Air traffic control strike halts flights across France

Flights in and out of Paris and across France were severely disrupted yesterday when air traffic controllers staged a one-day strike in protest at plans to unify west European airspace under a single authority.

Controllers fear the plan would lead to job losses and benefit cuts but one of the biggest trade union confederations, the CFDT, condemned the strike.

"Many people are going on holidays. They are tired. They have had a difficult year because of the [economic] crisis. They need a break and this is not the time to annoy them," the union's secretary general said.