France's aviation authority urges companies to cancel flights ahead of strikes

By Nur Asena Erturk

ANKARA (AA) - The French Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGAC) urged companies to cancel up to 30% of flights planned for March 7 - 8.

French unions and workers called for a "block" on the entire country on March 7 with walkouts and demonstrations planned to protest the government's pension reform project.

DGAC wrote on Twitter on Thursday that aerial traffic will be disrupted from the evening of March 6 until the morning of March 9 in the Paris-CDG, Paris-Orly, Beauvais, Bordeaux, Lille, Lyon, Nantes, Marseille, Montpellier, Nice and Toulouse airports.

It notified passengers to expect delays asking them to postpone travel, if possible.

The Le Figaro newspaper cited a DGAC statement that said one out of five flights at the Paris-CDG airport will be canceled, as well as 30% at other airports.

Labor unions organized several demonstrations and walkouts since the government revealed the pension reform plan in January.

Demonstrations were held Jan. 19, 31, Feb. 7, 11 and 16.

The reform project, which includes an increase to the retirement age from 62 to 64 in 2030, immediately triggered outrage from workers and unions when the government announced preparations last year.

Government spokesperson Olivier Veran last week said that "the worst thing to do would be to block the country."