French Air Traffic Control Strike Causes Disruption Across Europe

Thursday, July 3rd, 2025

Latest update from Palma Airport – Friday, July 4th

Major Delays and Cancellations at Palma Airport on the 3rd and 4th of July

Travellers across Europe are once again facing disruption as French air traffic controllers stage a strike on the 3rd and 4th of July. The industrial action is affecting not only flights to and from France but also those passing through French airspace, leading to widespread cancellations and delays. The strike’s knock-on effects have been felt at Palma de Mallorca Airport (PMI), with a large number of cancelled flights and numerous, at times very lengthy delays.

Day Two of Strike Brings Continued Disruption

The impact of the French air traffic control strike now continues into its second day, bringing ongoing disruption to flight schedules across Europe just as the summer holiday season begins in earnest. According to industry estimates, approximately 1,500 flights have now been cancelled over the two-day walkout, with an estimated 300,000 passengers affected. The widespread disruption has led to a domino effect of delays.

A mixed picture at Palma Airport this morning

Departures

At Palma de Mallorca Airport, the situation this morning is mixed. While many departures are operating on time or with only short delays, several outbound flights are showing delays ranging from 15 minutes to just over an hour. A number of flights to German cities originally scheduled for Thursday are now expected to depart by lunchtime today.

Arrivals

On the arrivals side, a few flights have managed to land slightly ahead of schedule, but most are experiencing delays of varying lengths, some by as much as one hour and 50 minutes. One inbound flight from Stuttgart has been cancelled. Travellers are advised to continue checking their flight status frequently and plan for potential changes.

A worrying pattern of industrial action

This week’s strike is far from an isolated event. Over the past 18 months, French air traffic controllers have staged around 16 days of strike action that disrupted flights passing through French airspace. Airlines, airports, and passengers have all borne the brunt of these repeated disruptions.

Calls for a long-term solution

The Asociación de Líneas Aéreas (ALA), which represents the Spanish airline industry, has criticised the ongoing situation and has called for overflights, i.e. flights merely crossing French airspace, to be safeguarded during periods of industrial action. The association argues that this would reduce unnecessary disruption to routes that do not even land in France.

Ryanair, one of the airlines most affected by the current strike, is also pressing for action. The carrier has urged European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to act swiftly, demanding urgent reform of the EU’s air traffic control (ATC) system.

The airline has long advocated for comprehensive reform to protect passengers from repeated air traffic control strikes, especially those unrelated to their destination country. Ryanair insists the EU must ensure the continuity of overflights during such strikes to prevent travel disruption spreading unnecessarily across the continent.

What should passengers do?

If you’re flying during the strike period, here are some steps to help minimise stress and uncertainty:

Check your flight status regularly with your airline or airport.
Sign up for flight alerts via apps or SMS to receive real-time updates.
Arrive at the airport early, even if your flight is delayed, as boarding times may still be subject to change.
Consider rebooking, if possible; some airlines offer free changes during strike disruptions.