The Syndicat National des Pilotes de Ligne (SNPL) has postponed a 24-25 September walk-out to 1-2 October, giving negotiators more time to resolve rostering disputes. The move, confirmed on 23 September, is the second deferral this month but keeps pressure on EasyJet’s six French bases—Orly, CDG, Lyon, Nice, Nantes and Bordeaux. Pilots complain that last-minute schedule changes can wipe out planned rest days, breaching EU Flight Time Limitations. They want the same concessions cabin crew obtained in August, including minimum 10-hour blocks between duty periods and better hotel standards on night stops. Should talks collapse, up to 240 rotations, many serving corporate city pairs such as Paris–Milan and Lyon–Toulouse, could be cancelled. Under EU261 rules, passengers would be owed compensation because the disruption is airline-driven, not an extraordinary circumstance. Travel-management companies are advising clients with early-October meetings to build redundancy, either by booking through Air France or by keeping rail options open. EasyJet says affected customers will be re-routed within 48 hours or refunded. The episode highlights a broader trend of labour unrest in French aviation as staff push for better work-life balance after the post-COVID traffic rebound.
Source: The Connexion
