French air traffic control union SNCTA has announced a three-day strike from 7 to 9 October, which is expected to cause widespread flight disruption.

Initially planned as a 24-hour strike on 18 September, the action was postponed by SNCTA following the collapse of the French government under Prime Minister Fran?ois Bayrou on 8 September.

The union has now renewed demands for better pay and working conditions for air traffic controllers, calling on all operational staff to drop tools ¡°from the morning of 7 October until the end of night duty on the morning of 10 October¡±. The SNCTA did not state specific start and end times for the action.

The strike is expected to cause extensive flight disruption and delays across France, similar to that experienced in July, and will also affect French overflights.

SNCTA, France¡¯s largest air traffic controllers¡¯ union, has also urged members of the UNSA-ICNA union and CDG traffic watch agents to join the labour action. In a statement issued on Monday, the UNSA-ICNA criticised the move and SNCTA¡¯s changing demands.

¡°Ultimately, it's difficult to draw a clear line around this movement,¡± the UNSA-ICNA said. ¡°By constantly zigzagging between their past signature and their current reversal, the majority union is losing the only thing that matters: credibility. The ICNA doesn¡¯t need contradictory promises, but a strong and coherent line of defense.¡±

Additionally, a rail strike is planned for Thursday 2 October, however only minor disruptions are expected on regional trains and intercity services, according to local news reports. TGV high-speed services are expected to operate as normal.