<p>Airlines cancelled half of flights scheduled for Paris on Friday and many others that would have flown over France, as a strike by air traffic controllers imposed the latest round of disruption on European air travel.</p>.<p>"It is inexplicable that thousands of European citizens/visitors will have their travel plans unfairly disrupted by yet another French ATC (air traffic control) strike," Ryanair said in a statement. The travel plans of 80,000 passengers had been affected when it had cancelled 420 flights, mainly intended to fly over France, the airline added.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/air-traffic-controller-tests-positive-for-psychoactive-substance-dgca-removes-personnel-from-duty-1138085.html" target="_blank">Air Traffic Controller tests positive for psychoactive substance; DGCA removes personnel from duty</a></strong></p>.<p>Strikes and staff shortages in the past few months have forced airlines to cancel thousands of flights, dashing hopes for a sizzling first summer following widespread Covid-19 lockdowns, with disruption continuing into the autumn.</p>.<p>Air France said on Wednesday that due to the then impending strike it would operate only 45 per cent of its short and medium-range flights and 90 per cent of its long-haul flights.</p>.<p>"Everything is very quiet, as the passengers had been warned in advance and did not go to the airports," a spokesperson of Groupe ADP, operator of the Parisian airports, told <em>Reuters.</em></p>.<p>The spokesperson added that airlines had tended to cut short and medium services rather than long ones.</p>.<p>Aviation authority DGAC asked airlines to halve their Friday flight schedules.</p>.<p>Air traffic control union SNCTA in a statement cited inflation and its demand for more staff members as reasons for the walkout.</p>
<p>Airlines cancelled half of flights scheduled for Paris on Friday and many others that would have flown over France, as a strike by air traffic controllers imposed the latest round of disruption on European air travel.</p>.<p>"It is inexplicable that thousands of European citizens/visitors will have their travel plans unfairly disrupted by yet another French ATC (air traffic control) strike," Ryanair said in a statement. The travel plans of 80,000 passengers had been affected when it had cancelled 420 flights, mainly intended to fly over France, the airline added.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/air-traffic-controller-tests-positive-for-psychoactive-substance-dgca-removes-personnel-from-duty-1138085.html" target="_blank">Air Traffic Controller tests positive for psychoactive substance; DGCA removes personnel from duty</a></strong></p>.<p>Strikes and staff shortages in the past few months have forced airlines to cancel thousands of flights, dashing hopes for a sizzling first summer following widespread Covid-19 lockdowns, with disruption continuing into the autumn.</p>.<p>Air France said on Wednesday that due to the then impending strike it would operate only 45 per cent of its short and medium-range flights and 90 per cent of its long-haul flights.</p>.<p>"Everything is very quiet, as the passengers had been warned in advance and did not go to the airports," a spokesperson of Groupe ADP, operator of the Parisian airports, told <em>Reuters.</em></p>.<p>The spokesperson added that airlines had tended to cut short and medium services rather than long ones.</p>.<p>Aviation authority DGAC asked airlines to halve their Friday flight schedules.</p>.<p>Air traffic control union SNCTA in a statement cited inflation and its demand for more staff members as reasons for the walkout.</p>