Air France’s cabin crew union strike begin today March 18 and is scheduled to end on March 20th. There was a firing incident in Orly (airport in Paris) earlier today and Air France has issued a travel waiver.
Air France seems to operate roughly 90% of the flights this weekend and is relying to some third party operators to achieve this.
You can access Air France’s web page for these announcement here.
Here’s the Air France’s announcement about the strike:
AIR FRANCE CALL FOR STRIKE FROM 18 TO 20 MARCH 2017
Cabin crew call for strike from 18 to 20 March 2017
Updated on 18 March 2017, 13h20 (Paris local time)
A call for strike action has been issued by several Air France cabin crew unions, for the period from March 18 to 20, 2017.
We offer you rebooking options at no extra cost, whatever the fare paid.
You can find details of our commercial measures in ‘Can I postpone my trip?’
Please note that Air France flights operated by an aircraft of other airlines, including HOP! would not be affected by this strike.
During the strike, internet check-in service will be exceptionally available 15 hours before your flight departure time.
What are the consequences? Will my journey be impacted?
As soon as we will have a more accurate estimate of the number of employees on strike and the impact on our operations, our flight schedule will be adapted accordingly and published the day before your departure.
The update of our schedule for March 18th is up to date. The update of our schedule for March 19th is currently on going. We expect to operate more than 90% of our flights:
100% of our long-haul flights
90% of our medium-haul flights
85% of our domestic flightsSome flights may be cancelled. Furthermore, in order to ensure a maximum number of flights with a reduced crew composition, we may be forced to limit the number of passengers on board some of our flights which would mean we may not be able to honour all reservations.
Customers affected by the cancellation of their reservation will be informed the day before departure.
How to stay informed?
On the day before departure, we will inform you personally, by SMS or e-mail, of potential impact on your journey.
Please make sure your personal contact details (mobile telephone, e-mail address) are up-to-date in the “Your reservations” section of our website or in the mobile app.
In the meantime, we would like to assure you that our teams are fully mobilized and will do their utmost to assist you and minimize the impact of this industrial action on your travel plans.
Can I postpone my trip?
If you have a valid Air France ticket, issued on or before 13 March, for a flight operated by Air France between 18 and 20 March 2017, you can postpone your trip from 20 to 28 March 2017 inclusive
Save time by changing your booking directly online, in the “Your reservations” section of the website or in the mobile app. You can change your booking at no extra cost for the same travel cabin.
You can also contact your travel agent.
You may also choose to postpone your flight to after 28 March 2017, change your country of destination or origin or cancel your trip. In this case, we will provide you with a voucher valid for 1 year on AIR FRANCE, KLM or HOP! flights. This voucher is non-refundable.
What should I do on the day of departure?
Before you go to airport, if the flight is “operated by Air France”, we recommend that you check the information about your bookings on our website or mobile app in the “your reservations” section.
If your reservation is cancelled, we recommend that you do not travel to the airport. Our staff will do their utmost to offer you an alternative solution.Otherwise, you will be able to change your flight independently on our website. If you wish, you can also contact your travel agent or our teams who are mobilized to assist you in seeking an alternative solution. (in the “Contact us” section).
Save time by completing your check-in online for you and your baggage. This service is available 15 hours prior to the departure of your flight.
How do I apply for a refund for my journey? Do I need an official attestation?
If your flight is cancelled or delayed by more than 5 hours and you decide not to travel, you can obtain a refund for your ticket by contacting your point of sale directly.
If you bought your ticket on our website, please click on “Refunds” section at the bottom of this page.
Here’s the information about Orly:
SAFETY SITUATION AT PARIS ORLY
Updated on 18 March 2017, 12h30 (Paris local time)
Further to the safety event in Paris-Orly airport our operations have been suspended and are taking back gradually.
Please check your flight status on the “Flight & Airport Info” section on our website.
We recommend you to change your reservation. You can postpone your trip at no extra cost until 28 March 2017. You may also choose to cancel your journey. In this case, you will be entitled to a non-refundable voucher valid 1 year for Air France, KLM or HOP! Flights.
You can make these changes on our website, in the “Your Reservations” section, on our mobile sites or via your travel agent.
Moreover, access to the airport is currently blocked. We recommend you not to come to the airport for now and to check traffic conditions before coming to the airport.
Conclusion
The European Union law EC 261/2004 dictates what the airline is required to do, although they not always follow this voluntarily.
Air France is required to rebook affected passengers at the earliest opportunity even on other airlines such as British Airways or Emirates. The airline is also required to provide care such as accommodation and food vouchers in case of long delays. They are not required to pay cash compensation due to delays caused by strikes.
The passenger is also eligible for a refund if the operating airline changes. Air France is using number of third party operators to operate certain flights on its’ behalf. If you wish not to take these flights, you can apply for a full refund.
