More trouble for Paris-bound fans

Snow blankets the Paris landmark, la Place de la Concorde

Hundreds of Welsh rugby fans heading to Paris for this Saturday's Six Nations match are likely to be affected by Air France workers' industrial action.

It will mean a second day of disruption - on Wednesday groups of fans were grounded after snow halted UK flights into Charles De Gaulle airport.

Passengers at Cardiff have linked up with Eurostar or been redirected to East Midlands airport.

Welsh Rugby Union Chief Executive David Moffett was among those unable to fly.

Aeroports de Paris said the planned strike was not airport-wide and concerned only Air France runway staff.

If it goes ahead, it is likely to affect Welsh fans travelling from London on Air France.

Closer to home at Cardiff International Airport, the next scheduled flight to Paris is due to leave Cardiff at 0730 GMT on Thursday, with a chartered service taking off a few hours later at 1300 GMT.

A Bmibaby spokeswoman said that "a large number" of passengers, who had been given refunds, would be taken by coach to travel to France by Eurostar.

Others were transferred to a flight from East Mildlands airport or accommodated on weekend flights.

Charles de Gaulle airport was said to be opening for short intervals, allowing about a third of planes in, but all flights suffered an average delay of about an hour.

One fan stranded at the airport Paul Rogers said: "It's a rugby weekend so everyone just wants to get to Paris to enjoy themselves."

Fans at the airport were offered alternative travel

But another supporter Peter Richards decided to give up and stay at home.

"It's added to the long journey, so we decided to knock it on the head and we'll make it two years hence," he said.

"The minor problem is to dispose of the tickets - if I can't get rid of them at home, I'll pop down here tomorrow."

BBC reporter Treeva Fenwick, who was due to fly to Paris on a cancelled flight, said: "We all got onto the plane and then we were told by the pilot that Charles de Gaulle had just shut because of the bad weather.

"Everyone thought they were being very clever to beat the crowds by going today but obviously they face a bit of uncertainty now.

"They don't really know how they are going to get there."

At least fans who do eventually make to the French capital it in time for Saturday's clash are unlikely to encounter the further disappointment of a postponement.

The pitch at the Stade de France has been covered since the bad weather hit Paris, and a spokesperson at the venue said the game was unlikely to be called off.