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LONDON, Oct 9 (Reuters) - Flights to and from France facedisruption on Thursday due to a strike by air trafficcontrollers that has prompted companies including EasyJet,Ryanair and Lufthansa to scale back their normal schedule.
France's DGAC civil aviation authority said it was urgingairlines to cut service by 10 percent, particularly on linksbetween France and Spain, Portugal and North Africa.
British low-cost airline easyJet and Ireland'sRyanair said they would have to cut about 30 percent of flightsas a result of the one-day protest over plans for changes to airtraffic control practices at European level.
"EasyJet has been asked by the DGAC (France's civil aviationauthority) to reduce its French flights by 30 percent and as aresult will cancel at least 50 flights to and from Paris Charlesde Gaulle, Paris Orly, Basel, Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseilles andToulouse," the airline said in a statement on Wednesday.
Around 70 percent of EasyJet's flights operate throughFrench airspace, meaning there is a risk of delays and latenotice cancellations to many other flights, the airline said.
Flights from the UK to destinations such as Spain, Portugal,Italy, Cyprus, Greece and North Africa face the threat ofdisruption, it added.
While European air traffic controller unions have lifted astrike call, two French unions representing about a quarter ofall controllers in France maintained stoppage plans after talkswith the civil aviation authority failed.
Ryanair said it would be scrapping 70 flights on Thursday,while German airline Lufthansa said it would reduce its flightsto and from the French cities of Lyon and Marseille but that itbelieved flights to and from Paris Charles de Gaulle airportwould not be affected.
