Night shifts, radiation, passive smoke: French flight attendant wins landmark breast cancer ruling

PARIS, Aug 26 — A former Air France flight attendant has succeeded in having her breast cancer recognised as an occupational disease, in what her lawyer and union said was a first for France’s aviation industry.

A court in Bayonne ruled in early July that Sophie Lainault’s cancer was occupationally linked to years of night work, exposure to ionising radiation and passive smoking.

“It is truly my dearest wish that this opens the way for other women who might not have dared until now,” the 59-year-old told AFP.

Lainault, now in remission, worked for Air France from 1989 to 2019 as a flight attendant and later as a purser on long-haul services.

She accumulated more than 12,600 flight hours, including over 6,500 at night, while smoking was permitted on Air France flights until 2000.

The court also noted that no genetic or lifestyle-related factors could otherwise explain her cancer.

Two regional committees responsible for recognising occupational diseases had previously concluded that no link had been established.

Breast cancer is not on France’s official list of occupational diseases, making recognition a potentially lengthy and difficult process.

Lainault said she fought for two and a half years with support from the CFDT union and that the final ruling would allow her to retire early.

Her lawyer Elisabeth Leroux said no appeal had been filed and described the decision as setting a legal precedent.

Air France said it was not involved in the proceedings and had not been informed of the court’s reasoning, adding that employee health and safety was an “absolute priority”.

In 2023, a French nurse who had worked night shifts for 28 years and been exposed to radiation also had her breast cancer recognised as an occupational disease.

Breast cancer is the deadliest cancer among women in France, causing nearly 13,000 deaths annually. — AFP