News

Air France to slash long-haul capacity by 10%

5 Oct 2015 by GrahamSmith

Air France has announced that its long-haul capacity will decline by "around" 10 per cent in the next two years.

The troubled airline will get rid of 14 aircraft, down from 107 in operation this summer to 93 in summer 2017.

Five routes will close and 35 weekly frequencies will be cancelled by 2017.

A statement said: "The schedule modifications will focus on routes where losses are highest, serving principally Asia and the Middle East...

"The adjustment [to 93 long-haul aircraft] will mainly be made via the accelerated retirement of A340s which will not be replaced by B787s as had been initially planned."

Air France said the "reduction in activity" will result in around 2,900 job losses - 300 pilots, 900 cabin crew and 1,700 ground staff. This will involve voluntary departures and compulsory redundancies, the airline said.

The news was met with outrage by angry workers, who attacked and ripped the suits and shirts from the backs of two executives. Air France CEO Frédéric Gagey escaped unharmed.

In July, Air France-KLM announced that it make further cutbacks of €300 million after making a net loss of €79 million in the second quarter (see news, July 24).

airfrance.com, klm.com

Graham Smith

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