EASYJET flights to and from France will be hit by a 48-hour strike by cabin crew this Christmas.

The walkout will affect routes at Paris Orly, Charles de Gaulle, Lyon, Nice and Toulouse and runs from December 25-26.

The British budget airline expects it will have to cancel up to half of French flights on Boxing Day. More details will be known by Wednesday.

Two unions representing cabin crew, SNPNC-FO and Unac, are complaining about working conditions, changes to the employee share options scheme and are calling for better social cover.

EasyJet is France's second biggest airline in terms of market share, behind Air France.