Half-term travel disruption fears as French air crews call strike

French air travel unions are calling on workers across the country to strike at the start of October half-term school holidays, a move that could plunge thousands of families into travel chaos. 

Five unions representing cabin crew and pilots across France – UNSA PNC, SNPNC, SNGAF, SNPL, and UNAC – have come together to file a strike notice running between Saturday, October 17 and Wednesday, October 21. 

The unions represent cabin crew and pilots based in France working for French and international airlines, including both budget carriers such as easyJet and Transavia, as well as French flag carrier Air France. 

The strike has been called over plans to more closely align employment income and pensions, which unions say is disadvantageous for workers in the sector. 

Around 36,000 active pilots and cabin crew pay into the pension scheme at the centre of the  strike notice, although unions have called on all French-based staff to walk out across the days covered. 

If turnout is high, families travelling for the start of the Toussaint (All Saints) school holidays may be impacted by delays and cancellations. 

Travel staff often choose holiday periods such as Toussaint and the weeks leading up to Christmas to file  strike notice, maximising the threat of disruption. 

It comes during a time of heightened tensions in the sector. EasyJet cabin crew recently called off strike action following a new agreement with management, however pilots for the budget carrier continue to threaten their own strike. 

As of today, a strike notice for October 1 - 2 is in place for easyJet pilots based in France.

Note that a strike notice does not necessarily mean that all workers covered will walk out on the given days, only that they have the right to do so – although must give advance notice.

Those planning to travel to or from France on any of the above dates should keep informed about travel plans through their airline. 

New pension rules harm pilots, say unions

The unions have come together to call for strike action in response to planned changes for retirement benefits, set to come into force from 2027. 

The rules, included in last year’s social security budget, place limits on people aged under 64 (the eventual retirement age in France) who continue to work but have started to claim their pension. 

For this group, the amount of income (pension withdrawal and salary) will be capped so that it cannot exceed the pension alone. 

In other words, their full employment earnings will be deducted from their pension withdrawal, potentially leaving them unable to withdraw a pension at all depending on how much they work.

Workers aged between 64 and 67 will be able to withdraw full pensions while they continue to work without this restriction, provided they do not earn more than €7,000 gross income from employment per year. 

All earnings above this threshold will be subject to a 50% deduction from their pension.

It is only above the age of 67 that no penalties are imposed and pensions and salary can be fully combined.

Unions however argue that the aerial sector is unique and should be exempt from the rules. 

The new rules are “particularly punitive and unsuited to the unique nature of our professions,” said the unions in a statement.

This is in part due to “strict medical monitoring that could lead to a premature end to one's career [and] a retirement age... imposed by law.”

Cabin crew have a mandatory retirement age of 55 (from cabin crew activities on public transport, but based on medical fitness tests they can continue working in private roles). Pilots have a retirement limit of 60, renewable yearly up to 65 if they only work on multi-pilot flights.

In both cases, they can switch to other careers after retirement from this role to continue working.

In turn, cabin crew and pilots benefit from a different pension fund (Caisse de retraite du personnel navigant professionnel de l'aéronautique civile, CRPN), a supplementary scheme on top of the state benefits and which has some of the highest contribution rates in France. It has a mandatory cessation of 65. 

Unions are concerned that the rules would severely limit pilots and crew forced to retire early but who continue to work in other roles, as their income would be restricted by the previously high pension. 

Other pilots are exempt from the new rules, including those working civil protection and medical transport roles.

Unions said the new rules would “cap our CRPN pensions to replenish state coffers at the expense of our profession-specific arrangements and our purchasing power.”

They have received “limited promises,” from the government over exemption, but say that no concrete rule changes have been proposed. However, they remain open to dialogue, meaning the strike may be called off if an agreement is reached.