October 9, 2026 — Update: Air Corsica cancelled about a quarter of its flights on Friday, the first day of an eight-day pilots’ strike. It is the first strike in the airline’s history.
What happened
What changed since yesterday: the strike has started and the first cancellation figures are in. Nine of the 33 departures from Corsica’s four airports were cancelled on Friday, along with eight arrivals, AFP reports.
The airports affected are Ajaccio, Bastia, Figari and Calvi. The strike is called by the SNPL and SPAC unions, which represent the airline’s 140 pilots, and runs through October 16.
The unions want pay rises. They say pilots accepted a two-year pay freeze and gave up a significant number of leave days to help the airline grow.
Air Corsica says most of its programme is still operating. It is chartering larger aircraft and combining flights, so it argues the cancellation count understates how many passengers are being carried.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Strike dates | October 9–16, 2026 |
| Unions | SNPL and SPAC, for 140 pilots |
| Friday, October 9 | 9 of 33 departures and 8 arrivals cancelled |
| Cancellations for October 10–16 | Not published: TBA |
| New talks | None reported: TBA |
Air Corsica flies seven Airbus jets and seven ATR turboprops and carried 2.29 million passengers in 2024. The Corsican regional authority owns 66.8% of the airline.
What it means for travelers
- Expect combined flights on Air Corsica through October 16. When two flights are combined onto one larger aircraft, the seats go to the passengers from both.
- The flights that do run will be full. A quarter of the schedule is gone and the passengers are being consolidated, not refunded.
- Check who operates your flight. If you are booked to Corsica on another airline’s flight number, confirm the operating carrier before you travel.
- Ferries are the fallback if you must reach the island this week.
- Watch the following weekend. French pilot and cabin crew unions have a separate national strike notice for October 17–21, the day after this strike ends.
Sources
- AFP via 20 Minutes on Yahoo Actualités, Corse : Près d’un quart des vols d’Air Corsica annulés à la suite d’une grève des pilotes
- AFP via Boursorama, Grève des pilotes d’Air Corsica, près d’un quart des vols annulés
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