easyJet France pilot strike, 13–14 September 2026
The strike has been called but has not started. It can still be called off; check your flight status before travelling. Last checked 2026-09-12.
easyJet's French pilots, represented by SNPL, have called a strike from 04:59 on Sunday 13 September to 23:59 on Monday 14 September 2026. A strike by an airline's own pilots is not an extraordinary circumstance, so cancelled passengers are owed compensation as well as care.
Work out what you are owed →When
From 04:59 on Sunday 13 September to 23:59 on Monday 14 September 2026 (local time).
Who is striking, and why it matters
Pilots based in France, called out by the SNPL union over repeated short-notice changes to their rosters. It follows an easyJet cabin crew strike on 15–16 August 2026 that caused around 98 cancellations and ended with the airline granting crew protected days; the pilots are asking for the same terms. The union has said the strike can still be averted if easyJet applies them.
Compensation is owed
This is a strike by easyJet's own pilots, not by air traffic control or airport staff. In Krüsemann v TUIfly (C-195/17) the Court of Justice held that industrial action among a carrier's own personnel is part of the normal exercise of its activity and therefore not an extraordinary circumstance. An airline that refuses on “strike” grounds has to explain why that judgment does not apply to it.
Airports most likely to be affected
- Paris Orly (ORY)
- Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG)
- Lyon (LYS)
- Nice (NCE)
- Nantes (NTE)
- Bordeaux (BOD)
- Toulouse (TLS)
A flight departing any EU airport is covered by EU261 whoever operates it. An easyJet flight from a UK airport falls under UK261 instead, at £220, £350 or £520 — the UK261 page sets that out.
What you are owed
| Distance of the flight | Per passenger |
|---|---|
| Under 1,500 km | €250 |
| 1,500–3,500 km, and any flight within the EU over 1,500 km | €400 |
| Over 3,500 km between an EU and a non-EU airport | €600 |
Halved if easyJet re-routes you and you arrive within two, three or four hours of your original arrival time, by band. Outside those windows the full amount is due.
What to do, in order
- Screenshot the cancellation. Take the email or app notification showing the flight number, the original time and the word cancelled. Airlines re-issue bookings and the original record can disappear.
- Ask for the reason in writing. One line is enough: “Please confirm in writing the reason for the cancellation of flight [number] on [date].” If the answer says strike, that helps you rather than them, given Krüsemann.
- Take the care you are owed, and keep receipts. Meals, refreshments and a hotel with transport if you are stuck overnight. This is owed under Article 9 whatever the cause, and it is not capped. If easyJet does not provide it and you pay yourself, claim the money back with the receipts.
- Claim the compensation separately. Re-routing or a refund under Article 8 is a different entitlement from the fixed compensation under Article 7. Accepting one does not waive the other.
Where to send it
The easyJet claim guide has the airline's own EU261 form, its expenses form, and the refusals it tends to send back. easyJet asks for 28 days to respond before you involve anyone else.
Sources
This page reports what has been announced. It is not affiliated with easyJet or with SNPL, and the position can change — check your own flight status.