EasyJet strike sees 100 French flights cancelled

EasyJet, the British budget airline, cancelled around 100 flights from French airports over the weekend due to a strike by cabin crew. The dispute centers on the crew's dissatisfaction with frequent changes to their schedules, which has made personal and family planning extremely difficult. Half of EasyJet's 900 French-based cabin crew members are expected to participate in the strike, which will impact about half of the airline's flights from Paris airports Nice, Bordeaux, and Lyon.

The management of EasyJet described the strike as "opportunistic" as it coincides with a major national holiday weekend when airports are typically busy. EasyJet, which recently completed a $7.7 billion takeover by US private equity firm Apollo, holds a significant market share in France, second only to Air France. Most of the cancelled flights took place on Friday, and the company urged passengers to find alternative routes.

William Bourdon of the SNPNC-FO union expressed the crew's desire for stability in their duties, highlighting that some crew members face changes to their hours and destinations up to 50-60 times per week. The unions involved in the talks have warned of potential strikes between August 7 and September 2. EasyJet had previously urged its staff to avoid striking during this busy weekend, stating that it had made offers to address the crew's concerns and that further talks were scheduled for September.

The airline had also faced a strike in April, which had a limited impact. The unions accused EasyJet of offering bonuses of up to 700 euros to work during the previous strike, a move that Bourdon condemned as "illegal." Passengers with bookings on EasyJet during the strike period are advised to check with the airline 48 hours in advance and monitor The Local's strike section for updates on strike dates and information.