Air France went through severe disruptions (2/5 of long haul flights and half of the rest getting canceled) after the pilots began their four-day strike in protest to the change of the legal age for retirement. The change in retirement age from 60 to 65 was passed in the French parliament earlier.
European passengers are already going through woes due to strikes by employees at Alitalia.
“Passengers should contact Air France on +33 1 5702 1055 or visit www.airfrance.com
for the latest flight information
“
From BBC article -
Disruption to flights operated by partner airlines, including Brit Air
and CityJet, will not be as great, chairman Jean-Cyril Spinetta said.
He said the strike would cost the airline 100m euros ($127m; £86.1m).
Mr Spinetta also said the strike was “unnecessary” because the
postponement of the retirement age from 60 to 65 was beyond the firm’s
control, having been passed in parliament. In addition, pilots will still be able to decide whether they want to
retire at the age of 60 while paying the same pension contributions.
People are living ever longer. Who do they expect to pay for their retirement at 60.
Understand folk don’t like to have their work conditions worsened but I wouldn’t have thought air france pilots really have good cause to inconvenience all their customers.
[ All My Comments at http://blodcast.com/cheap-flights ]
Charlie,
I do agree. We have the same change in US and there wasn’t much of an uproar here (though the management at some airlines disliked the change). It really does not change anything since people can take voluntary retirement and retire at 60.
The French are notorious for striking at the drop of a hat! It doesn’t surprise me at all.