Air Tahiti and Somstat are facing strike notices filed by O oe to oe rima, the CSIP, and the Flight Crew Union, with a deadline set for October 22. At the heart of the tensions are demands regarding pay, equipment, working conditions, and staffing. If talks do not yield an agreement, air traffic could be disrupted.
Following dockworkers and doctors last week, it is now the turn of airline cabin crews and technical staff to strike. The mobilization is being prepared on two fronts at the Tahiti-Faa’a airport, as reported by Polynésie la 1ere: at Air Tahiti, the Commercial Flight Crew Union (SPENCAT), the CSIP and O Oe to oe rima filed a joint strike notice on Friday. And at Somstat, responsible for supplying aircraft with fuel, the CSIP is also leading a labor action.
More Resources for Air Tahiti
The demands cover several roles within the company, from the commercial flight crew to cleaning staff, including the teams that operate on runways for domestic and international flights. The unions are notably calling for a review of certain bonuses and for equipment better suited to the employees’ duties.
The organization of work is also a central issue: employee representatives highlight staffing levels deemed insufficient on some flights and warn of the safety risks this could pose. Another topic raised is difficulties with card payments encountered on certain islands due to a lack of available electronic terminals. The unions want the company to examine the situation and consider payment arrangements adapted to local realities.
Four Additional Employees for Somstat
At Somstat, the staffing issue is chiefly what fuels the tensions. The CSIP points to the growing activity driven by more flights and the arrival of new airlines.
The union notes that teams dedicated to ramp operations, taxiing, and administrative tasks numbered 24 employees in 2007, versus 21 today, and underlines the regular use of temporary workers, despite the signing of a memorandum of understanding in May 2026. For CSIP, this situation signals a sustained need for manpower. Four hires are thus requested to enable the company to cope with the current workload.
Potential Disruption to Air Traffic
At Air Tahiti, the unions announce an unlimited strike if no agreement is reached with management. The action could affect not only the company’s headquarters in Faa’a but also the airport offices served by Air Tahiti. In the event of a strike, flights could be delayed or cancelled, with consequences for passengers starting on October 22, the deadline of the two notices.
