"Flight attendant’s breast cancer was occupational disease, court rules", 26 August 2026

A flight attendant in France has succeeded in having her breast cancer recognised as an occupational disease, a first for the country’s aviation industry, her lawyer and a trade union said.

The ruling, which recognised that Sophie Lainault, a former flight attendant for Air France, had frequently worked at night and been exposed to passive smoking, could pave the way for similar claims, the lawyer and the CFDT union said...

The court highlighted the role of night work, exposure to ionising radiation and passive smoking. Smoking was permitted on Air France flights until 2000... Breast cancer is not included in France’s official list of occupational diseases...

Air France said it “was not a party to the proceedings and has not been informed of the court’s reasoning”.

The airline said: “The health and safety of employees at work is an absolute priority.”