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Air France Strike September 2025 & French Air Traffic Controllers’ Strike October 2025

30/09/2025

Article written by Elisa
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Air France Strikes & French Air Strikes

Latest news about Air France strikes 2025, French Air Traffic Controllers’ Strikes 2025, and insider tips on how to deal with them.

Depending on your country of origin, traveling by plane will be your only choice to visit France. Among the numerous airlines flying from /to the French airports is Air France, the French national airline.

There are many reasons to choose Air France for your next trip to France. Air France operates several flights every week – even every day – to Paris and beyond in France, giving you the freedom to choose the best time to fly. Also, Air France’s international flights are comfortable, especially if you book the upper classes. Finally, I love Air France’s food, which usually comes with French wines and cheese.

However, transportation strikes in France are not uncommon, and travelers flying to or from France with Air France or any other airline might be affected by a strike.

Are you flying to France soon? Go on reading this article on Air France Strikes 2025, which includes the upcoming Air France strike dates and my best tips for surviving the strikes. This article also covers any other strikes or disruptions that might affect your flight to France this year, such as French airport strikes and French air traffic control strikes.

Last update: 30 September 2025.

GOOD TO KNOW: Air France shares the Flying Blue loyalty program with Dutch KLM, with many flights in shared code. Also, Air France is a member of SkyTeam, alongside other prominent airlines, including Korean Air, Aeromexico, KLM, and Delta.

Content of this Article

Air France flights are directly affected by Air France strikes. Additionally, other strikes in France could also cause disruptions on Air France flights and flights by any other airline:

This article does not cover information about KLM strikes, Transavia strikes, other French air travel strike dates, or strikes by airlines operating on a share code with Air France.

1. Air France Strike Dates 2025 & Other French Airlines Strike Dates 2025

Air France Strikes

» Air France Strike Dates 2025:

Air France’s flights may be impacted by the air traffic controllers on strike from 7 to 9 October 2025.

Expected Disruptions 7-9 October 2025

Air France’s website usually doesn’t display information about social movements until the very last moment, but this strike may still affect its flight schedule. However, passengers impacted by delays or cancellations are typically notified by email.

Air France passengers whose flights are canceled are usually notified in advance by SMS. Otherwise, check the Aéroports de Paris website and use the search engine to find your flight.

If your flight with Air France is impacted, check out what to do in Chapter #4

» Other French Airlines Strike Dates 2025:

Flights by other French airlines (or other air companies traveling from/to France) may be impacted by the air traffic controllers on strike on 7-9 October 2025.

Passengers are advised to check the status of their flight with their airline or on the airport website.

2. French Air Traffic Control Strike Dates 2025

This chapter is about Air Traffic Control Strikes in French airports. A strike by air traffic controllers is the worst kind of transportation strike in France. A kind reminder: the last air traffic controller strikes in France, in July 2025, affected over 1 million passengers, with approximately 200,000 unable to fly due to cancellations.

Please note that French air traffic control strikes can also impact flights that pass through French airspace, even if they are not departing from or arriving in France. Due to a limited number of air traffic controllers, the reduced capacity may lead to delays or rerouting for any flight crossing French airspace.

7 to 9 October 2025: The largest union (SNCTA) filed a strike notice for 18 September 2025 to request a “full catch-up with inflation” in terms of salaries for 2024, as well as changes in the governance of the profession.

Due to the absence of a government contact to address their demands – since the new Prime Minister’s cabinet is still being formed – the strike has been postponed to 7–9 October.

Disruptions Expected: French Air Traffic Control Strike 7-9 October 2025

It is too early to determine the impact of this strike. Expect, however, traffic disruptions, including flight delays and cancellations, at all French airports.

Check out Chapter #5 for what to do during a strike by air controllers in France.

3. French Airports Strike Dates 2025

French Airport Strikes

» French Airports Strike Dates 2025:

Nothing to report at this moment.

If you have a flight from /to any of the Paris airports, check out the flight status on the website of your air company and arrive at the airport 3 hours before your flight for long-haul flights and 2 hours before a domestic flight.

4. What To Do if Air France is on Strike

GOOD TO KNOW: Many Air France flights operate on a share code with KLM, Delta,…). Air France flights operated by an aircraft and a crew other than Air France might not be affected by this strike.

On the other hand, if one of these other companies (KLMDelta…) is operating under a shared code with Air France and using an Air France crew or an Air France aircraft, these flights could be impacted. I recommend checking their websites and considering the re-booking options they offer if your flight is affected.

If there’s an Air France Strike, the first thing to check is who operates your flight. You will find all this information (flight operated by XX) on your e-ticket.

a. You have not booked your flight to France with Air France yet

» Be flexible with your travel dates. If you were considering flying to Paris with Air France but have not booked your flights yet, avoid traveling to Paris during the Air France strike dates.

» Consider other air companies, French companies, or companies from other nationalities to avoid eventual delays or cancellations – Click here to browse other air companies flying to France

» Consider other means of transportation (if possible). Are you traveling to France from a neighboring country? Consider alternative transportation options, such as trains, buses, or shared cars.

The train, for example, is the best way to get around France, and there are many good international train connections with countries like Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Spain – Click here to browse train companies traveling to France

b. You have booked your flight to France with Air France

When an issue could affect Air France’s flights, a warning is typically displayed at the top of the Air France website (Flash news). Click on this ‘Air France news’ to read about the Air France strike.

» Check your Air France flight status. Take your e-ticket and look for your flight number (e.g., AF1234). To see if your Air France flight is affected by the Air France strike, enter your flight number and travel date on this page and click “Search.” The system will tell you immediately if your flight is delayed or canceled.

» Different options. You can easily anticipate, postpone, and cancel your trip online during Air France strikes or France air travel strikes followed by Air France. With Air France, you can even change your origin or destination. If you decide to do this, you will get a voucher valid for one year that can be used on Air France or KLM flights.

Check all the possible options during the Air France strikes here.

c. Air France Flight Cancellation Compensation

Flight delays happen, but that doesn’t mean you have to accept them. If your flight to /from France is delayed more than three hours, you may be entitled to as much as $700 if your flight has been delayed, canceled, or overbooked within the last three years.

TOP TIP: If your flight to /from Paris or France was delayed by 3 hours or more due to a strike in France, I recommend checking your case with Air Help. Air Help is the world’s #1 flight compensation company. Since its foundation in 2017, Air Help has helped 16M+ air passengers Click here to check if you are eligible for compensation

5. What to Do if There’s a French Air Traffic Control Strike

Air Strikes in France

France is the country with the highest number of air traffic control strikes in the last five years, with 95 days of strikes between 2010 and 2015. These are the worst transportation strikes in France, with hundreds of flights from /to France delayed or canceled. Air France’s flights from /to France will be affected if there’s a French Air Traffic Control strike.

a. You have not booked your flight to France yet

» Consider other means of transportation (if possible). Are you traveling to France from a neighboring country when French air strikes are planned? Consider alternative transportation options, such as trains, buses, or shared cars.

b. You have booked your flight to France

Airlines should individually notify travelers whose flights are impacted by a social movement. You can also check the status of your flight on the company’s website.

» Follow the strike updates. I recommend following this post on Air France strikes and Air travel strikes in France for the latest updates. You can also check your Air France flight status on their website and consider their proposed options to change or refund your tickets.

6. What To Do if There’s a French Airport Strike

Air Strikes France

In the event of a French Airport strike, flight schedules may be affected depending on the service on strike – airport workers, customs agents, or luggage handlers. Generally, you can expect disruptions or longer delays on all services.

If there is a strike at the French airport of your departure, I recommend arriving at the airport well in advance. Check in online at home or in the hotel, and, if possible, travel only with hand luggage.

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Original title: Air France Strikes 2025 & Other Air Travel Strikes in France 2025 – Dates, Info & Best Tips