Airline strike, 9 to 16 October 2026

Air Corsica pilots' strike notice: what EU 261 says

Compensation may be owed. The Court of Justice has ruled that a strike by an airline's own staff is not an extraordinary circumstance. Meals, a hotel when needed and the choice of a refund are owed as well.

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General information, not legal advice. Not a promise of payment.

What has been announced

The pilots' unions SNPL and SPAC have filed a strike notice at Air Corsica for 9 to 16 October 2026, after several days of negotiation with the airline that did not end in an agreement. The unions say the airline's latest offer would freeze the pay rises that follow seniority, and that they remain available to keep negotiating. The notice does not name flights. This page describes the notice as it stood on 5 October 2026.

Source: SNPL France ALPA, press release of 1 October 2026, read on 5 October 2026.

What the unions have said

On 1 October 2026, SNPL and SPAC said, in French: “À l’issue de plusieurs journées de négociation infructueuse, le Syndicat des pilotes de l’aviation civile (SPAC) et le Syndicat national des pilotes de ligne (SNPL) ont déposé un préavis de grève du 9 au 16 octobre 2026.” In English: after several days of unsuccessful negotiation, the Syndicat des pilotes de l’aviation civile (SPAC) and the Syndicat national des pilotes de ligne (SNPL) have filed a strike notice for 9 to 16 October 2026.

The press release, in French.

What EU 261 says

Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 excuses an airline from paying compensation only if it proves extraordinary circumstances (Article 5(3)). The Court of Justice has ruled that a strike called by a trade union of the airline's own staff is not one (Airhelp v SAS (C-28/20), 2021), nor is a wildcat strike where crew call in sick together (Krüsemann, C-195/17, 2018). For flights the airline operated, compensation may be owed by distance: €250, €400 or €600.

Owed whatever the cause

Extraordinary circumstances excuse the compensation only. For a cancellation, you still have the choice between a refund and another flight, meals and drinks, two calls or messages, and a hotel and the transfer to it if the new flight leaves the next day or later (Article 5(1)). For a long delay, care is owed by the hours below (Article 6). The UK kept the same rules after leaving the EU.

While you wait: Meals and drinks are owed from 2 h on short flights, 4 h on the longest.
Refund or rebooking: From 5 h: you can give up the trip and get the unused fare back in 7 days.
When nothing is owed: No compensation if the cause was outside the airline's control — weather, air-traffic control, or someone else's strike. Meals and a hotel are owed anyway.

These are the lines AirwayControl shows for a route under EU 261, word for word. The table of causes has what the courts have said about each.

What to do today

Keep everything. Boarding pass, the airline's messages, and receipts for meals, taxis and a hotel. Costs can be repaid even when compensation is not.
Ask the airline in writing. Ask what caused the disruption and what measures it took. The claim template asks for both, and you send it from your own email.
Still no? Take it to the complaints body in the country you departed from. The time limit depends on the country.

AirwayControl

Or let the app fill it in.

AirwayControl is a flight tracker for iPhone and Apple Watch. Set your flight before you leave, and it follows the day for you. If the day goes wrong, it already knows the details the claim needs.

It tells you when it matters. A notification when your flight lands three hours late or more.
It knows which rules cover your route. EU 261, UK 261 and the rules of 18 more countries, in plain words.
It fills in the claim. Airline, flight number, date and route come from My Flight.
You send it. From your own email, or through the airline's own claim form with every answer ready to copy.
No fee and no share. AirwayControl never takes a part of what you receive.

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Questions people ask

Is compensation owed when an airline's own staff strike?

It may be. The Court of Justice ruled in Airhelp v SAS that a strike by an airline's own staff, called by their union, is not an extraordinary circumstance. Meals, a hotel when needed and the choice of a refund are owed as well.

Am I owed a hotel if my flight is cancelled?

EU 261 says a hotel and the transfer to it are owed when a cancellation moves you to the next day or a long delay keeps you overnight, whatever caused it. Extraordinary circumstances excuse the compensation, not the care.

Is AirwayControl a claims company?

No. It tells you which rules cover your route and writes the claim, and you send it from your own email. AirwayControl never sends or handles a claim for you, and takes no share.

When something goes wrong

Today's rules, problem by problem. The main guide covers delays and cancellations, and the checker shows which rules cover your route.

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General information about air passenger rules, not legal advice and not a promise of payment. Your airline decides; a complaints body decides on appeal. AirwayControl never submits or handles claims: the mail is yours, from your own account. Rules last checked 9 August 2026. The regulation and the judgments named on this page were read in full on 3 October 2026.

Sources: Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 and the European Union's own guide to air passenger rights. Court of Justice of the European Union, Airhelp v SAS (C-28/20): the judgment. Krüsemann (C-195/17): the judgment.