French Organized "Labor"

So yesterday I was doing an overtime flight to Ft. De France, Martinique, scheduled for a 1240 departure from SJU and returning at 1720. Let me give you a brief history of airline service to the french islands of Martinique and Guadaloupe.

1) Guadaloupe has in the past dumped bananas across the runway to prevent aircraft from taking off or landing...

2) Ft. De France has seized an American Eagle ATR and refused to let it return home (until the US State Department got involved)...

3) Ft. De France has been on strike for various reasons three times since I have been in the Caribbean...

Yesterday it was my turn to have it directly affect me. The air traffic controllers are now on strike until the end of April and about one plane every fifteen minutes is accepted into their airspace by the ATC management. We left out parking spot in San Juan yesterday a little early and just before takeoff we were told "taxi to holding spot G, and await departure slot". 1 hour and 15 minutes later we were told to expect takeoff in 15 minutes...we finally left. So now we are airborne and the whole flight is a mess, horrible weather in Martinique and airplanes holding until the weather improves.

To make a long story short I was supposed to make 4 hours of overtime on this flight and I made over 7 hours. In my opinion the ATC people in France should get what they want...more money. Then, for the next few years, deduct from their pay all the money that they caused other people to spend on their behalf. Anyway, the french controllers are horrible anyway...we typically say "bonjour", announce our intentions and position, then keep going on our planned routing since they cannot be understood anyway.

I am leaving on a four day trip with overnights tonight in St. Lucia, tomorrow in St. Thomas, then in Trinidad. I will return Saturday morning to welcome my brother and his friend to Spring Break Puerto Rico!