Bazonia

Our flight is scheduled to land in CDG - you guessed it - on Sept. 23rd at 7:45am, and our TGV to Strasbourg leaves from CDG at 10:41am.

I understand you have to wait until one or two days before to find out if these particular reservations will be cancelled, but has anyone heard any rumbles over there? I read about this date being proposed for a strike in an online article posted about a week ago.

I spoke to my airline and they hadn't heard anything yet, and we discussed how they might accomodate.

Phooey.

jamikins

Oh man, my parents are flying from Nice - London 23 Sept on Easyjet...tagging for further info!

Christina

well, I read about it in the French news media some time ago, a week or two. What are you expecting someone to tell you this far in advance? I wouldn't worry about your flight, if that's what you meant. Even if the strike includes airport workers (I've not read anything about them, only SNCF/RATP), it doesn't usually affect long-distance flights.
Last strike, about 50 pct of the TGVs were running from Paris to the East, if that helps. I believe no long-distance flights were affected and about 90 pct of the shorter flights took off or landed for Air France at CDG. What kind of airline do you have, it might make a difference. I think Easyjet flights were all being cancelled last time, for example, but most Air France were not.

kerouac

No rumbles yet.

jamikins

Hmmm...I know this is just a shot in the dark - but would it be a prudent move to change my parents easyjet flight to the night before? I can do it for a small charge right now...

we have transport and hotels booked in Amsterdam for 24 - 27 Sept, so maybe it would easier...?

Any thoughts?

jamikins

Sorry, just trying to come up with a plan for my parents - does anyone know what happens on easyjet when they cancel a flight like this? I just want to prepare my parents as they are not used to international travel.

Thanks!

Bazonia

Kerouac - thanks for the rumbles update.

Christina - thank you for the info - I actually read your comments in an earlier thread before I posted this. My main concern is air traffic controllers striking. Also, baggage handlers could strike - but then I would just do carry-on - a stretch, but possible.
My airline is Continental from Newark. If it is as you say, then any strike wouldn't affect my flight.
If I can't get on the TGV, I can most likely take the slower trains, or wait for another TGV.
I guess we will just have to sit tight and wait. I am not too worried - these things have a way of working out. Eventually you get to where you want to go.
We do have trip insurance, I will have to review it to see if it covers strikes - if we don't get to the Strasbourg hotel in time. We can't cancel because we got a great internet rate...

Jamikins - my sympathies.

Baz

Christina

I don't know what I would do in your case. You hate to change things and then have it be no big problem. I think Easyjet cannot easily fly you on an alternative flight if one is cancelled, however, they don't have that much excess capacity. I also read that in the last strike, I don't think any Easyjet flights from Nice to Amsterdam were cancelled, only to other destinations.

here is one article which gives you some idea of what happened during the July 2010 strike
http://www.english.rfi.fr/france/201...-across-france

jamikins

Hmmm- not too stressed, my parents are retired so they arent on any time pressure - worst case I guess they can get take the train to Amsterdam on Thurs/Fri and it will be an adventure hahaaha.

They are flying Nice to Gatwick Thurs afternoon, then we are taking the overnight ferry Friday night to Amsterdam for the weekend.

I am just going to sit tight and see what happens, these things do tend to work out...so positive thoughts and will worry about it next week. Wont mention to my parents so they wont worry and please keep your fingers crossed for us

Bazonia

Christina - thanks for the link.

Jamikins - good thinking not to tell the aged P's.

Baz

Christina

Bazonia, I wouldn't assume that if the TGV wasn't running, other trains would be, they were affected, also. I think that stats I read referred to all east-bound trains, and the slower ones were affected a lot, as I recall (like Corail or Teoz). But there should be some alternatives and Strasbourg isn't really that far away, luckily, so I think you'll get there.

Jamikins, if it's any consolation (and I don't know how they decide the staffing), Thalys was virtually unaffected during the last strike, I believe. Of course for all I know that means they would be the first next time (maybe they don't have all French staff, I don't know).

mztery

if your parents are retired why WOULDN'T you change the flight? No harm if it's now cheap and could be expensive later.

Bazonia

Thanks again, Christina. As long as my flight gets in I think we can handle what fate or strikers lob at us.

Baz

jamikins

mztery - after looking into it, the charges to change add up to almost 250 euros (not just the 59 euros I originally thought) + hotel etc for the extra night. At that price they may as well just see if it goes and if not, rent a car and drive to Lille over two days and take the train and meet us in Amstedam on Sat. The flight may go as easyjet is now saying the airports they expect to be impacted to be Bordeaux, Toulouse and I think Biaritz and I would hate for it to go and them to have spent the money...

maybe I will reassess...sigh...

kerouac

Just to clarify things a bit (maybe), when there is an SNCF strike, here is the order in which the trains are affected, from most affected to least affected:

commuter trains
regional TER trains
Corail intercités
night trains
domestic TGV
international TGV
Thalys
Eurostar

jamikins

Kerouac - thank you for your insight.

If I was going to rebook my parents flight would booking an evening flight Sept 22 be the best bet - not sure if the strikes start the evening before or the morning of...

Thank you!

jamikins

Spoke with my friend who works in a travel agency that books corporate travel and they got this update this morning:

Disruption possible to flights to and from France and some European destinations due to industrial action by air traffic controllers in France. A period of industrial action by air traffic controllers expected to take place up to and including 22nd September. A general strike is then planned in France from the evening of 22nd to early morning of 24th September.

He advised that flights should be running 23 Sept, but the trains may not be...

So will leave the flight and cross our fingers!

Hope this helps anyone else out there in this situation!

jamikins

Sorry, should clarify - the trains to the Nice airport I meant might not be running...

Bazonia

Thanks, jamikins. That is helpful.

jamikins

Well further update, has been extended to 23 Sept so I am rerouting my parents.

Going to extend the car rental two days and have them go from St Remy to Annecy on Monday, Annecy to Nancy on Tuesday, and Nancy to Lille on Wed - picking up the Eurostar on Thurs morning. Good thing they love driving trips!

Figured this was better than them being stranded in Nice and not getting home in time to get on the ferry to Amsterdam Friday night.

Good luck everyone!