France strike: Flights and Eurostar trains cancelled ahead of next major walkout

Thousands of British travellers set to have plans disrupted

Out of reach: statues on the façade of Paris Gare du Nord, terminus for Eurostar trains from London – with cancellations due to strikes (Simon Calder)

Tens of thousands of British travellers face disruption on Thursday as another nationwide strike takes place in France.

The latest walkout in protest against President Macron’s proposed pension reforms has caused Eurostar to cancel a pair of trains between London and Paris.

The cross-Channel rail operator said: “There will be a general strike in France on 6 April, which could extend beyond this date. It will involve disruption across multiple sectors, including national rail services and it will have an impact on the availability of some of our crew.”

An early morning train from Paris to London has been cancelled, along with the corresponding return service.

The French authorities have ordered airlines to cancel some of their flights to, from and over France as air-traffic controllers join the industrial action.

In addition, carriers have planned extended flight paths for some services.

British Airways is understood to have grounded around 20 flights that would have used French airspace. These are in addition to previously notified cancellations due to the current strike by security staff at London Heathrow Terminal 5.

BA’s website is showing three round-trips from Heathrow to Nice cancelled on Thursday, as well as two to Paris CDG and individual flights to Toulouse and Barcelona.

A spokesperson for British Airways said: “Due to the continued French air-traffic control industrial action we’ve been forced to make a small number of adjustments to our schedule. We’re sorry for the disruption to our customers’ travel plans.

“We’ve contacted affected customers to inform them of their rights and offer them options including a full refund or rebooking onto an alternative flight.”

Larger aircraft are being operated where possible on routes with flight cancellations.

A spokesperson for Britain’s biggest budget airline, easyJet, said: “Due to national strike action in France impacting transport services including air traffic control on 6 April, airlines have been requested by the French authorities (DGAC) to make some cancellations to their flying programmes which means two return flights between Toulouse and Bristol as well as Gatwick and Bordeaux will no longer be able to operate.

“Impacted customers have been notified in advance and offered the option to change their flight for free or receive a refund.

“While this is outside of our control, we would like to apologise to our customers for any inconvenience they may experience as a result of the strike action.”

Ryanair posted a tweet saying: “French air-traffic controllers are entitled to go on strike, but if there is going to be cancellations it is French flights that should take these cancellations, not overflights.”

The airline has launched a petition calling on the European Commission to protect flights that cross French airspace.

Jet2 has told The Independent it will not make cancellations but has warned of delays and extended journey times.

Aviation sources say there were more flight cancellations in the first three months of this year due to industrial action across Europe than for the whole of 2022.

For British travellers in France, the Foreign Office is warning: “Industrial action may start the evening before the strike day and run for several days.”

The latest walk-out is due to end at 5am, French time, on Friday morning, 7 April.