Barely a week after Paris transport workers downed tools, Corsica is bracing for fresh turbulence: pilots’ unions SNPL and SPAC have filed a strike notice covering all Air Corsica flights from 9 to 16 October 2026. The walk-out coincides with the island’s ‘meziornu di i santi’ holiday period, traditionally a peak time for both leisure visitors and Marseille-based offshore-energy commuters. Union representatives say the dispute centres on pay alignment with regional-carrier peers and the preservation of seniority clauses as Air Corsica upgrades its ATR72 fleet to Airbus A220 jets over the next 18 months. Management argues that the airline’s hybrid public-service obligation (PSO) model—under which the French state subsidises essential mainland routes—cannot support the 6 % wage hike being demanded. Talks at the Direction Générale de l’Aviation Civile (DGAC) ended late on 7 October without resolution. During previous pilot strikes, Air Corsica wet-leased capacity from Transavia and Volotea, but sources in Ajaccio say short-notice A220 flight-deck qualifications make that harder this time. The carrier has warned passengers booked during the strike window to postpone non-essential travel or seek refunds; flexible tickets are being revalidated free of charge. For businesses, the timing is awkward. Corsica hosts several defence-industry suppliers and a burgeoning tech-outsourcing hub in Bastia. Expats scheduled for immigration appointments at the Haute-Corse prefecture could see their visas lapse if they cannot return to the mainland in time. Mobility managers should check whether employees hold multi-company travel insurance that covers ‘PSO disruption’, as some basic corporate policies exclude island-route strikes. DGAC has the legal authority to requisition minimum staffing under France’s public-transport continuity law, but has not yet indicated whether it will do so. Travellers may therefore face significant schedule volatility over the coming week.
Source: Strike Tracker
