The Direction Générale de l'Aviation Civile (DGAC), France’s civil aviation authority, says all airlines must cut flights into France by 30 to 50 percent by Tuesday because of fuel shortages caused by nationwide strikes against raising the retirement age, AP reported.
Strikes by unions and sympathizers all across France have shut down some of the nation’s 12 fuel refineries and also the Trapil pipeline which supplies Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports outside Paris, the two largest in the country.
The DGAC says airlines must cancel 50 percent of their flights into Orly and 30 percent of their de Gaulle flights, as there is insufficient fuel to refill the planes.
French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said he would “not let the French economy be choked by a blockade of fuel,” CNN reported.
“There will not be a shortage because we are going to make the necessary decisions ... to ensure that this country is not blocked,” Fillon said on TF1 television.
However, Petrol Industries Association president Jean-Louis Schilansky warned, according to AP, that if the strikes and protests continue and truck drivers join in, “then we will have a very big problem.”
Strikes by unions and sympathizers all across France have shut down some of the nation’s 12 fuel refineries and also the Trapil pipeline which supplies Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports outside Paris, the two largest in the country.
The DGAC says airlines must cancel 50 percent of their flights into Orly and 30 percent of their de Gaulle flights, as there is insufficient fuel to refill the planes.
French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said he would “not let the French economy be choked by a blockade of fuel,” CNN reported.
“There will not be a shortage because we are going to make the necessary decisions ... to ensure that this country is not blocked,” Fillon said on TF1 television.
However, Petrol Industries Association president Jean-Louis Schilansky warned, according to AP, that if the strikes and protests continue and truck drivers join in, “then we will have a very big problem.”
On Monday, some truck drivers drove at extremely slow speed, snarling traffic, to show solidarity with the striking unions, AP reported.
The strikes and marches, which have be happening across France for the past month, were triggered by President Nicholas Sarkozy’s proposed pension reform bill. Among other austerity measures, the bill would raise the retirement age from 60 to 62.
France’s Interior Ministry said some 825,000 protesters nationwide joined in Sunday’s demonstrations, CNN reported, while the labor unions put the number at 3.5 million.
Alexandre de Benoist, from the Union of Independent Oil Importers, said around 1000 gas stations across France have had to close for lack of fuel to sell, according to CNN.
The strikes and marches, which have be happening across France for the past month, were triggered by President Nicholas Sarkozy’s proposed pension reform bill. Among other austerity measures, the bill would raise the retirement age from 60 to 62.
France’s Interior Ministry said some 825,000 protesters nationwide joined in Sunday’s demonstrations, CNN reported, while the labor unions put the number at 3.5 million.
Alexandre de Benoist, from the Union of Independent Oil Importers, said around 1000 gas stations across France have had to close for lack of fuel to sell, according to CNN.
