[AMcWhirter]

Today is the worst day at Paris Nord for disruption (during the current strike by French officials.

Eurostar is reporting delays of over five hours.

It says “not to travel unless absolutely necessary as there is a strong possibility we will not be able to get you home tonight.”

Eurostar says the disruption will continue through March 18 … at least.

Some travellers have opted for air travel instead.

Most flights are either full or heavily booked in the days ahead.

Anyone planning a London-Paris day trip this Monday will either find the flights full or else be faced with paying almost £1,000 for a return business class ticket.

[AMcWhirter]

Paris Nord on March 17.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/eurostar-delays-another-day-of-travel-woe-as-french-customs-workers-strike-a4093911.html

[AMcWhirter]

Hours of delays again today and several trains cancelled.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/eurostar-delays-huge-queues-begin-to-build-at-paris-gare-du-nord-as-passengers-brace-for-another-day-a4094196.html

[Swissdiver]

Alex, you should post only when the service is normal: you’d save lots of time!

1 user thanked author for this post.

AMcWhirter

[AMcWhirter]

Swissdiver – HaHaHa But I find it worrying that one of the most important routes in Europe is suffering like this.

And what started as something that was supposed to last for a day or so has continued day after day with no end in sight.

Flights from CDG to the London airports are either fully booked or else only bookable at the most expensive tariffs.

Not sure whether the French airports are affected yet.

But the start of the Easter school holidays is not far away.

[christopheL]

Excuse my english but don’t you think it would be a lot easier if the British were finally able to make a decision on Brexit ?
The depressing show offered free of charge by all members of the British Parliament for so many months creates an uncertainty that freezes any decision on the consequences of the reintroduction of borders between the EU and the United Kingdom (ie for a very large part, the question of the border between France and the United Kingdom since the Channel Tunnel concentrates most of the commercial and human traffic between the continent and what used to be a proud country.
Yes, this is British bashing but at least I assume it.
It must be admitted that the situation becomes unbearable and one may think that the strike should have last for one day only but one may also remember that Brexit was supposed to happen within 11 days from now and that this timing will obvioulsly not be respected. Why should French customs do what others don’t do ?
In these conditions criticizing the strike of the French customs officers who fear to be overwhelmed by work if the Brexit is realized is totally misplaced especially since I can imagine that if Brexit happens (IMHO it will never happen), British people will be the first to criticize the inability of French customs to deal with the flow of trucks which will try to cross the channel to supply UK with anything they need).
The British are torn between their financial interests and their pride and everyone is waiting for another to take the initiative to do what all the decision makers are waiting without daring to say it for fear of jeopardizing his personal political career. This selfish behaviour affects all countries in Europe, UK being the most affected.

[capetonianm]

Yes, Brexit is a complete and utter shambles. I’ll put my cards on the table here. I voted for Brexit and despite what it has turned into, I would do so again, given the opportunity.

It is not only the British who are to blame for the impasse that has arisen, although admittedly the ‘Government’ has to take a large part of the blame. It is the complete and utter spitefulness and obdurate intransigence of the EU, which attitude to me vindicates the decision of the UK to leave. Given a little more cooperation, rather than obstruction, from the EU, the UK might have been able to leave on schedule. Clearly that is now extremely unlikely to happen.

In these conditions criticizing the strike of the French customs officers who fear to be overwhelmed by work if the Brexit is realized is totally misplaced especially since I can imagine that if Brexit happens (IMHO it will never happen), British people will be the first to criticize the inability of French customs to deal with the flow of trucks which will try to cross the channel to supply UK with anything they need).

Forgive me if I’m wrong, but the French customs officers are there to work. They are undoubtedly like most French civil servants enjoying favourable employment conditions (early retirement, good pensions, housing benefits, short working week, etc). They only work a certain number of hours and if they are kept busy during those hours, so be it. They are not going to be forced to work 24/7.

P.S. I think we have a Brexit thread which is where my comment and the preceding one should probably be. Maybe a moderator would move them.

[christopheL]

I find it easy to criticize the intransigence of the EU after having voted for Brexit without thinking for a moment about what it meant to be “the only master at home”. This is good for the ego but it does not necessarily make sense, especially from an business point of view.

Has anyone thought of Ireland’s problem during the Brexit campaign? Brexiters wanted UK to regain control of its borders and now they demand that we do not reestablish a border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. Brexiters claimed that UK could sign a free trade agreement with EU without saying that such a agreement would not be free of charge. Did any brexiter have an honnest and responsible speech regarding the cost of Brexit? The campaign for Brexit was identical to Donald Trump’s campaign: a fake news contest appealing to the naivety of the voters who were only told what they wanted to hear : UK First !

Is it because EU refuses to agree with these irresponsible speeches that you vlame their “complete and utter spitefulness and obdurate intransigence” ? Words, words, words !

Words made people vote for Brexit and the same words will make Brexit nothing but a pipe dream. All that fuss for what?

[AMcWhirter]

Eurostar now saying today not to travel unless absolutely necessary up until March 24.

[nmtraveller]

https://www.garda.com/crisis24/news-alerts/52636/france-long-wait-times-reported-at-paris-airports-update-1

I understand that custom officials at Paris airports are also on strike. Does anybody have some insight about the situation there?

I am due to travel to Paris this weekend. My option is an expensive flight to Southend followed by an endless journey home (no train to to Liverpool st this weekend due to engineering works this weekend…) so if I have to queue 2 hours at CDG on top, I may as well save some money/hassle and queue patiently at Gare du Nord…

[nmtraveller]

oops silly me that link is years old.

Here is a current link (in French)
https://retardvol.fr/voyage/greve-douaniers-orly-cdg/

[AMcWhirter]

Mark has written a piece today. Eurostar is reporting four hour delays today (Wednesday).

Flights CDG-London are heavily booked in the days ahead. In some cases astronomical prices are being charged for this short route.

Eurostar continues to advise against travel from Paris

[AMcWhirter]

Eurostar reporting today that the Paris Nord situtaion is “gradually returning to normal.”

[Author]

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