French easyJet pilots postpone strike but flights at risk September 24 and 25

French-based pilots at budget carrier easyJet have postponed strike action that was set for the start of this week following the resumption of negotiations with management. 

However, unions have not lifted the strike notice but pushed it back to next week.

The strike motion, covering pilots based in France, was originally set to cover September 13 - 14 (Sunday and Monday), before being called off over the weekend.

It has been postponed to September 24 - 25 (next Thursday and Friday), said pilot union Syndicat National des Pilotes de Ligne (SNPL) that called the strike.

This is to “give this renewed dialogue a genuine chance of success,” the union said in a press release. 

“At this stage, no firm commitments have yet been secured regarding key demands, particularly concerning schedule stability and working conditions,” it added, but welcomed the attempt at dialogue.

EasyJet cabin crew based in France recently went on strike, impacting nearly 100 flights according to easyJet - and 198 according to unions – before new agreements on schedules and compensation for schedule changes were reached. 

Pilots say their schedules are often chaotic

Similar to cabin crew, pilots say that their schedules are being adapted too frequently – and with too little notice – by the airline.

“It is not uncommon for a pilot to end the month with a schedule where not a single day matches what was originally planned at the start of the month,” said the SNPL. 

The union has pointed to the recent victory for cabin crew, arguing that pilots should benefit from the same benefits. 

Pilots “operate the same aircraft and the same flight rotations within the same operational environment,” it said.

French bases to face brunt of strike

If no negotiation between the union and management is reached, the strike motion allows for pilots based at the airline's six French bases – Paris Orly, Paris Charles-de-Gaulle, Nantes, Lyon, Nice, and Bordeaux – to strike across the period. 

This may cause considerable disruption to flights to and from these bases.

However, pilots must give 48 hours notice of their intention to strike, giving the airline warning.

Passengers set to travel across these dates should check communication channels from the airline (notably email, text, or the easyJet app) for updates.

In the event of a delay or cancellation, passengers are entitled to compensation because the fault lies directly with easyJet and its staff, and cannot be classed as an extenuating circumstance (as is often the case for airport worker strikes, weather conditions, etc).