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Visitors to France face travel chaos this week as air traffic controllers stage a nationwide strike starting from tomorrow - just days after industrial action by railway workers across the country.

SNCTA and Unsa-ICNA, the two biggest air traffic control unions, have warned passengers of 'heavy disruption' just as the holiday season gets into swing.

However they will have to wait until the 11th hour to find out whether they are definitely affected.

Airlines have offered preliminary advice to passengers but with less than 24 hours to go they are unable to confirm which flights are cancelled.

Estimates have put the number of expected cancellations this week as high as 50 per cent, but there are claims that even this is a conservative estimate.

There will also be massive delays at all French airports, as the entire air system is affected by the walk-outs, which will last from Tuesday until Sunday, June 29.

Around 350 direct flights are currently scheduled between the UK and France during the planned strike period.

British budget carrier easyJet, which operates from 14 airports in France, said they expect 50 per cent of its flights will be cancelled.

A spokeswoman for the airline said: 'EasyJet is disappointed at this unnecessary strike action which has the potential to cause considerable disruption and cancellations for passengers and airlines across Europe.

'Despite the fact that this disruption is beyond easyJet's control we will do everything possible to minimise the inconvenience to our customers. 

'As the scale of the disruption becomes clearer we will proactively provide advice for our passengers through our website, text messages and flight tracker tool.'

Air France said it hopes its long-haul flights run as normal but is not able to provide information about short and medium-haul journeys until later today.

EasyJet: Budget British airline has told passengers that approximately 50 per cent of flights will be cancelled

British Airways hopes to reduce the backlog by switching to larger aircraft on some routes but said it could not finalise plans until the number of cancellations ordered by France's Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGAC) was clear.

BA, which operates 30 return flights a day between Britain and France, said: 'The level of disruption is likely to fluctuate in different parts of France at different parts of each day.

'Unfortunately this industrial action is also highly likely to lead to delays on other short-haul services which have to overfly France.'

Ryanair is expected to make decisions about routes later today.

French travel turmoil: Air traffic controllers join rail workers in a nationwide strike

A spokesman added: 'We are assessing the situation and are not yet certain of the level of disruption expected, but will advise our customers once we have further information.'

The action has been timed ahead of a deadline on June 30 for France to present its five-year budget plans for aviation to Brussels.

More than 60 per cent of France's 4,000 air traffic controllers have voted in favour of the protest against government aviation cuts.

They said that the controversial measures, which will be implemented between 2015 and 2019, will lead to a cheaper, less efficient system, and threaten 'modernisation'.

In turn, Mr Hollande's government insists that the cuts simply comply with European Commission plans to reduce air navigation costs.

Bigger jets: British Airways are considering using larger aircraft to ease travel nightmare

The Commission wants to divide the continent's airspace into functional blocks according to traffic flows, rather than national borders.

An estimated 17.1 million Brits travel to France each year, mostly during the summer months.

French retail workers are also set to strike, meaning that famous Paris department stores including Galeries Lafayette and Printemps will be shut down to those who do make it across the Channel.

This industrial action is in protest at Foreign Minister Larent Fabius's decision to introduce Sunday opening hours to boost tourism - a measure the CLIC-P union argues will have 'no economic benefit' and will instead destroy an established day of rest.

Developments in France come at the same time as the UK Passport Office fiasco, which has led to Home Secretary Theresa May promising a free fast-track service to people with an 'urgent' need to travel.