LUTON- A strike by easyJet (U2) cabin crew based in France is expected to disrupt New Year travel on January 1, 2026, affecting operations at key airports including Paris Orly (ORY), Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG), Nice (NCE), Bordeaux (BOD), Lyon (LYS), and Nantes (NTE).
The union UNAC has called for a full stoppage after talks with easyJet (U2) failed, with the action focused on French bases and flights operating through airports such as Paris Orly (ORY) and Nice (NCE).
easyJet France Cabin Crew to Strike
The strike motion was filed by UNAC, a minority union representing easyJet cabin crew in France, following the breakdown of compulsory annual negotiations with airline management.
The dispute centres on scheduling practices, which the union says create instability for staff and trigger operational problems across the airline’s network.
Although UNAC is not the largest union, the walkout is expected to cause cancellations and delays across French airports where the airline maintains major crew bases.
Early morning departures are likely to face the greatest risk of disruption, particularly where flights rely on French-based crew, Connexion reported.
Impact on Passengers and Flights
Passengers travelling with easyJet on January 1 are advised to monitor email notifications and the airline app for flight information.
The airline may introduce a revised schedule or offer free rebooking options for affected services, although no final update has been announced as of December 29, 2025.
Unlike Christmas Day, when most airlines operate reduced services, easyJet typically runs near-normal schedules on New Year’s Day. This increases the likelihood of noticeable disruption should significant numbers of crew participate in the strike.
The dispute comes shortly after the main union representing French easyJet cabin crew, SNPNC-FO, withdrew planned Christmas strike action after reaching a late agreement with management over similar scheduling concerns. As SNPNC-FO will not join the January 1 action, the scale of disruption is expected to be contained but still significant.
UNAC members voted by 64.2 percent to reject the airline’s proposals. The union states that frequent last-minute schedule changes place pressure on staff availability, personal lives, and well-being, and can also increase airline costs through sick leave, repositioning expenses, and refunds to disrupted passengers.
Union Concerns over Operations
According to the union, cabin crew frequently see several duty changes in a single day, leading to fatigue and burnout for some employees.
UNAC argues that stabilising schedules is essential for both staff welfare and business performance, and that the current structure contributes to what it describes as operational instability.
At present, the strike is planned as a single-day action, and no further dates have been filed. However, the situation highlights ongoing tension over rostering practices in the low-cost airline sector and the potential for future disruption if systemic solutions are not agreed.
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