Officials for the Eurostar and Thalys high-speed rail lines announced Oct. 16 that French transport strikes scheduled for Oct. 18 , including industrial action by Air France and Paris Airport employees, would disrupt their trains as well. Both firms claimed that they would operate at 60-80 percent capacity that day for trains servicing French cities. Eurostar trains connect London with Paris and Lille, France, while Thalys connects the French capital with Brussels. While both rail and air connections between Paris and the two European capitals will be affected by the strike, air travel is likely to suffer fewer disruptions. Air France (AF): Delays and cancellations possible Oct. 18. The strike may also affect flights operated by Air France partner KLM. Paris Airport Authority (ADP): Delays and cancellations possible. Charles de Gaulle-Roissy (CDG): Delays and cancellations possible. Paris Orly (ORY): Delays and cancellations possible. French state rail company (SNCF): Delays and cancellations. Eurostar and Thalys: One-half of high-speed international trains serving Paris and Lille may be canceled. Most intercity trains likely canceled, major disruptions to high-speed rail (TGV) likely as well. Major disruptions to continue after Oct. 18. Six unions representing railway workers have indicated that they will seek an indefinite nation-wide strike if their demands are not met by Oct. 22. Union workers will also demonstrate across France on Oct. 18. A comprehensive list of the protests (in French) is available at: http://docsite.cgt.fr/1192175810.pdf. At least one major demonstration, called for by the SNCF and RATP, is scheduled for 1430 Oct. 18 near the Place de la Bastille in central Paris. The unions called the strike to protest President Nicolas Sarkozy's plans to reform the rail workers' retirement packages, eliminating special pension and early retirement privileges enjoyed by some 500,000 public sector employees. The strike is the first major response by the public sector unions to Sarkozy's reform plans. Union representatives are hoping for a repeat of 1995 protests, in which labor protests and strikes forced a previous center-right government from pursuing economic reforms. For air travelers: Expect delays and possible cancellations. Confirm all reservations, particularly if flying Air France. Arrive at the airport early and expect crowds. For train travelers and commuters: Anticipate major traffic congestion in the Paris metropolitan area, particularly during rush hour, as many subway and RER riders will seek alternate transportation. Available mass transit will be extremely crowded and taxis will be in high demand. Confirm rental car and train reservations in advance. Consider alternate forms of transportation whenever possible. For shippers: Cargo shipments, letters and other deliveries shipped through France on or around Oct. 18 may experience delays as strikes cause major disruptions to the country's ports, rail transport and postal services. Our Corporate Travel Specialists are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you need immediate assistance and your company has a designated Expedia Corporate Travel phone number, please call that number directly. If you do not have a designated number, in the U.S. please call us at 1-866-EXP-CORP (1-866-397-2677) or 1-702-939-2530. When traveling outside the U.S., please refer to the following, use the following local international customer service numbers. You can also reach us via e-mail by using our "support and feedback" form. Help and guidance resources are readily available in our Expedia Corporate Travel Support Center.

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