Nationwide street demonstrations and strikes continue to make air travel and tourism unpredictable, travelers to France might want to reconsider travel plans to avoid becoming stranded in some airport or caught in the middle of a protest.
Hundreds of thousands of French strikers will take to the streets today to protest a just passed law increasing the retirement age. Among the strikers will be air traffic controllers, their actions will cause huge delays, canceling 30 to 50% of flights. More strikes are scheduled for next week too.
Airlines such as Delta, AA, Air France, and others have issued alerts and recommend that travelers check their flight status before traveling to the airport as flights might be canceled or delayed.
Trains in France will be facing a similar fate. While in France, don’t think car rental is a solution, renting a car might be useless considering a fuel shortage brought about by protesters.
In addition to the inconvenience, travelers must consider the personal safety factor. The U.S. Embassy in France issued a message warning U.S. citizens of the precarious situation in France “ We remind U.S. citizens that even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and possibly escalate into violence. You should avoid these areas and exercise caution if within the vicinity. U.S. citizens should stay current with media coverage of local events and be aware of their surroundings at all times”.
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