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RYANAIR AXED MORE THAN 160 FLIGHTS YESTERDAY, AND HAS WARNED PASSENGERS TO EXPECT MORE DISRUPTION TODAY AIRLINES have again been asked to axe about 20% of their scheduled flights to and from

airports in France as the air traffic controllers’ strike enters its second day. Like yesterday, the strike will mainly affect flights to and from airports in the south of France, and

flights from Paris to Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria. According to the French ministry of transport, 75% of scheduled flights should operate this week. A minimum service

requirement means that air traffic controllers may have to work to ensure 50% traffic levels. Le Parisien has reported that Ryanair is planning cut 15% of its schedule today and warned that

the situation is likely to get worse. It also advised customers who want to rebook flights to avoid rebooking them today and tomorrow as there is a possibility of further disruption The

low-cost airline cancelled more than 160 flights yesterday, many at the last minute. Other flights were up to six hours behind schedule. UK-based airline easyJet also cancelled dozens of

flights, while British Airways cut some services out of Heathrow. Air France has modified its programme to ensure that all long-haul flights and 90% of short- and medium-haul services

operate. All airlines have urged passengers to check for updates on their website before travelling to the airport. Passengers whose flights are still scheduled have been warned to expect

delays. Nearly half the flights out of Roissy yesterday were delayed by at least 50 minutes, while French domestic airline Hop!, which cancelled 110 flights, said that its services still

operating were delayed by up to 45 minutes. The strikers are protesting against planned cuts between 2015 and 2019 that they say will threaten the "necessary performance and

modernisation needed to ensure an efficient air navigation service in France". The cuts form part of the European Commission “Single European Sky” plan, to reduce air navigation costs

by organising airspace into nine blocs according to traffic flows, rather than national borders.