Mayhem in sight at airports. French tour operators say this Thursday, June 30 ” fear the worst “ in airports this summer due to “disorganization” and strikes that generate flight delays and cancellations, and challenge Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne.
“While the peak of the summer season has not yet started, these disruptions raise fears of the worst for the holidays and travel of French men and women”deplore in a joint statement the Travel Companies (EDV), the union of tour-operating companies (Seto) and the APST, the guarantee fund for travel agencies.
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In a letter addressed to Elisabeth Borne, they“Warn about the situation of severe disruption observed for many weeks in French and European airports: massive cancellations of flights by airlines, difficulties in crossing security checks and Schengen borders”.
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“The first problem is the massive cancellation of flights by some airlines”who “result in postponements” reducing the time on site for French and foreign holidaymakers, but also “a deadweight loss and extra work for travel operators”they lament.
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Without forgetting that when postponement is not possible “and that the airlines do not respect the 7-day deadline required for reimbursements, the French find themselves in an economic inability to organize a new holiday project”, denounce the tour operators. They also lament “the difficulties encountered at security checkpoints at airports, forcing travel operators to bring their customers three hours before departure. It would seem that this situation results from the understaffing of the control services”.
“The entire profession has been mobilized for months to meet travel aspirations. It is now necessary that the infrastructures are up to the task and that the holidays and the trips of the French and foreigners who have chosen France as a destination go as well as possible.underline the representatives of the sector.
Several strikes for wages are planned or already underway at French airports, including Charles-de-Gaulle and Orly near Paris, with the key to possible delays or cancellation of flights one week away from summer school holidays.
