Paris-Orly Airport’s critical air traffic control failure has turned travelers’ plans into nightmares with hundreds of flights canceled and thousands stranded after a 40% reduction in flights was mandated.
Key Takeaways
- A major air traffic control breakdown at Paris-Orly Airport caused authorities to slash flights by 40%, canceling approximately 130 flights and stranding thousands of passengers.
- The disruption impacted international flights to Spain, Denmark, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Germany, Austria, Netherlands, Ireland, and domestic routes within France.
- Chaos continued into Monday with a 15% reduction in flight schedules still in effect as passengers scrambled to find limited and expensive alternatives.
- French aviation authorities have yet to disclose the specific cause of the breakdown, only attributing it to a “malfunction” and what airport sources described as a “radar failure.”
Widespread Travel Disruption Affects Thousands
The air traffic control system breakdown at Paris-Orly airport has created a cascading failure throughout the European travel network, affecting countless travelers with minimal warning. Beginning on Sunday, France’s civil aviation authority (DGAC) implemented drastic measures, directing a 40% reduction in flights at the nation’s second-busiest airport that handles approximately 33 million passengers annually. The breakdown’s ripple effects spread quickly across Europe and North Africa, canceling approximately 130 flights on Sunday alone and stranding thousands of passengers with limited options for continuation of their journeys.
The disruption created chaotic scenes at the airport as travelers desperately sought alternatives while facing long queues and limited information. Most distressing were situations where passengers were already boarded before learning their flights wouldn’t depart. “We were in the aircraft, all seated and strapped in, ready to go, when they made us disembark and collect our bags… then began the ordeal,” said Azgal Abichou, one of many affected travelers.
Paris ORLY faces flight disruptions due to traffic control outage
The failure of an air traffic control system caused major
disruption at the Paris Orly airport.
The outage, which began early in the afternoon, caused strict
restrictions in traffic and a major reduction in…
— Stare Decisis (@MsResJudicata) May 18, 2025
Limited Alternatives Leave Travelers Stranded
The sudden cancellations created a surge in demand for alternative transportation, leaving many travelers with few viable options. The limited availability of seats on remaining flights caused prices to skyrocket, further compounding the frustration of those affected. “The only option is a 300 euro flight – and there’s only one seat left, but there are two of us and we are not even sure it will take off,” explained Romane Penault, highlighting the difficult choices many travelers faced.
“The flight is cancelled. Fortunately, I am with my mother,” said Agnes Zilouri, a passenger stranded at the airport.
The DGAC announced that disruptions would continue into Monday, though with a slightly reduced impact of 15% flight reductions instead of Sunday’s 40%. This slow recovery indicates the severity of the technical issue that has not been fully resolved despite intensive efforts. The authority described the situation as “improving but still requires traffic regulation,” offering little consolation to those whose travel plans were completely derailed.
Mystery Surrounds Cause of the Breakdown
Despite the significant disruption, French authorities have been remarkably vague about the specific cause of the air traffic control failure. Official statements only reference a “malfunction” without providing technical details about what went wrong or how it happened. One airport source cited a “radar failure” as the culprit, but no comprehensive explanation has been offered to the public or affected travelers, raising questions about infrastructure reliability and the potential for similar disruptions in the future.
“DGAC teams are fully mobilized to restore normal operations as soon as possible,” stated the French civil aviation authority in their public communications.
Paris-Orly serves as a crucial hub for European and North African travel, handling about half the passenger volume of the larger Charles de Gaulle airport. The breakdown affected flights to numerous destinations across multiple countries, highlighting how vulnerable the interconnected European air travel system is to technical failures in a single location. With the summer travel season approaching, this incident raises serious concerns about the resilience of air traffic control infrastructure and the potential for similar disruptions to occur during peak travel periods.
