Smoke rises from a flare during scuffles between protesters and French police in front of the passport control of Terminal 2E of Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris (Thanassis Stavrakis/AP)
Smoke rises from a flare during scuffles between protesters and French police in front of the passport control of Terminal 2E of Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris (Thanassis Stavrakis/AP)
Paris airport workers protesting over pay cuts blocked a busy terminal at Charles de Gaulle Airport and skirmished with police, prompting flight delays and causing travel chaos and confusion among passengers.
Police fired pepper spray to try to disperse the protesters at the 2E terminal, primarily used for international travel.
An Associated Press reporter at the scene saw passengers wiping their stinging eyes and children looking frightened.
Protesters demonstrate in front of the passport control of Terminal 2E of Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris (Thanassis Stavrakis/AP)
Banging drums and tooting horns, a few hundred union activists blocked the terminal’s passport control area, causing hundreds of passengers to miss their flights.
Riot police with helmets and shields fanned out, and passengers were re-routed to a neighbouring terminal.
Unions have been negotiating with Paris airport management over pay cuts linked to the collapse in air travel amid the pandemic.
Management of the Paris airport network says revenue was down 80% in 2020 and that it is trying to avoid layoffs by trimming pay instead.
Unions announced strikes and protests through until Monday, just as many French families leave on summer holidays.