Max Revs
You are wrong regarding the situation at EZY disregarding the French laws. Some good guys have sadly recently left because of the regulations. One guy left literally a couple of weeks ago to go to..................Ryanair! EZY could not offer him a contract beyond age 60 whereas FR did.
Captains retained on over 60s contracts (just a few employed pre-2001) are limited in their routes and operating bases. They do not overfly France and have not done for some considerable time, so your comment about the insurers doesn't add up.
Balpa have been addressing this, with the full support of Easyjet, since June 2004. Since some time prior to this EZY has been complying with the French ruling.
The EU ruling is expected to change in mid/late 2006 but it yet unclear whether France will join in with everyone else.
The current 'sticking points' are France, Portugal and Italy although only France is fully enforcing the no overfly rule as far as I am aware.