French flights disrupted for fourth day

Striking French air traffic controllers disrupted flights for the fourth consecutive day today.

Striking French air traffic controllers disrupted flights for the fourth consecutive day today.

Air France pilots added to the chaos with a walk out in protest at the airline's cost-cutting
measures.

France's civil aviation authority said the controller strike forced the cancellation of half the
flights at Orly airport south of Paris and 15% of the flights at Charles de Gaulle airport north of the city.

The air traffic controllers are upset at a Europe-wide restructuring plan that would
jeopardise their status as public servants. Their strike is due to end tomorrow.

Meanwhile a strike by dockers disrupted sailings at French ports, including busy Marseille
and Le Havre.

The workers are protesting over a decision by local authorities in Nantes to force striking
workers there to return to work in order to move a cruise liner out of the city's port.

AP