U.S. Tour Ops Cope Easily With France Strikes
by Robin Amster /It was a perfect storm of travel disasters in Europe this week, as strikes by French air traffic controllers and domestic rail workers combined with severe flooding in Central Europe.
But while the European press has reported “travel chaos,” U.S. tour operators said the developments have had only a minimal effect on their operations.
France’s air traffic controllers and railway workers were due to return to work shortly – the controllers on Thursday, June 13, after two days on strike, and the railway workers on Friday, June 14, after a one-day strike.
The effect of the air traffic strike has been “very minor for us,” said Paul Wiseman, president of Trafalgar Tours. About 69 Trafalgar clients had been affected, but the tour operator’s London-based operations team was assisting them, he said.
Tough for river cruise lines
“It is more challenging for the river cruise companies due to the unexpected floods, and that is a shame,” Wiseman said. “As a guided vacation operator, we are able to modify easily to get around any of these issues since we offer overland trips.”
At General Tours World Traveler, president Bob Drumm said the air traffic strike has had no impact on its programs.
“However, we have many people booked and traveling with our river cruise partner, AMA Waterways,” Drumm said. “They have altered the itineraries a little, with coaches between a few points.”
AMA Waterways hasn’t cancelled any sailings and only four clients have asked, and received, vouchers for a future cruise date, he added.
Re-booking clients
Globus was contacting travel agents and clients affected by the strikes to help them re-book flights, said Steve Born, vice president of marketing. He did not specify how many clients might need to change their flight plans.
“We’re also working with our European operations team to communicate and maneuver around delayed vacation arrivals,” Born added.
Thousands of flights cancelled
About 2,000 flights across Europe were canceled on Tuesday, the first day of the strike, according to the air traffic agency Eurocontrol.
Air France said it was carrying all customers on long-haul flights to and from Paris. But short and medium flights were badly affected by the strike, the airline said.
Union complaints
The air traffic controllers union called the strike in response to the European Commission’s adoption of a package on the “Single European Sky.” The union said the package will jeopardize jobs and put cost savings and competition ahead of safety.
The railway workers, meanwhile, are objecting to a proposal to divide SNCF, France’s state rail network, into three different establishments, a move they say will mean a breakup of the company.