Home » France Travel News » New Year Travel Faces Disruption as easyJet France Cabin Crew Plan January 1 Strike

Published on
December 30, 2025

New Year travel across France is expected to face disruption on January 1, 2026, following the announcement of strike action by France-based cabin crew employed by easyJet. The planned work stoppage is set to coincide with a period when the airline typically operates close to a normal New Year’s Day schedule, increasing the likelihood of noticeable impacts for travelers. The industrial action has been called after negotiations between airline management and a cabin crew union failed to reach an agreement, placing uncertainty over flights operating through several major French airports at the start of the year.

Strike Action and Affected easyJet Operations

The strike has been initiated by UNAC, a union representing a portion of easyJet cabin crew based in France. The action is planned as a full stoppage and is focused specifically on French crew bases. As a result, easyJet services operating through Paris Orly Airport, Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, Bordeaux Airport, Lyon Airport, and Nantes Airport are expected to be affected.

Passengers holding tickets on easyJet flights scheduled for January 1 have been advised to closely monitor communications from the airline, including email notifications and updates provided through the easyJet mobile application. While a revised operating plan or flexible rebooking options may be introduced for impacted services, no final schedule changes had been confirmed as of December 29, 2025.

New Year Travel and Passenger Movement Dynamics

New Year’s Day represents a significant travel window, particularly for tourists returning from holiday trips or beginning short seasonal breaks. Unlike Christmas Day, when airline schedules are often reduced, easyJet generally maintains near-normal operations on January 1. This operational pattern means that any reduction in available cabin crew has the potential to affect a larger number of flights and passengers than would typically be expected on other public holidays.

For travelers, New Year journeys are often closely timed around accommodation check-outs, onward connections, and limited post-holiday availability. Disruptions during this period can therefore influence broader travel planning, even when only a portion of services is impacted. The situation highlights the importance of real-time flight monitoring during peak seasonal transitions.

Tourism Uncertainty During Peak Holiday Transitions

Holiday travel periods are shaped by predictability, with tourists often relying on established schedules to coordinate movement across destinations. When industrial action coincides with these periods, uncertainty becomes a defining feature of the travel experience. Even limited disruption can alter passenger behavior, prompting closer attention to airline updates and contingency planning.

In this context, January 1 travel carries particular sensitivity, as it marks both the end and beginning of holiday cycles for many travelers. The presence of a strike notice introduces an additional variable into an already time-specific travel environment, reinforcing the need for flexibility among those moving through affected airports.

Background to the Cabin Crew Dispute

The current dispute follows the breakdown of compulsory annual negotiations between easyJet management and UNAC. According to the union, the disagreement centers on scheduling practices, which have been described as contributing to instability for cabin crew and operational challenges within the airline’s network.

The strike announcement comes shortly after a separate labor issue involving SNPNC-FO, the main union representing French easyJet cabin crew. That organization had previously withdrawn planned strike action over the Christmas period after reaching a late agreement with airline management. SNPNC-FO has confirmed it will not participate in the January 1 strike, a factor expected to limit, though not eliminate, the scale of disruption.

What Travelers Can Expect on January 1

With only a minority union participating, the overall impact is expected to remain contained while still being significant enough to affect scheduled operations. easyJet passengers traveling on January 1 are encouraged to remain attentive to airline communications and be prepared for potential changes to departure times or flight availability.

As the New Year begins, travel through France’s major airports is set to proceed under heightened uncertainty, shaped by the interaction between holiday demand and unresolved labor issues within the airline’s French cabin crew base.

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