Low-cost carrier easyJet has confirmed that its French pilot union (SNPL) has deferred the 24–25 September strike to 1–2 October after “constructive dialogue” with management. The last-minute reprieve spares thousands of travellers booked through Paris-Orly, Lyon and Nice during the busy papal-visit weekend. However, the union’s communiqué warns that unless talks on fatigue-management rules yield results by 30 September, a 48-hour stoppage will go ahead, potentially grounding up to 250 flights—including key business routes to London-Gatwick, Berlin and Milan. easyJet says customers flying this week should check in as normal but advises those travelling after 30 September to monitor inboxes for free rebooking or refund options. Under EU261, the airline would owe compensation because the dispute is internal and not an extraordinary circumstance. Corporate travel managers are updating duty-of-care platforms and considering rerouting executives through Air France and Vueling, but warn that reduced capacity plus possible SNCF strike action on 29 September could inflate fares. Mobility teams moving employees under the Passeport Talent scheme next month may need to adjust arrival dates to ensure residence-permit validation appointments are not missed. The episode highlights ongoing labour tensions in France’s aviation sector as carriers ramp up operations ahead of expected 2026 passenger-traffic records. Other unions at Air France and Transavia are watching easyJet’s negotiations closely, raising the risk of a broader autumn of disruption.
Source: The Connexion (France)
