French airport workers strike demanding higher pay amid inflation

Flights from Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris and other French airports faced disruptions Friday as airport workers held a strike and protests to demand salary hikes to keep up with inflation.

The labor action is the latest trouble to hit global airports this summer, as travel resurges after two years of virus restrictions.

French airports have been largely spared the chaos seen recently in London, Amsterdam and some other European and U.S. cities. But on Friday, striking workers sought to call attention to the pain of inflation with a walkout on the first big day of France's domestic summer travel season.

France's civil aviation authority said 17% of scheduled flights out of Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports in Paris were canceled between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. Friday, primarily short-haul routes.

Protests were planned at both airports, and the Paris airports authority warned of potential delays in getting into terminals and at check-in, passport control and security stations.

Unions said the strike could last through Sunday.

Paris airport workers are seeking a raise of 6% raise retroactive to Jan. 1, while management is proposing 3%, according to French media reports. Airport firefighters at Charles de Gaulle are also on strike with specific salary demands, forcing the airport to close some runways.