France’s air traffic controllers have suspended their planned strike, now rescheduled for October, but other union action on 18 September may still disrupt travel. Spain faces high demand and military exercises, while Greece and Belgrade continue to struggle with delays. Rail and ferry services are crowded across the weekend.
General Air Travel Situation
Around 35,200 flights daily are scheduled across Europe.The planned strike by France’s main air traffic controllers has been suspended and rescheduled for early October.However, other French unions are still planning action on 18 September, so disruption remains possible at airports, on rail services, and on local transport.Ongoing challenges include staff shortages in Greek airspace, continued industrial action in Belgrade, and unsettled weather over parts of western and central Europe.Flight Hotspots
United Kingdom & Ireland
Heathrow and Gatwick: Delays possible in strong winds and peak demand.Newcastle: Arrival restrictions overnight and early morning from staffing shortages.Edinburgh: Overnight runway works affecting arrivals.Dublin: Gusty winds and turbulence forecast.Spain
Barcelona: Morning restrictions from ATC capacity.Madrid: Extra rerouted traffic from France adding congestion in northern sectors.Palma (Mallorca): Declared hotspot with high demand late mornings.Seville: Busy late morning and evening.Gran Canaria: Runway works and strong winds continue to cause minor delays.Military Exercises: ETAP-C in mainland Spain and Eagle Eye in the Canary Islands conclude on 18 September.France and Switzerland
Paris (Charles de Gaulle): Runway closure continues until December, with delays at peak times.Marseille and Bordeaux: No large-scale ATC strike, but other unions may still cause disruption.Nice: Morning restrictions possible.Geneva: Arrival slots reduced during airport system upgrade.Greece
Athens, Crete, Rhodes, Kos, Zakynthos, Kefalonia, Santorini, Chania and Corfu: Long delays daily due to ATC staffing shortages.Balkans
Belgrade: Industrial action until 30 September, reducing airspace capacity by around 10%.Skopje: Declared hotspot due to high demand.Italy and Central Europe
Milan, Rome, Venice: Thunderstorms may affect flights.Munich and Zurich: Arrival restrictions from fog and storms.Warsaw and Kraków: Overnight runway works at Kraków.Weather Highlights
Thursday–Friday: Strong winds over the UK and Ireland; thunderstorms across southern France, northern Italy, and the Balkans.Saturday–Sunday: Weather improves, though localised storms remain in parts of southern and eastern Europe.Rail and Ferry Update
UK–Spain Ferries: Portsmouth and Plymouth crossings operating normally, though Bay of Biscay weather could cause delays.UK–France Ferries & Eurotunnel: Very heavy demand expected as some passengers switch from air to sea or rail during French union action. Long waits at Dover, Calais and Folkestone.Spain Mainland–Canary Islands Ferries: Cádiz and Huelva services on schedule but sold out over the weekend.Eurostar & International Trains: Possible delays and reduced timetables on 18 September due to wider French union action, especially around Paris and Lille.Spain Rail: AVE high-speed services heavily booked, especially Friday and Sunday. Overnight works continue on Valencia–Tarragona line.The post French Strikes Still Set to Impact Travel from Thursday first appeared on N332 Travel Updates.
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