Sri Lanka, July 3 -- French air traffic controllers began a two-day strike today, disrupting hundreds of flights and causing delays that have rippled far beyond France's borders. The industrial action, driven by longstanding complaints over staffing shortages, ageing equipment, and working conditions, has led to major scheduling reductions across the country's busiest airports.

In response, the French civil aviation authority (DGAC) instructed airlines to reduce their flights at Paris airports by up to 40%, with further reductions imposed at regional hubs, including Nice, Marseille, Bastia, and Lyon.

Ripple effects across the globe

While the disruption is concentrated in France, its impact has reached across Europe and into the Middle ...