Concerns Raised by the National Union of Airline Pilots

The British low-cost airline easyJet is currently under scrutiny from the National Union of Airline Pilots (SNPL) regarding its recruitment practices at its newly established base in Marrakech, which was inaugurated in the spring of 2026. The union alleges that the airline is hiring pilots as independent contractors through an intermediary company based in Ireland, raising significant concerns about the social protections and working conditions afforded to these aviation professionals. This situation has been reported by the French newspaper La Tribune, highlighting the potential implications for pilot welfare and industry standards.

As easyJet's first operational hub on the African continent, the Marrakech base currently operates three aircraft and services approximately thirty routes to Europe. It is estimated that this new unit will create around 100 direct jobs, including approximately 60 positions for pilots. Initially, the crews assigned to this base will come from other groups within the airline, but easyJet plans to establish a local workforce through a new recruitment model that has sparked controversy.

Potential Risks of Social Dumping

The SNPL has expressed concerns regarding the long-term recruitment of pilots, indicating that these professionals might be contracted through Storm Global, a company specializing in the supply of aviation labor in Ireland. This type of contract, involving independent or non-employed professionals, is unprecedented within the easyJet network and is perceived by the union as a strategy aimed at minimizing costs to maximize financial margins.

Moreover, the SNPL warns of the risk of social dumping, where the financial and social responsibilities are offloaded onto the pilots themselves. This includes limited social protection and lack of coverage in cases of absence from work, which could lead to precarious working conditions. In addition to labor issues, the union has raised concerns about potential impacts on operational safety, although there have been no reported incidents linked to this recruitment practice at this time.

In response to these allegations, easyJet has neither confirmed nor denied the specifics of the contracts in question. However, the airline emphasized that none of the pilots currently based in Marrakech have been hired through service providers, noting that the use of recruitment agencies is a common practice in the Moroccan aviation sector, utilized by other airlines as well.

As reported by aeroin.net.