French air traffic control strike set to cause disruption

A French air traffic control strike is set to delay passengers travelling to and from the continent this weekend.

The European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation posted on its website that French aviation agency DSNA confirmed industrial action would go ahead in France from 5am on Sunday until 5am on Tuesday.

There is "high participation" expected by area control centres in Paris, Marseille and Brest over the 48-hour period.

A 20% reduction in flights is due to affect seven airports across France, including Marseille, Lyon and Paris Orly, DSNA said.

Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrenees, Pau airport in the Pyrenees and Bastia-Poretta airport in Corsica will also have reduced flights, but Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris is not thought to be affected.

Flight delay compensation company EUclaim predicted the situation for British holidaymakers would only deteriorate as summer approaches.

Tjitze Noordehaven, chief operating officer at EUclaim, said: "If the French unions follow their strike patterns of 2014, we are likely to see further action in May and June, spoiling summer holidays."

Easter falling early this year could also contribute to travel chaos, the company added, warning that "with only a few extra days off for the Easter weekend, we need to make sure that we're not wasting time stuck at the airport or on the tarmac".

The DSNA will issue a further update at 09.30am (8.30am UTC) on Sunday.