Control tower breakdown brings flight chaos to Paris airport

A control breakdown took place on Sunday and has affected thousands of passengers with some already sat in planes at the French capital’s second biggest airport when flights were cancelled.

Officials said the control tower breakdown led to the cancellation of around  130 flights in and out of Orly Sunday. It had not yet be resolved by late Sunday and the DGAC French civil aviation authority said it was “asking airlines to reduce their flight schedules by 15 percent” on Monday and warned that “delays are expected”. The DGAC said “The situation is improving but still requires traffic regulation.”

The authority attributed it to the air traffic control “malfunction”. An insider at the airport said there had been a “radar failure”. Flights to European and North Africa destinations and across France were part of those hit. Long queues formed at terminals in the midst of chaotic activity to find another transport.

Azgal Abichou, a 63-year-old business owner said “We were in the aircraft, all seated and, ready to go, then all of a sudden we were forced to leave and collect our bags” Romane Penault, a 22-year-old student said “The only option is a 300 euro flight — and there’s only one seat left, but there are two of us traveling and we are not even sure it will take off. So for now, we’re going home.”

Agnes Zilouri, 46, tried to search for seat for her 86-year-old mother and six year old son in the terminal but they didn’t find one. The family should have taken a flight to Oujda in Morocco on Sunday evening to go to a funeral. “The flight is cancelled. Fortunately I am with my mother,” she said.

Orly handled about 33 million passengers last year , almost half of the number of the main Paris Charles de Gaulle international airport.

SOURCE: France24

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