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| Air traffic control strike disrupts European flights | Air traffic control strike disrupts European flights |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| British passengers are being disrupted by an air traffic controllers' strike in France that has led to flight cancellations. | British passengers are being disrupted by an air traffic controllers' strike in France that has led to flight cancellations. |
| The first day of the industrial action, in a protest against budget cuts, has seen delays at major airports. | The first day of the industrial action, in a protest against budget cuts, has seen delays at major airports. |
| Services operated by British Airways, Ryanair, Easyjet and Flybe were among those affected. | Services operated by British Airways, Ryanair, Easyjet and Flybe were among those affected. |
| Air traffic management firm Eurocontrol said there would be 14,000 hours of delays during the six-day strike. | Air traffic management firm Eurocontrol said there would be 14,000 hours of delays during the six-day strike. |
| Ryanair said it had been forced to cancel a total of 96 flights on Tuesday, including some services to and from London Stansted, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Dublin and Bristol airports. | Ryanair said it had been forced to cancel a total of 96 flights on Tuesday, including some services to and from London Stansted, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Dublin and Bristol airports. |
| 'Regrettable' | 'Regrettable' |
| Paul Clifton, BBC South transport correspondent, said a similar walkout last year led to the cancellation of about 1,800 flights a day across Europe, including many services to and from the UK. | Paul Clifton, BBC South transport correspondent, said a similar walkout last year led to the cancellation of about 1,800 flights a day across Europe, including many services to and from the UK. |
| There were due to be 350 direct flights between the UK and France during the period of the strike, he added. | There were due to be 350 direct flights between the UK and France during the period of the strike, he added. |
| Passengers due to fly have been urged to check the status of their flight with their airlines. | Passengers due to fly have been urged to check the status of their flight with their airlines. |
| A Ryanair spokeswoman said the disruptions were "more severe than predicted" with delays of up to four hours on flights operating to, from and over France. | A Ryanair spokeswoman said the disruptions were "more severe than predicted" with delays of up to four hours on flights operating to, from and over France. |
| At the scene - Newsnight's Jim Reed at Gatwick Airport | At the scene - Newsnight's Jim Reed at Gatwick Airport |
| As I write, we've been stuck on a Monarch airlines plane sitting on the tarmac for two and a half hours at Gatwick. We've been told we may have a takeoff slot in another hour's time. | As I write, we've been stuck on a Monarch airlines plane sitting on the tarmac for two and a half hours at Gatwick. We've been told we may have a takeoff slot in another hour's time. |
| Because of the congestion we've been told ground staff are busy and there's no way steps can be brought up to take the passengers who want to leave off the plane. | Because of the congestion we've been told ground staff are busy and there's no way steps can be brought up to take the passengers who want to leave off the plane. |
| It's a Monarch airlines flight to Malaga in Southern Spain and is about 80% full. Most passengers look like holidaymakers and a fair number have small babies with them. | It's a Monarch airlines flight to Malaga in Southern Spain and is about 80% full. Most passengers look like holidaymakers and a fair number have small babies with them. |
| Two and a half hours after we got on board, it feels more like resignation than anger. Most people are being very British about it. | Two and a half hours after we got on board, it feels more like resignation than anger. Most people are being very British about it. |
| "We expect that these delays will continue to build through the morning as the backlog of delayed flights rises," she said. | "We expect that these delays will continue to build through the morning as the backlog of delayed flights rises," she said. |
| "In order to minimise disruptions on the rest of our network Ryanair has been forced regrettably to cancel another 70 flights today in addition to the 26 that were announced last evening, making a total of 96 cancelled flights out of Ryanair's total of over 1,600 scheduled flights today." | "In order to minimise disruptions on the rest of our network Ryanair has been forced regrettably to cancel another 70 flights today in addition to the 26 that were announced last evening, making a total of 96 cancelled flights out of Ryanair's total of over 1,600 scheduled flights today." |
| She said disruption was due to escalate during the day due to the "unnecessary and regrettable" strike. | She said disruption was due to escalate during the day due to the "unnecessary and regrettable" strike. |
| Gatwick Airport said a handful of flights had been cancelled and that the strike was having a "minimal impact". | Gatwick Airport said a handful of flights had been cancelled and that the strike was having a "minimal impact". |
| 'Congested' | 'Congested' |
| However its largest airline Easyjet warned many flights departing from the airport could take longer than usual and be subject to delays due to being diverted around French airspace. | However its largest airline Easyjet warned many flights departing from the airport could take longer than usual and be subject to delays due to being diverted around French airspace. |
| Easyjet described the strike as unnecessary, saying it could cause "considerable disruption and cancellations for passengers and airlines" across Europe. | Easyjet described the strike as unnecessary, saying it could cause "considerable disruption and cancellations for passengers and airlines" across Europe. |
| A spokesperson said: "We have cancelled 28 flights to or from airports in France today. | A spokesperson said: "We have cancelled 28 flights to or from airports in France today. |
| "None of these cancellations have affected UK flights although we are advising all passengers travelling today to check Flight Tracker and to expect delays as air space is congested." | "None of these cancellations have affected UK flights although we are advising all passengers travelling today to check Flight Tracker and to expect delays as air space is congested." |
| 'Minimise disruption' | 'Minimise disruption' |
| Jim Reed, a reporter with BBC's Newsnight, was stuck on the ground at Gatwick for over two and a half hours before his Monarch airlines flight departed. | Jim Reed, a reporter with BBC's Newsnight, was stuck on the ground at Gatwick for over two and a half hours before his Monarch airlines flight departed. |
| A Monarch spokeswoman said: "We are dealing with delays today as a result of the French air traffic control union strike. | A Monarch spokeswoman said: "We are dealing with delays today as a result of the French air traffic control union strike. |
| "However, we have not cancelled any flights. Our policy is not to cancel flights and although our customers can expect delays today as a result of the industrial action we are doing our best to minimise disruption." | "However, we have not cancelled any flights. Our policy is not to cancel flights and although our customers can expect delays today as a result of the industrial action we are doing our best to minimise disruption." |
| A message on the FlyBe website said the airline would have to cancel a number of flights during the strike, as French aviation authorities had requested it reduce its flying programme. | A message on the FlyBe website said the airline would have to cancel a number of flights during the strike, as French aviation authorities had requested it reduce its flying programme. |
| The message continued: "Flybe will continue to do everything possible to minimise any disruption resulting from this industrial action and apologises in advance for any inconvenience that may be experienced by passengers through these circumstances that are entirely beyond our control." | The message continued: "Flybe will continue to do everything possible to minimise any disruption resulting from this industrial action and apologises in advance for any inconvenience that may be experienced by passengers through these circumstances that are entirely beyond our control." |
| Four British Airways flights to French airports were cancelled. | Four British Airways flights to French airports were cancelled. |
| There were no delays reported at Heathrow. | There were no delays reported at Heathrow. |
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