Staff writer with Reuters:
Workers at France’s main Charles De Gaulle airport in Paris will strike on Thursday, June 9, to demand better pay and working conditions, the CGT trade union said, as European airports struggle to deal with a sudden pickup in passenger numbers.
“We demand a 300 euro raise for all,” the union said, pointing to rising inflation, and working conditions during the coronavirus pandemic.
Earlier on Wednesday, France Info radio reported the strike would result in the cancellation of a quarter of the airport’s flights.
“We were present during the most critical periods linked to COVID and worked in difficult conditions, lack of protection, masks, gel,” the union said in the statement, also citing COVID-related layoffs which can weigh operationally.
Europe’s aviation sector is looking forward to a peak summer season free of substantial coronavirus restrictions in most countries worldwide for the first time since 2019.
However, airlines and airports are struggling to cope with a rebound in demand with staff shortages leading to cancelled flights and long queues.
In the UK, outbound travellers have faced long lines to go through security and the same issue at passport control when returning to UK from abroad.
EasyJet cancelled 80 flights on Wednesday. At Nice airport three easyJet flights were cancelled on Wednesday, the 16:35 to Bristol, the 17:35 to Venice, and the 21:10 to Nantes.
In Spain, the government said on Tuesday the police would hire 500 more staff to deal with the surge in tourism.
PHOTO: A makeshift sign at baggage reclaim at Manchester Airport warns travellers of a two-hour delay Twitter
