HUNDREDS of easyJet passengers have been left stranded at Manchester airport as a French air traffic control strike saw three flights cancelled.
More than 500 flights have been affected this week by the walk-out, which is due to last until 6am tomorrow.
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Tonight passengers described the turmoil as around 600 passengers raced to get information.
Those affected are the 5pm to Granada, 5.35pm to Tenerife and 6.15pm to Geneva.
One passenger who was due to fly to Granada said they were still queuing to board when they were told the flight had been cancelled, the Manchester Evening News reports.
Another passenger who was due to fly tweeted: “Easyjet please send some staff to tell your customers what is going on.
“One person yes one person to deal with 3 cancelled flights worth of passengers. Shocking.”
Air traffic controllers are striking as part of a national protest against new working conditions introduced by French President Emmanuel Macron.
According to Travel Weekly, up to 75,000 passengers face delayed or cancelled flights across Europe, with at least 550 flights affected.
Easyjet has said passengers are able to re-book flights online straight away via their online flight tracker.
Three cancelled easyJet flights:
EZY1815 – 5pm – Manchester to Granada
EZY1903 – 5.35pm – Manchester to Tenerife
EZY1953 – 6.15pm Manchester to Geneva
Responding to why the cancellations came so late, an Easyjet spokeswoman said: “We do not cancel flights that are scheduled to fly over France in advance as we do not know which or how many French Air Traffic Controllers will be at work and therefore we cannot predict with any level of accuracy how many flights will still be able to over fly France and how many will be re-routed or the length of the slot delays that each flight will face.
“We believe it is the best interests of passengers that we aim to operate all of these over flights and on recent strike days the vast majority of such flights were still able to operate.”
Industrial action began at 7pm local time tonight, with air traffic controllers resuming work at 6am tomorrow.
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