EasyJet is reported to be planning talks with French cabin crew unions after two strikes over Christmas and new year.
The budget airline cancelled 30% of its flights in France on new year’s eve because of a new two-day strike by cabin crew.
Unions representing French cabin crew called on their members to strike on December 31 and January 1, to press demands for better scheduling and pay, in a move which echoed a Christmas walkout on December 25-26.
A meeting with the SNPNC-FO trade union is planned for January 7 following staff protests against scheduling and a 25% drop in annual bonuses, given in the form of company shares.
EasyJet said 70 flights to or from France were affected on Wednesday, of which 38 served Paris. It would only operate 166 flights to and from France, a statement said.
The airline said it flew 927 flights across its network on December 31 and of those 562 to and from the UK.
The unions complain that easyJet is making too many last-minute changes to the schedules of cabin crew staff. They are also opposing making bonus payments dependent upon customer satisfaction, when much of the passenger experience is determined by check-in and luggage handling that is outsourced to other companies.