What happens when air traffic controllers go on strike? Of course, takeoffs and landings near airports are impossible, and airspace is blocked—these are predictable outcomes. For example, today the French air traffic controllers’ union is holding a strike. Checking the news on the European Network Operations Portal, Sure enough, France is covered in red.

Now let’s look at the latest NOTAM 0502/16 on the same site.

(F0502/16 NOTAMR F0500/16
Q) LFXX/QAFXX/IV/NBO/E /000/999/4504N00053E999
A) LFBB LFMM LFFF LFRR LFEE B) 1603201653 C) 1603220500
E) DUE TO A STRIKE AFFECTING FRENCH CIVIL AVIATION SERVICES,
SOME IMPORTANT DISTURBANCES WILL AFFECT FRENCH ATS, AIS AND COM services

1-A MINIMUM SERVICE WILL BE ENSURED IN NOTAM OFFICE, ACCS AND AT
LFPG/LFPO/LFSB/LFST/LFLL/LFLC/LFMN/LFML/LFKB/LFKC/LFKJ/LFBD/LFBI/LFBL
/LFBO/LFRG/LFRS AND OVERSEAS AIRPORTS.
ACTUAL ATC CAPACITY WILL BE DETERMINED ACCORDING TO AVAILABLE STAFF.

2-AT OTHER AERODROMES, ATS SERVICES MIGHT BE UNAVAILABLE DURING
CERTAIN PERIODS NOTIFIED BY NOTAMS.

3-AIRCRAFT OPERATORS ARE REQUESTED TO REDUCE BY ONE THIRD THEIR
SCHEDULED FLIGHTS ON MONDAY MARCH 21ST ON THE SLOT 0500AM-1100PM
UTC ON PARIS-ORLY AND MARSEILLE PLATFORMS AND BY TWENTY PER CENT ON
BEAUVAIS, LYON ST EXUPERY AND NICE PLATEFORMS

4-TERRITORIAL CONTINUITY FLIGHTS (CORSICA, DOM-TOM) ARE NOT CONCERNED
BY THIS REQUEST

5-THE APPROVAL OF NEW PROGRAMS FOR NON SCHEDULED FLIGHTS MAY BE
RESTRICTED DEPENDING ON THE EVOLUTION OF THE SITUATION

6-AIRCRAFT OPERATORS SHALL SEND IMMEDIATELY REMAINING PROGRAM AND
CANCELLED FLIGHTS TO DGAC/DTA BY MAIL TO:
DTA-PROGRAMMES-CRISES-BF(AT)AVIATION-CIVILE.GOUV.FR

7-FLIGHT PLANS EXCEEDING THOSE LIMITATIONS COULD BE REJECTED.

8-AIRCRAFT OPERATORS MUST SYSTEMATICALLY CANCEL ALL PLN, RPL OR FPL
FOR THE FLIGHTS NOT PERFORMED AND THEIR AIRPORTS SLOTS TO COHOR
RMK:INFORMATION ON REAL TIME SITUATION WILL BE AVAILABLE
ON THE FOLLOWING INTERNET WEBSITE HTTP://DSNADO.CANALBLOG.COM)

Aircraft operators should cancel flight plans, as ATC will only provide minimum service, flights to Paris and Marseille should be reduced by 1/3, and flights to Beauvais, Lyon, and Nice should be reduced by 20%, etc.

So, early in the morning, we can already see flights taking such huge detours.

UPDATE Flights having to make alternate routes to avoid French airspace during strike by ATC pic.twitter.com/2pLDpMOXFX - @NewsHazbail

— AIRLIVE (@airlivenet) March 20, 2016

The strike is expected to last nearly all day. I estimate more news about the impact will continue to emerge. If I find anything interesting, I will continue to post it.