It's that time of year again. Yes, the season of French air traffic controllers' strikes - summer.Sitting as they do in the middle of so many European air routes the most likely timing for industrial action by the sector in that country is fast becoming an easily predictable occurrence. The six day strike, from June 24th to June 29th, may provoke 14,000 hours of flight delays, according to Eurocontrol. By noontime Tuesday RyanAir had already been forced to cancel a total of 96 flights and easyJet another 28. French authorities say an overall reduction of 20% in the number of flights will be needed, the Guardian reported earlier in the day. With a view to avoiding unnecessary hassles experts were advising travellers to frequently monitor their airlines' websites and to inquire as to how best to keep informed of any changes or news regarding their itineraries. That may save them some cash as airlines do not reimburse for travel costs to and from the airport incurred as a result of a cancellation. Worth keeping in mind however, current EU legislation does state that in case of cancelation passengers must be offered a full refund or the option of rebooking. AB