PARIS
Thousands of air travelers have been left stranded in France after 1,700 flights were cancelled as air traffic controllers launched a two-day strike.
No compensation is to be paid to passengers affected by the action, which left more than 40 percent of domestic and international flights grounded on Wednesday, the French civil aviation authority DGAC told Anadolu Agency.
"Disruption is expected over the whole country," the DGAC said in a statement which requested that airlines scrap 40 percent of flights to and from France.
The 48-hour walk-out, which began at 5a.m. and will run until 5a.m. Friday, came after the largest French union of air traffic controllers, SNCTA, called for the walkout as part of their dispute with management over their concerns over overloaded airspace and the raising of the retirement age for air traffic controllers by two years to 59.
The DGAC said compensation would not be paid to affected passengers as the industrial action was categorized as an "unforeseen circumstance" outside the control of airlines.
However, passengers will be entitled to food, drink and hotel accommodation if deemed necessary.
The SNCTA had initially programmed its action for 25 to 27 March, but postponed it due to the crash of Germanwings flight 4U 9525 in the French Alps in which 150 people died.
Further action is planned between April 16 and 18, and April 29 and May 2, the SNCTA said.
