Radiation link in flight attendant's breast cancer, French court finds
Former Air France stewardess Sophie Lainault has had her cancer recognised as an occupational disease.
A French court has, for the first time ever, acknowledged cosmic radiation as a contributing factor in a long-serving flight attendant's breast cancer.
Sophie Lainault, a 59-year-old former Air France stewardess, sought to have her cancer classified as an occupational disease, stemming from her work environment. This has now been affirmed by a landmark court ruling in Bayonne, a town in southwestern France. The court determined that cosmic radiation was one of three cancer-causing hazards associated with her profession. The other two identified hazards were passive smoking and extensive night work. Smoking was permitted on Air France flights until the year 2000.
This decision allows Lainault, who is currently in remission from her cancer, to take early retirement, with all future treatment costs fully covered by the French health system. Lawyers indicate that by officially recognizing breast cancer as a risk for flight crews, the court has also paved the way for numerous other similar claims.
Lainault expressed her hope, stating, "My dearest wish is that the decision encourages other women who up until now have not had the courage to take this step."
As a stewardess and later a purser for Air France, Lainault accumulated 12,600 flight hours between 1989 and 2019. Over half of these hours were flown at night. Many long-distance, high-altitude flights from Paris would have taken her near the North Pole, an area where exposure to radiation from space—specifically particles from the sun and other stars—is most intense.
Air France stated that the health of its staff was "an absolute imperative." Research has indicated that flight attendants and pilots experienced the highest rates of radiation-related cancer deaths among over 500 different professions. According to the analysis, approximately 6.9% of deaths among flight attendants and 6.7% of deaths among pilots were due to radiation-related cancers. These percentages were higher than those for other professions, including nuclear technologists, who are regularly exposed to non-cosmic radiation sources yet ranked 12th on the list, the authors noted.
It has long been understood that high-altitude air travel exposes individuals to cosmic radiation, though the dose for most travelers is generally considered statistically insignificant. Exposure near the poles is more intense because the Earth's magnetic field acts as a shield elsewhere.
Elisabeth Leroux, Lainault's lawyer, commented, "In France the link between breast cancer and certain hazards has been established for a number of professions, such as nurses… but this is the first time for an air-hostess."
Air France stated that it was not involved in Lainault's legal case and had not reviewed the court's reasoning behind its decision. The airline reiterated, "The health and security of our staff is an absolute imperative. Every employee has a medical accompaniment that goes well beyond the regulatory minimum."