Travel disruption warnings issued as French unions go on strike: Jet2, easyJet, Eurostar affected

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The government has issued a travel advice warning for people travelling to France after French unions called for mass strikes and demonstrations.

People travelling to and from France on Tuesday March 7 face fresh disruptions in the latest cross-sector strikes and demonstrations by French unions. The protests are  against the government’s proposal to raise the legal retirement age from 62 to 64.

Many transport companies have issued travel warnings to their customers as a result of the nationwide strike, with ferries, rail networks, and airlines like Jet2, easyJet, and Ryanair expected to be impacted.

According to a report by Travel Weekly, six trains from London to Paris were also cancelled, one to Brussels and four from Paris to London. Eurostar has also reduced its schedule for today and tomorrow, cancelling eight trains in each direction between London and Paris, as well as trains to Brussels, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam.

The industrial action has been taking place since January following protest by workers across the country against reform plans which 70% of the French public reject, according to recent polls.

According to The Independent, unions have called on members to “prepare together to bring the economy to a halt” on March 7, with workers on the Paris public transport network expected to be targeted.

After the announcemet was made, UK Foreign Office shared a travel update warning people of the strike action on this date. It says: “Several unions have called for cross-sector strike action and demonstrations across France on Tuesday 7 March.

“Industrial action may start the evening before a strike day and run until the morning after. Localised or sector-specific strikes could also occur outside these dates. Industrial action may lead to disruption to services.

“Please check the latest advice with operators before travelling, avoid demonstrations and follow the advice of local authorities. Before you travel, check the ‘Entry requirements’ section for France’s current entry restrictions and requirements.

“These may change with little warning. Monitor this advice for the latest updates and stay in contact with your travel provider. If you plan to pass through another country to return to the UK, check the travel advice for the country you’re transiting.”

Previous strikes have resulted in major infrastructure disruptions in the transportation, education, and energy sectors. On February 16, a large number of transport workers walked out, causing easyJet, Ryanair, Eurostar, and British Airways services to be cancelled.

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