Hundreds more flights cancelled as French air strike enters second day

Cancellations and delays are reported at airports around France as a strike by air traffic controllers continues on Thursday.

EasyJet aircrafts sitting on the tarmac during an air traffic controller's strike at Orly airport, near Paris, 9 April 2015. Reuters/Gonzalo Fuentes

The civil aviation authority asked airlines to scrap around half of their flights – it’s a little more than on Wednesday.

Flag carrier Air France said it was operating 40 per cent of its domestic flights but its long-haul flights were not affected.

EasyJet said it had to cancel more than 220 flights, while Ryanair said it was forced to scrap more than 500 flights on Thursday.

The main air traffic union SNCTA had originally called the strike from March 25 to 27 but postponed it following the Germanwings crash.

The SNCTA wants to negotiate the working conditions and the retirement age for air traffic controllers pushed from 57 to 59.