France: Strikes hit Air France, state rails

By Omer Aydin

PARIS (AA) – Air France said on Friday that the number of its passenger in April had dropped by 8.7 percent amid a series of continuing strikes as part of the ongoing wage increase dispute with the carrier’s administration.

In a statement, the French flag carrier said that due to the strikes in April, which lasted for eight days, the number of passengers had dropped compared to last year.

On Monday, France’s economy minister said that Air France-KLM was in danger of “disappearing” due to strikes.

“The important issue right now is that the company will disappear if it does not take necessary steps to be more competitive,” Bruno Le Maire told French news channel BFM, warning of the impact of more strikes.

Last week, Air France-KLM CEO Jean-Marc Janaillac handed in his resignation to the executive board after the staff rejected a final pay offer from him. The offer would have raised wages by 7 percent over four years.

Air France-KLM reported a net loss of €269 million ($321 million) in the first quarter of the year.

Meanwhile, French train workers’ strike to protest the government’s reform plans are still going on in the country.

The head of the state railway operator SNCF, Guillaume Pepy, said, speaking on France Info, that the strike would cost the company more than 300 million Euros.

Students, trash collectors, electricity, and energy sector staff are also among those taking part in what has been called the biggest wave of industrial unrest since President Emmanuel Macron's election last May.

Seven main public sector trade unions called for a one-day strike on May 22 to protest Macron's plans to reform the eurozone's second-largest economy.