October began with a nightmare scenario for British holidaymakers. Greece was getting ready for a mega general strike on the 1st October 2025 and air traffic controllers were set to join it; cue thousands of panicked travellers refreshing their various airline apps, frantically googling whether ‘Greece flights cancelled strikes’ would spoil their autumn getaway.
Then, in typical last-minute fashion, a Greek court stepped in and basically said “not having it” to the air traffic controllers. The result? Flights operated as normal, though not before causing a right old mess for people trying to sort their travel plans.
What Kicked It All Off
The whole situation started because Greek workers weren’t exactly chuffed about the proposed changes to labour laws. The government’s wishlist would have seen the working day extended to 13 hours, and indeed, that got people’s backs up in a hurry.
The ADEDY civil servants’ union called a national walkout for Wednesday, October 1st, with air traffic controllers deciding that they would also join in.
Airlines headed into crisis mode fairly sharply. Aegean Airlines and Olympic Air immediately began offering flexible rebooking options, allowing passengers to change their tickets without incurring any fees.
Some folks could even cancel entirely and get credit vouchers instead. Fair play to them – at least they were trying to help people avoid getting caught out.
The Court Steps In (Again)
Here’s where it gets interesting. Just hours before the strike was meant to begin, a Greek court ruled that air traffic controllers couldn’t legally participate. They deemed the whole thing illegal, which meant planes would fly after all.
Bit of a relief for anyone sat at home wondering if they’d be spending their holiday money on last-minute cancellations instead of souvlaki.
This wasn’t a one-off either. Back in August 2025, Greek courts pulled the same move when air traffic controllers planned a strike for the 28th during the peak holiday season. There’s clearly a pattern here; while other workers can strike, keeping the skies clear seems to take priority in the courts’ eyes.
Meanwhile, French Strikes Cause Real Chaos
While Greece sorted itself out at the eleventh hour, France decided to properly throw a spanner in the works. The SNCTA union, representing about 70% of French air traffic controllers, called a strike from 7th to 10th October 2025. And this one actually went ahead.
Ryanair announced they’d have to cancel up to 600 flights between 7th and 10th October, affecting over 100,000 passengers.
Routes from the UK to Spain, Italy, and yes, Greece, got hit particularly hard. EasyJet and British Airways warned passengers to check their flight status too.
The French air traffic control strike update became essential reading for anyone flying through or over France.
Even flights that didn’t land in France got caught up in the mess because they had to fly through French airspace.
Proper annoying when you think about it – you’re flying from London to Athens, nowhere near Paris, and still getting cancelled because of French industrial action.
Also read: Majorca’s Tourism Woes: Why This Paradise Island is Pushing Visitors Away
Why Greece Keeps Having These Near-Misses
Greece has been having a bit of a mare with air traffic control issues throughout 2025. Ryanair reported that more than 5,000 flights and over 900,000 passengers faced delays due to Greek air traffic control problems and staff shortages between January and August.
They even labelled Greece as the fifth-worst-performing air traffic control service in Europe for delays.
So when the strike threat came along, airlines and passengers alike thought, “Here we go again.” The difference this time was that courts prevented the actual walkout, but the reputation damage was already done.
What This Means for Future Travel
The Greece flights cancelled strikes saga highlights something British travellers already know too well – European strikes can turn your holiday plans upside down faster than you can say “all-inclusive”. But there’s a silver lining: airlines are getting better at offering flexible rebooking options when strikes are threatened.
The contrast between Greece and France is telling, too. Greek courts seem willing to block air traffic control strikes to protect the vital tourism industry, whereas French strikes go ahead with alarming regularity.
It’s worth remembering when booking flights – flying over France during strike-prone periods is risky business, even if you’re not actually landing there.
The Bigger Picture
This whole episode shows how fragile air travel can be when workers decide they’ve had enough. Whether it’s 13-hour working days in Greece or management disputes in France, the result is the same – ordinary people get caught in the middle, wondering if their holiday will actually happen.
The good news? Greek flights operated normally on 1st October despite all the worry. The bad news? The French strikes that followed caused genuine disruption for thousands.
And with industrial relations across Europe remaining tense, it’s probably not the last time we’ll be checking if our flights are amongst those cancelled.
For now, British holidaymakers heading to Greece can breathe easier knowing the courts stepped in. But anyone flying through French airspace? Best keep an eye on those air traffic control strike updates. Because, unlike Greece, those French strikes actually happen, and they make a right mess when they do.
