A French court has officially recognized cosmic radiation as a contributing factor in the breast cancer of a former flight attendant, a decision hailed as a landmark for occupational health in the aviation industry. The ruling in Bayonne stated that cosmic radiation, alongside passive smoking and prolonged night work, played a role in the illness of Sophie Lainault, a 59-year-old former Air France stewardess.
Lainault, who worked as a stewardess and purser for Air France for 30 years, accumulating 12,600 flight hours between 1989 and 2019, sought to have her cancer recognized as an occupational disease. More than half of her flight hours were at night, and many long-haul flights at high altitudes would have taken her near the North Pole, where exposure to cosmic radiation is most intense.
The court's decision means Lainault, who is now in remission, can take early retirement with full reimbursement for any future treatment from the French health system. Lawyers suggest this ruling could pave the way for numerous other claims from flight crews who have experienced similar health issues. "My dearest wish is that the decision encourages other women who up until now have not had the courage to take this step," Lainault stated.
Smoking was permitted on Air France flights until 2000, contributing to the occupational hazards faced by crew members during Lainault's career. The recognition of breast cancer as an officially acknowledged risk for flight crews marks a significant development in the understanding of workplace-related illnesses in the aviation sector.