UK tourists flying to France 'could see flights cancelled'

UK tourists flying to France could see flights cancelled, it has been warned. On the European Union continent, French airline pilots are striking today and experts have issued a warning to people travelling to France, with UK holidaymakers alerted.

The strike action is due to the French government's plan to triple the Solidarity Tax on Air Tickets (TSBA), which could generate an additional €1 billion annually. This would mean that the tax for economy class flights would increase from 2.60 euros (£2.16) per passenger to 9.50 euros (£7.90) for a European destination, and from 7.50 euros (£6.24) to 40 euros (£33.26) for long-distance destinations.

Ivaylo Danailov, CEO of flight compensation specialists Sky Refund, is warning that passengers flying to France during the strike may not be eligible for compensation if their flights are cancelled or disrupted.

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“According to EU Regulation 261/2004, the eligibility for compensation for a flight disrupted by strike action depends largely on who calls the strike and how much control has the airline over it. In the case of the November 14 strike, since it's the French National Union of Airline Pilots (the major pilot trade union) that has called the strike, passengers will likely not be able to claim compensation for their disrupted flights," he said.

You can book flights to destinations in the South of France from many UK airports, including Bristol, Birmingham, London Gatwick, London Luton, and Manchester. Air France flies to 29 domestic destinations and 201 international destinations in 94 countries across Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania as of September 2022.

In the Skytrax World Airline Awards for 2023, Air France was voted #7 in the world — placing the airline ahead of stalwarts Cathay Pacific Airways, EVA Air and Korean Air. It also operates flights from Birmingham, too, it has been warned.