Air France to see 2,900 job cuts, unions say

Air France will slash 2,900 jobs, retire 14 long-haul planes and reduce flights as part of an alternative restructuring plan, union officials said Friday.

Reuters

"The number of jobs eliminated will be 300 pilots, 700 flight attendants and 1,900 ground personnel," a union official told news agency AFP.

Air France-KLM's management on Thursday gave a green light to an alternative restructuring plan after negotiations with its pilots' union on a cost savings plan failed.

Air France had said that it would reduce its long-haul flights by 10 per cent if unions did not accept the plan. But the company recently ruled out massive layoffs.

The airline says details of the alternative restructuring plan will be presented to the central company works committee on Monday.

Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron said Friday that the government supported the airline's restructuring plans. The state holds a 17.6 per cent stake in the company.

"You have to look at the figures   the group's financial, industrial situation is difficult. So you have to carry out reforms, and so the government supports the company down the path of reform," Macron told French media after talks with CEO Alexandre de Juniac.