France: Long wait times reported at Paris airports /update 1

Event

Exceptionally long wait times have been reported at security checkpoints and immigration controls at Paris-Orly International Airport (ORY) in recent weeks. Many airlines are advising travelers to arrive at the airport at least three hours ahead of their flights, with at least one airline (Corsair) advising four hours. The waiting times - up to two hours by some accounts - have resulted in a large number of flight delays and chaotic scenes at the airport. The situation is likely to worsen with the arrival of President Donald Trump, set to land at ORY on Thursday, July, 13, for French National Day (Bastille Day) festivities.

Paris-Charles de Gaulle International Airport (CDG) has also reported exceptionally long wait times.

Context

France is still under a nationwide state of emergency and as such intensified security measures have been implemented at French airports, including numerous identification checks and security scanning. Various airline personnel have argued that these measures are ill-adapted for the summer holiday season, with hundreds of thousands of extra passengers flying.

Advice

Travelers are advised to confirm the status of their flights prior to departure for the airport, contact their airlines for more information, and be prepared for lengthy wait times.