Flights cut by civil aviation authority after systems breakdown at Paris-Orly airport
- France's civil aviation authority directed airlines to significantly cut flights at Paris-Orly airport due to a breakdown in air traffic control systems.
- A 40% reduction was requested on Sunday, which was adjusted to 15% by Monday as operations began to improve.
- Despite efforts to restore normality, delays and cancellations continued as the situation remained precarious.
On the evening of Sunday, May 18, 2025, France’s civil aviation authority, known as DGAC, issued a directive requesting airlines to reduce their flights by 40% at Paris-Orly airport due to a significant failure in air traffic control systems. This breakdown affected both domestic and international flights, leading to a slew of cancellations and delays. Key routes affected included destinations in Spain, Denmark, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, and several French cities. The glitch brought operations at one of the country's busiest airports to a near halt, prompting passengers to face substantial disruptions. Following the sudden breakdown, DGAC mobilized its teams to rectify the situation. By Monday, the authority announced improvements but continued to require a 15% reduction in air traffic at the airport. This reduction was imposed while some flight cancellations persisted, along with delays for many others. Flights to Italy, Spain, Portugal, and regions in southern France were notably affected. The situation was under continuous assessment as DGAC worked to restore regular operations in the wake of the incident. Paris-Orly airport has significant traffic, with over 33 million passengers recorded last year, approximately half the volume of traffic seen at its larger counterpart, Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle. The breakdown illustrated the challenges within the aviation infrastructure and raised concerns about the reliability of air traffic control systems, especially during peak travel times. The authority did not elaborate on the precise reasons for the system failure, leaving many in the industry apprehensive about potential future occurrences. Investments into reinforcing technology and enhancing overall system integrity may become crucial as authorities assess the impact of this incident. Ongoing investigations will likely focus on both technical failures and the implications for air travel safety and efficiency moving forward.