A strike by French air traffic controllers caused travel chaos for the third successive day today, forcing many flight cancellations and delays for passengers at Orly and Charles de Gaulle airports near Paris.
A spokesman for the national civil aviation agency said 60 per cent of flights had been cancelled at Orly, south of Paris, which serves mainly domestic travellers but also some international flights.
Fewer flights were cancelled at Charles de Gaulle airport, the main international hub northeast of Paris, but travel to northern and eastern Europe was particularly affected, he said.
Unions are protesting against a planned reorganisation of air traffic control around Paris that could involve relocating some staff and which the government says is needed for safety reasons. The strike coincides with a school holiday, during which many families travel.
The government said it would stand firm against the protest, the latest in a series of strikes before regional elections next month which are seen as a mid-term test of its performance.
"Air safety in the Ile de France region (around Paris) is imperative," government spokesman Mr Jean-Francois Cope said.
He said the government was prepared to listen to strikers' concerns "but this cannot in any way justify a major blockage which cause problems for thousands of travellers".
The strike is due to last until Friday but air traffic staff voted yesterday to issue an ultimatum to management that they will stop work again after the weekend if their demands for talks and the withdrawal of the planned changes are ignored.