The return to Paris passed without drama until we touched down at Orly and rolled to our parking spot, whereupon the pilot came on the public address to inform us that the ground staff had decided a few minutes earlier to go in strike and there was no way to get us off the plane as there were no stairs and no buses.
Bienvenue en France!
So all of you who wrote in complaining that I was being overly unkind to the French last week, should take note the glorious workforce is now even managing to cause disruption BEFORE one puts one’s feet on the ground…
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Struggling to work out why youd want to live there – but thanks for the amusement
LOL. Sorry, but LOL.
Is it not feasible to drive to Germany or somewhere else that’s a little more sensible than France and fly in/out of there?
I am driving to Britain and Germany. I even considered Hungary. Italy I am not sure, but definitely to Belgium. After that it is Asia. The French strikes are going to get even worse when they all come back from holiday in September…
Joe,
Hope you finally got off the plane! I hate to make light of what is obviously a frustrating situation, but you seem to be living through something I’ve often heard jokes about but always thought was exaggerated for comic effect. It seems like one of those things that’s only funny if you’re not the one being affected by it. Ah well, one more reason to detest the French.
Cheers!
How random – and how frustrating. Hope you have better luck with future travel arrangements, Jo.
Joe, maybe you can write a guide how to avoid these kind of delays in France
Are you still on the plane?
No, we escaped after 45 minutes…
Arm the slide, stand well back, pull red handle, take your shoes off, jump.
It’s the airline’s problem to reset the slide.
Were the baggage handlers on strike too and your luggage is now outbound from ORY to who knows where?
Maybe you might want to consider living in a country whose people, vaules and traditions suit you better?
No one is forcing you, you know…
ORLY?
sorry couldn’t resist
Or do they follow you on Twitter? Sack the lot of them, as you said like Ronald did. I take my hat of to you as I cannot stand all that travel hassle, I work with wood and can at least hit it if it get to me!
Priceless comment Joe – I hope you don’t mind, but I will unabashedly use the following line in future conversations: “The French strikes are going to get even worse when they all come back from holiday in September…”
Joe,
Dirigisme’s last relics?
I am always amazed at the French knack for scheduling a labor action when it is most inconvenient to the very people whose sympathies lie closest–the middle and working classes.
Stage a labor action at the stores in the Place Vendome and see how fast change occurs.
I can sympathize a little bit — we were in France last week and took the train to Versailles only to find out that the main palace was closed because of strikers. Didn’t ruin the day, but we certainly wouldn’t have gone, had we known.
Having lived in france, gone to school there and with a mother, sister, grandmother and best friends there I can say for certain that it is impossible to be too hard on the french!
MERDE…..
C’est la France…….
As a french citizen, I can only say that Joe describes all this BS quite politely… Revolution could be on its way when comes september…. and I’m not even exaggerating. Hours of driving for Joe… If gasoline is available at stations…
Joe,
I keep on telling you to stop going to those third world countries in Europe that Bernie is always going on about !
I am probably going to Cambodia soon, if you want me to check a place out for you..
Wow.
Question: Why do you live in Paris????
Jonathan,
I live where I live because life sometimes insists on things that we did not envisage. I like France very much, I just get frustrated at the striking when the workers in question are very well looked after by the state…
your source for some tips: 1000 years of annoying the French, written by stephen clarcke.
Why are you staying in FRANCE ?! If you don’t like the country leave it and stop complaining. You’re lucky enough to choose where to live, aren’t you !
I commute 3hrs a day here in the south of France and often get stuck due to the train strikes, we live with it!
I have thought about striking when asked for the train ticket but they so very really check them, that I have not done so yet. If they did they might get more revenue to pay the “So Overworked” staff (the ones checking tickets) , then they will need to strike less, making more happier commuters, more revenue, then they can hire more staff so they can go on longer holidays. BUT no! they prefer to strike during the summer when the rest of us are trying to work.
Having said that , the wine, food, weather is great and the public medical system is one of the best! GO Figure
Vote with your feet Joe, there are plenty of other pleasant places to live in Europe.
Neal,
I have been thinking about for some time.
well watch out now , your comments start circulating even in corsica ! they gona blow your house !!
Joe, if I may ask you something on a separate note: is there any news surrounding the new GP track in Austin?
It has been awfully quiet lately. There are no reports from locals that construction has begun. Assuming the 2012 US GP is paired with the Canadian GP in June, that leaves just 24 months for the track to be build from scratch. Even if the US GP is scheduled as late as October or November 2012, time is short to say the least.
I suppose it’s all possible considering Bahrain Int Circuit was built in about 16 months and Istanbul Park in just under two years, but one would expect some movement in Austin by now.
I’m French and I gotta tell you that I am not offended by any of your comments. We are on strike all the time and everyone makes fun of strikes in here – it’s a great irony. Thus demonstrations are made pointless, that’s the story of our country. I’m sorry to hear that it affected people related to Formula One and I hope it won’t be a problem anymore next time. I don’t believe but at least I hope.
I think you are on the unions Do Not Fly list
Well Joe I’m sorry to say it might happen all over Europe as countries start cutting back on spending. The life of an F1 journalist just might become a little bit harder, travel wise this summer.
[...] that is right: The passengers were held hostage by the ground staff of the Orly airport who were on strike and did not want to roll up the ladder to the aircraft door. Fortunately we only [...]
Hey Joe, why don’t you move The Netherlands? Great logistics and no strikes since well… I can’t remember.
The cheese is different from the French cheese, there is no motor industry to speak of and the weather sucks for 9 months a year.
OK… Switzerland then?
Again! Can’t believe it!!!
Joe seriously what it the percentage of flights you took that were disrupted because of a strike? In 20 years… Be honest.
Maybe you could reassure yourself by thinking that if you have to see a doctor it might be quicker in France than in the UK, and cheaper… When it really matters the French are not bad…
The German have a saying “Happy like God in France” there must be some truth behind it… Maybe we could ask the hundred of thousands of Brits living in France why the hell they live in my country when “good old England” is so close. Mind you I have a couple of ideas as to why they live in Stike-Land
Ago,
Read my reply about France… and perhaps you will understand.
You say that you are English yet you moan when you are in England and things don’t go your way. Then you claim to have French ‘standards’ and then moan about the French too. Is there anywhere in the world that can live up to your exacting standards?? It seems that your actual country of origin and your adopted one don’t quite live up to your expectations.
Sage,
I am not sure I was moaning about the UK, but if you say so… I am sure you will look it up and tell me. The point I am trying to make about France is that the unions proclaim that they are doing what they are doing for a better collectivist society and yet no-one seems to have any responsibility with regard to the people who are being inconvenienced. There is just one strike after another and another and another. So, you ask why does this happen and the answer is that the government is trying to introduce some sensible financial planning for the long-term future of France, to protect the pensions of the future. Maybe there is someone who has a good theory about what good this does for the Sarkozy government, but I cannot see it. It is electorally insane, but clearly the government deems it to be necessary to make sure that France can meet its commitments in the year 2050 (or whenever) and they are acting upon it. Maybe I am stupid, but what I see is a bunch of unionists trying to protect what is already a hugely over-protected public sector workforce, not caring what effect it has on anyone, or what effect it has on the world’s view of France. I love France. It is a great country. I love Britain too (although I am really not so keen on the weather!) I moved to France because in the 1980s I was on a salary as a young journalist and could not afford ANY property in the London area, whereas in France at the time one could buy palaces for much less than a flat in London. I have lived there ever since and I like it very much. I have earned the right to pay taxes, but not the right to vote. My only real gripe is the attitude of the unions, which I think is wrong. It is as if the phrase “Liberté, égalité, fraternité” should have the words “pour moi” added.
Sounds just like Britain in the ’70′s. Is there a Marguerite Thatcher in waiting dans la belle France?
[...] Would you believe it? The return to Paris passed without drama until we touched down at Orly and rolled to our parking spot, whereupon the [...] [...]
Welcome to the working class, mate
Look on the bright side. At least they didn’t go on strike while you were still in the air!
Too funny
Whale Joe, that’s funny SHEISA… Ha-Ha, funny except for you, as I’m guessing you made it off the Aeroplane by now? As I’m assuming that the Frenchies didn’t pull that stunt upon a Mr. David Beckham at Nice, right? And may be there’ll be a sequel to Snakes on the Plane? As I certainly have NEVER had that happen to me upon all of my International travels…
correct country joe , but paris region ? you cannot be serious
in the midi air france doesn’t rule and all the flights are by cheapo uk airlines , ok , they don’t GIVE you your gin and tonic , but you can drive south and use the uk as your long distance hub
go south , young man [ apologies to john soule ]
Colin,
Used to live in the south. Love it, but life sometimes means that one has to move…