Overview

• French unions have called a nationwide general strike for September 10, targeting large parts of public life in protest at government austerity measures.
• Major French railway unions say they will halt train services, with potential effects on international routes such as TGV and Thalys.
• France’s air traffic controllers plan nationwide stoppages on September 18 and 19, adding further pressure on flight schedules.
• Italy faces a 21-hour national rail shutdown from 21:00 on September 4 to 18:00 on September 5, plus a 24-hour EasyJet cabin-crew strike on September 6 affecting Catania routes and separate Swissport actions at Milan airports.
• Travel bodies advise avoiding demonstrations and monitoring updates, warn of possible road blockades near Paris, Lyon and Marseille, and note passengers may be entitled to compensation for cancellations.