It was a surprise strike by air traffic controllers on Saturday, February 11, which took airlines such as the General Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGAC) and of course passengers by surprise. On the occasion of the day of action against the pension reform, Saturday February 11, a large proportion of air traffic controllers suddenly decided to strike.
A very strong movement, particularly at Orly, which led the DGAC to “ fell “, ie to reduce the number of flights departing from the airport in the south west of Paris by 50%. Disturbances were also observed at Toulouse-Blagnac airport, which had to close on Saturday evening from 8 p.m.
Unlike other air transport players such as pilots, air hostesses or airline ground staff, controllers are not subject to the Diard law, which imposes on all employees who directly contribute to the performance of flights , to declare themselves strikers no later than 48 hours before the start of the movement.
So far, explain to Monde the DGAC, during the first three days of action against the pension reform, the air traffic controllers’ unions had “relayed” the strike slogan of the intersyndicale at the national level. Clearly, they had informed the DGAC that they would strike at the call of their unions. Thus warned, the air transport regulatory body was able to set up a minimum service. A device which obliges non-striking controllers to report to their posts. It also allows the DGAC to anticipate a drop in traffic due to a lack of sufficient controllers.
On the occasion of the last day of protest against the pension reform, Tuesday, February 7, the DGAC had thus announced a reduction in thefts of 20%. A decision that forces companies to reduce their flight programs. In practice, they preserve “international flights, mainly long-haul, and connections to overseas territories”indicates the DGAC to the detriment of short and medium-haul flights.
Minimum service could not be set
This Saturday February 11, underlined the DGAC, the national strike notices for Saturday did not have “not relayed by the trade unions within the General Directorate of Civil Aviation, nor followed by a call for a strike from the representative organizations of air traffic controllers”. By deciding to follow, “by surprise”, the national strike movement, air traffic controllers prevented the implementation of the minimum service set up during the previous days.
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