Ryanair to Leave Marseille Base

Ryanair are to leave their base at Marseilles, according to France-Soir News. I dont know if this might affect the number of flights to regional airports in France but it seems to me that it may do.
The low-cost airline said on Wednesday that the closure in January of its unique French base in Marseille, is in response to his indictment for "concealed employment".

In Marseille, Ryanair is the second carrier behind Air France © SIPA

At a press conference on Wednesday at the airport of Marignane (Bouches-du-Rhone), the CEO of Ryanair, Michael O'Leary, has criticized "the decision of French authorities to prosecute against the Ryanair base in Marseilles, which fully complies with the regulations of the European Union for mobile workers transport". In fact, Ryanair will close its only base in France in January 2011.

"It's a very dark day but we can not wait a year or more to risk any more significant fines if the court proceedings were not favorable," said Michael O'Leary. Ryanair has been indicted by prosecutors in late September in Aix-en-Provence for "clandestine work" following the complaint of several personal unions. The company, based in Marseille from October 2006, challenged the decree of November 21 of that year subjecting flight crews of foreign companies operating in France to French law. Its approximately 200 employees are subject to regulation by the Irish labor.

As of 11 January 2011, four planes of the company and its employees based in Marseille will be transferred to other European airports, perhaps in Kaunas, Lithuania, Barcelona, Bari, Brindisi and Milan.

According to its CEO, Ryanair "loses nothing in this operation, but Marseille loses tourists, visitors and jobs." A view shared by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Marseille Provence which manages the airport. "This departure is very bad news for companies and businesses" and "constitutes a setback for the development" of the territory, responded President Jacques Pfister.

For the Marseille Provence airport, where Ryanair is the second carrier behind Air France, with 1.7 million passengers expected in 2010, closing 13 of its 23 lines could lose one million passengers a year.
The mayor (UMP) of Marseille, Jean-Claude Gaudin attributes the departure of the company to the "irresponsible behavior of unions."

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Matt on Travel - Great Cartoons

I love the Matt Cartoons from the Telegraph ! Here are some about travel and holidays !

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/picturegalleries/7156245/Matt-on-travel-transport-chaos.html

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Transport Strikes in France

There are to be transport strikes in France from today until Wednesday, affecting air travel and train travel. To read more : http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/7984463/France-strike-to-disrupt-flights-and-rail-services.html

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Channel Tunnel

If you are travelling via the Channel Tunnel to your French camping holiday this year then you might be very interested in this episode of "How do they Do It" http://demand.five.tv/Episode.aspx?episodeBaseName=C5141170002
I couldnt believe that there are up to 500 trains and up to 50,000 passengers a day go via the tunnel !
The programme also tells you how escalators work !

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BA Wins High Court Ban on Cabin Crew Strikes

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/10119196.stm

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Volcanic Ash may affect Cannes Film Festival !

As the Eyjafjöll volcano in Iceland continues to send ash ("cendres volcaniques") into the skies above the Atlantic, there are concerns that it might affect the Cannes Film Festival. It all depends on whether there is enough rain in the meantime to disperse the ash. If it did affect the Riviera airport and possibly transatlantic crossings then there would be fewer than expected dignitaries and VIPs attending the festival.

For a map of the spread of the ash :
http://www.lemonde.fr/web/illustration/0,32-0,40-1348459,0.html

For an article from Le Monde :
http://www.lemonde.fr/planete/article/2010/05/08/l-eyjafjoll-perturbe-a-nouveau-le-ciel-europeen_1348455_3244.html

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Taxis Cash in !

Taxi firms across Europe are cashing in on the volcanic ash cloud stopping air flights in northern Europe. Someone took a taxi between Oslo and Paris. A Stockholm company is quoting 750E Stockholm to Oslo and 950E Stockholm to Copenhagen. And John Cleese who was filming in Oslo has allegedly taken a taxi from Oslo to Brussels at a cost of 3,800E !! If it means you get home for the weekend then its probably worth it !

For more information about affects of the volcanic ash cloud in France http://www.lemonde.fr/planete/article/2010/04/16/le-trafic-aerien-sera-perturbe-pendant-plusieurs-jours_1335064_3244.html#ens_id=1334028

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More Strikes !

Strikes by French Air Traffic Controllers for the next few days may affect your flights from France. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8529978.stm
A National Strike in France may affect those holidaying in Paris who want to travel by train. About half the trains were running on Paris commuter lines on Tuesday morning 23rd March, while nearly two-thirds of national high-speed TGV services were operating, according to French news agency AFP.
National rail operator SNCF said services would be disrupted until early on Wednesday. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8582485.stm

And British Airways have plans to strike again on March 27-30. For more information : http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8583907.stm However the ferry companies are hoping to gain some business from these strikes by bringing two new ferries onto the Portsmouth to France route ! http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8583270.stm

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BA Strike to go ahead

BA strike: Cabin crew to walk out as talks collapse
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8576727.stm

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Another possible Strike Affecting Air France !

Well so far my blog has listed a lot of strikes affecting tourists heading to France ! It wasnt intended to be such a depressing blog and hopefully I will find some good holiday news soon !
Air France Cabin Crew are threatening to strike if no agreement is reached with management, who wish to cut costs with efficiency savings, before 28th March. The strike looks like it would be around 1st April - more to follow !

http://www.lemonde.fr/economie/article/2010/03/17/les-hotesses-et-stewards-d-air-france-agitent-la-menace-d-une-greve-dure_1320385_3234.html

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BA Strike to Go Ahead

BA is to go ahead with their strike on 20th, 21st and 22nd of March so check your travel plans if you plan to fly with BA to France or if you are flying BA on connecting flights. Flights from Scotland look like they are to be badly affected.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/ba-plans-to-keep-60-of-passengers-flying-1921592.html

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Snow Problems in South France Around Nimes

Extreme snowfall fell on the Languedoc-Roussillon, Provence, southern Rhone Valley and the Midi-Pyrenees in the night from Sunday 7th to Monday 8th March, causing power outages and traffic disruptions. There were 30 inches of snow in the old Roman City of Nîmes which has never been seen since 1974! In total, eight departments were still on Orange Alert on Monday evening 8th March : Aude, Ariege, Haute-Garonne , Pyrenees-Orientales and Corsica as well as Andorra.

Also nearly 3,000 homes, mainly in the outskirts of Nimes, were without power earlier and 250 people were stranded on roads. Train services in the Gard and Herault have been affected and the TGV from Languedoc-Roussillon delayed. Flights were also affected. Perpignan airport has been closed and Nimes Garon diverted Sunday landings to the nearby airport of Montpellier but had no flights scheduled on Monday morning. Flights to Montpellier and Toulouse-Blagnac functioned normally but recorded some delays.

http://france.meteofrance.com/vigilance/Accueil