easyJet passengers flying to or from France this month have been warned they could face disruption after cabin crew unions filed a new strike notice. The notice applies to all of easyJet's French bases and covers the period from August 7 to September 2.
Strike Notice Details
However, the notice does not mean cabin crew will strike continuously for almost a month. Instead, it gives unions the legal right to call strike action on selected days during the period. No strike dates have yet been announced, with unions saying they will provide at least 48 hours' notice before any industrial action takes place.
The latest development follows an earlier strike notice filed in July which was temporarily suspended because of major wildfires in Gironde and Landes. Union leaders said they did not want to disrupt the return of residents affected by the fires. With the situation now stabilised, they have resumed their dispute with easyJet.
Affected Airports
The airports facing strikes include: Paris Charles de Gaulle, Paris Orly, Lyon, Nice, and Bordeaux.
Unions' Concerns
The three unions representing easyJet France cabin crew - SNPNC-FO, UNAC-CFE-CGC and UNPNC-CFDT - said negotiations with management had failed to deliver satisfactory improvements to working conditions. They claim cabin crew are increasingly being moved from two flights to four in a day, switched between early and late duties at short notice and temporarily assigned to different bases.
The unions also raised concerns about longer duty rotations, reduced rest because of delays and an increase in overnight flying at some bases.
Potential Withdrawal
The unions said the strike notice could still be withdrawn if easyJet puts forward "clear, concrete and meaningful" proposals during negotiations. EasyJet previously said it was "very disappointed" by the strike notice and said measures had already been proposed to address cabin crew concerns. The airline also pointed to further negotiations scheduled for September and urged unions to withdraw the notice during one of the busiest periods of the year for passengers.
Passenger Advice
For now, no flights have been cancelled and there are no confirmed strike dates. Passengers travelling with easyJet during the affected period should regularly check their flight status through the airline's website or app and monitor emails and text messages for updates. If industrial action is called and flights are cancelled, affected passengers should be contacted directly by easyJet about their available options.
