French Bee uses wet-lease aircraft amid cabin crew strike

French Bee, a long-haul low-cost airline owned by the Dubreuil Group, is facing a multi-day strike by cabin crew that began on Thursday and is expected to last until August 31. The labor action is driven by stalled negotiations regarding higher base salaries, improved scheduling stability, and better working conditions on long-haul routes.

To minimize flight cancellations during the peak summer travel season, the airline is utilizing wet-lease aircraft and crews from the Spanish charter company Wamos Air. This measure is estimated to cost approximately eight million euros for the duration of the strike week. Despite these efforts, some disruptions have occurred, including the cancellation of a flight from Paris-Orly to Los Angeles.

The SNPNC-FO union has highlighted issues such as unstable scheduling, demanding that rosters be fixed at least 14 days in advance to allow for better work-life balance. While the airline reported a revenue increase to nearly 494 million euros, it also recorded a slight loss of 7 million euros, adding financial pressure to the ongoing social tensions.