I'm well aware comments from Michael O’Leary generally have to be taken with a massive pinch of salt. However recent comments regarding Air France-KLM did make me wonder.
Looking at the financial reports of the company over the last few years it seems their profit are falling massively behind their competitors while last years profit was largely contributed to selling off the silverware. Not surprisingly since their direct legacy competitors IAG and Lufthansa went through a massive reorganisation over the last few years as a result of increased pressures from the Middle Eastern carriers and Ryanair/easyJet/Norwegian.
How much longer can the French and Dutch pilot unions frustrate the reorganisations required at Air France-KLM? And more importantly how much longer will the company be able to survive without reorganisation and (hidden) French/Dutch state subsidies?
Ryanair : Air France connaitra le même sort qu?Alitalia | Air Journal
Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary has compared Air France’s situation to Alitalia’s, noting a similar issue with high employee levels and operating costs compared to passengers carried. He said Air France 'is sick and will probably be the next to go to the hospital'. Air France has 70,000 employees and carried 50 million passengers in 2016. In comparison, Ryanair employs 11,500 staff and carried over 106 million passengers in 2016.