starting with a one-day protest (the aborted September strike) and then escalating to a multi-day stoppage.
Why are controllers striking? The SNCTA has cited multiple grievances. A core demand is for pay raises to offset high inflation, ensuring full salary adjustments for 2024.
Controllers also seek reforms in how their profession is managed, complaining of “mistrust, punitive practices, and brutal managerial methods” in air traffic control governance.
There are also concerns about understaffing and outdated equipment: the union says chronic personnel shortages and aging tech are increasing workloads and even safety risks (they point to a recent uptick in air traffic incidents).
In short, the strike is as much about working conditions and infrastructure as it is about wages.
The new strike dates in October were set to give the freshly formed French government time to review these issues and potentially negotiate – but as of late September, talks with the civil aviation authority (DGAC) have been a “total failure,” according to SNCTA.
Unless an agreement is reached in early October (negotiations are expected to resume just before the strike ), travelers should prepare for the walkout to go ahead.
Europe-Wide Flight Disruption Expected
When French air traffic controllers strike, the impact tends to radiate across the entire European aviation network.
French airspace is one of Europe’s busiest travel corridors, so any shutdown or reduced capacity there forces airlines to delay, divert, or cancel huge numbers of flights.
Even if you’re not flying to France, you could still be affected if your flight’s usual route passes over France.
In fact, industry data shows that approximately one in every three European flights normally flies to, from, or through French airspace.
This means flights between many other countries – for example, the most direct routes from the UK or Ireland down to Spain, Portugal, Italy, and even some to North Africa – all typically cross over France.
During an ATC strike, those overflight routes may be restricted or closed, causing chaos well beyond France’s borders.
Airlines are bracing for massive disruptions. The Independent reports that a three-day October walkout “could cause thousands of cancellations”, affecting flights across Europe from London to Madrid to Rome.
Many carriers will likely preemptively cancel flights once French authorities mandate reduced traffic volumes.
When given advance notice, airlines often cut flights early to minimize day-of chaos and avoid certain compensation obligations.
During the last French ATC strike wave in July, nearly 3,000 flights were canceled over just two days. Eurocontrol (Europe’s air traffic coordinator) estimated that disruption cost the industry about €120 million and delayed hundreds of thousands of passengers.
Some of the worst impacts in that instance were felt not in France but in Spain – airports like Palma de Mallorca and Barcelona saw the most cancellations due to so many flights from Northern Europe transiting French skies.
Europe’s largest budget airline, Ryanair, alone had to ax 718 flights (about 21% of its schedule) during those two strike days.
Importantly, overflight cancellations make up a large portion of the chaos. For example, in a smaller-scale strike action on September 18 (when only minor unions participated), Ryanair still saw 190 flights disrupted and noted that 70% of those were overflights – planes that neither took off nor landed in France, but simply needed to cross its airspace.
This underscores how a French ATC strike can snarl travel plans for people flying between completely different countries.
Michael O’Leary, Ryanair’s CEO, has railed against the situation, arguing “the French can go on strike, but Europe must protect overflights”.
He and other airline executives have urged EU authorities to allow contingency measures (such as letting controllers in neighboring countries manage overflight traffic during a French strike) so that passengers not traveling to France aren’t collateral damage.
So far, however, no such protections are in place – meaning if this October strike proceeds, flights passing over France will be just as vulnerable to cancellation or diversion as flights to France.
Within France, of course, the disruption will be direct. Major French airports like Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG), Paris Orly, Lyon, Marseille, Nice and others are likely to see significant portions of their schedules cut.
During a one-day SNCTA strike last year, for instance, 60% of flights at Lyon Saint-Exupéry were canceled. For the upcoming strike, France’s DGAC (civil aviation authority) will soon issue targeted flight reduction directives – for example, it might instruct airlines to cancel, say, 20–30% of flights at certain airports each day of the strike.
Those official cut-back numbers will be published a few days in advance, once authorities gauge how many controllers are expected to walk off.
Airlines will then notify passengers of any flight cancellations or schedule changes. Overall capacity in French airspace will be drastically reduced during October 7–9, so even flights that aren’t canceled might be delayed as they wait for available air routes or get rerouted around France, leading to longer journey times.
Travelers should be mentally prepared for a possible replay of this summer’s turmoil – in July’s strikes, one in nine flights across Europe was delayed by an average of 41 minutes, on top of all the outright cancellations.
Why This Mattersy and Who Will Feel It
This strike has major implications for anyone planning to fly in Europe during early October.
The timing (a Tuesday through Thursday) means it will hit both business travel and leisure trips.
If you have a flight anywhere in Europe on October 7, 8, or 9, there’s a good chance it could be affected – even if your itinerary doesn’t involve France directly.
Long-haul flights to/from Europe might also face re-routing; for example, a flight from North America to Italy or from Dubai to the UK might normally go over France and could be forced onto a longer path or delayed.
Key knock-on effects travelers might encounter include: flight cancellations (with last-minute rebookings or longer connections), significant delays (multi-hour waits or holding patterns), and even missed connections if you have a tight layover.
Popular tourist and business routes that traverse France – such as London or Amsterdam down to Mediterranean destinations (Spain, Portugal, Italy, North Africa) – are particularly at risk. Travelers returning from autumn holidays, important meetings, or events during that week may find their plans upended.
Furthermore, airlines from all over Europe will have aircraft and crews out of position due to the disruption, which can compound delays even in regions that don’t use French airspace.
In short, the travel chaos won’t be confined to France; it will ripple across Europe’s skies.
There’s also a potential financial impact: with hundreds of flights canceled, seats on alternate flights may become scarce, possibly driving up prices for last-minute bookings on unaffected routes.
Additionally, while EU passenger rights rules (EU261) require airlines to offer refunds or rebookings for cancellations, cash compensation for delays or cancellations might not apply in this scenario because strikes by air traffic control are generally considered an “extraordinary circumstance” beyond the airlines’ control.
That means travelers could be stuck with disrupted plans but without the standard compensation payout – another reason to proactively adjust plans if possible.
The silver lining is that we have advance warning. Unlike sudden weather events or unexpected strikes, this work stoppage is announced well ahead of time, giving travelers and airlines a chance to plan around it.
Early October is still a couple of weeks away, so there is time to make contingency arrangements. In fact, industry groups are encouraging travelers to use this heads-up to “plan ahead” and avoid the worst bottlenecks.
Below we outline steps you can take to minimize the strike’s impact on your trip.
Tips to Avoid Travel Disruption in October
If you’re scheduled to fly during the strike period (Oct 7–9) – or even in the days immediately after, when airlines will be catching up on backlogs – consider these strategies to reduce your risk of major disruption:
- Stay informed: Airlines will often email or text updates, so make sure your carrier has your current contact info. Proactively check your flight status in the days leading up to departure. France’s DGAC will announce required flight cuts a day or two before the strike , so by October 5–6 you may know if your flight is on the chopping block. Sign up for your airline’s app or alerts to get real-time notifications of any changes.
- Consider rescheduling or rerouting: If you haven’t booked yet and your travel is flexible, avoid flying on October 7, 8, or 9 altogether. If you already have tickets, see if the airline will let you change to dates before or after the strike – some airlines may waive change fees given the circumstances. For critical travel, you might also look into flights that bypass French airspace (for example, routes connecting northern Europe to southern Europe via an eastern detour), though such options can be limited.
- Build in extra time: If you must travel during the strike, try not to rely on tight connections. Give yourself longer layovers than usual, in case your first flight is delayed. Likewise, if you have an important event (conference, tour, cruise departure) right after your flight, consider arriving a day early. The goal is to buffer against the unpredictable delays that may occur.
- Know your rights and options: In the event your flight is canceled, EU regulations entitle you to a free rebooking or a full refund – it’s the airline’s obligation to offer that. However, because an ATC strike is beyond the airline’s control, you likely won’t receive additional compensation for hotel stays or missed events, so travel insurance could be worthwhile if you have substantial prepaid expenses. Also, ask your airline about reciprocal agreements; during past strikes, carriers have worked together to honor each other’s tickets on alternate routes when possible.
- Have a backup plan: For short-distance journeys, think about alternative transport. High-speed trains or driving could substitute for some trips (for example, between neighboring countries or within France) during those strike days. If you’re traveling intercontinentally, there’s not much alternative to flying, but you can at least pack essentials in your carry-on (medications, a change of clothes, snacks) in case you end up stuck at an airport longer than expected.
Finally, keep an eye on the news as the strike dates approach. There remains a chance the strike could be called off or shortened if negotiations with the new government make progress – the union postponed the previous strike for exactly that reason, showing they are responsive to dialogue.
However, given the breadth of the union’s demands and the “wider crisis in the French aviation sector” involving other worker groups , travelers should not bank on a last-minute resolution.
If the October 7–9 strike proceeds, significant travel turbulence is expected across Europe.
Use this advance warning to arrange your plans accordingly, and be prepared for some frustration if you’ll be in the skies during that period.
Sources: This report draws on updates from The Independent, Simple Flying, Ryanair’s travel alerts and Sky News, as well as notices from France’s civil aviation authority (DGAC) and the SNCTA air traffic controllers’ union.