A French pilot with thousands of flight hours has definitively lost his legal battle against the airline he worked for, after being dismissed for failing to comply with regulations and making false statements. The incident dates back to 2019, when Mickael, after nearly two decades of career, did not complete a mandatory course for renewing his flight license, known as "Current Training and Verification."
Without this certification, he could no longer practice his profession. According to the company, the pilot not only left before completing the training but also falsely declared that he had attended the entire course. He only admitted the truth after being confronted with evidence from the instructor.
Initially, the Labor Court in Créteil partially ruled in favor of the pilot, deeming the dismissal unjustified and awarding him compensation of €104,000. However, he sought more, up to €870,000, claiming rights violations and psychological pressure from the company.
Nevertheless, in March of this year, the Paris Court of Appeal overturned the initial ruling. It deemed the dismissal lawful, annulled the compensation, and ordered the pilot to pay an additional €2,000 in legal costs. In its decision, the court drew a strong parallel with Greek mythology: "Like Icarus, who fell after disobeying his father, the pilot also fell because he disobeyed the employer's rules, sinking into a web of lies."