Air France on Strike

[avt100]

PARIS, France -- Unions representing Air France pilots have threatened to disrupt May Day holiday travel this week to back demands for higher salaries.

A four-day strike is set to start on Thursday and will run until Sunday, when residents go to the polls to elect a new president.

An Air France spokesman said it was unclear how many flights would be affected by the planned strike.

The unions -- the National Union of Airline Pilots, Alter and SPAF -- are not happy with an agreement signed in December by Air France and three other pilots' unions, which called for an overall salary increase of 4 percent.

In a statement, the union said the strike had been called in response to "the intransigence of the Air France management toward some of our demands."

Talks were continuing on Monday between the airline and the unions in a bid to resolve the dispute.

Aviation News (http://luchtvaart.pagina.nl)

[jongar]

I hate to point this out, but this forum is for new news. Frogs striking during a bank holiday is not new - its called vacation

Jon

[BOEINGBOY1]

Quelle, surprise !!!!!!!!!!!

[PrettyBoy]

Here we go again, the french holding their customers ransom for their own personal gain. Very selfish, very french:mad:

Everytime I even think about flying with Air France this happens and every time I say never again.... This time is the last time!

[Alpha Leader]

Exactly, Pretty Boy, I thought nobody flew AF any more - you must be their last valued customer :D

[BOEINGBOY1]

can anybody ever tell when they are / are not on strike ?

[crab]

I don`t think this strike is totally selfish as it always boosts the passenger figures for my company and other rival companies!Who knows ,they may even force AF into bankruptcy and give us a major boost ,although I suspect the French government would find a way round EEC law and pump money into them.As a matter of interest are they profitable these days?

[Flying Force]

Aparently the risk of strike is over. Have a look there...

http://infos.francetv.fr/semiStatic/64-131-NIL-132787.html

For those who don't understand french it says that a meeting was called last night with the unions... and agreement was reached.
I do agree that french people are a bit too often on strike, but I think that Brits are not pressurizing their employers enough to get things sorted. There is a mentality of keeping heads down all the time which is very iritating...

Just a thought. ;)

[flyblue]

Air France to increase flights to Asian destinations
Business Times (Malaysia); Apr 15, 2002
BY THE END OF THE THIRD QUARTER, TRAFFIC HAD DROPPED 6.5 PER CENT WHILE



AIR France has joined the list of airlines increasing flights to major Asian destinations as demand improves amid economic recovery.

The additional flights also confirm its recovery after September 11 and its optimism in Asia's long-term potential.

The company will increase frequencies, among others to Manila, Shanghai and Tokyo.

This follows the move by regional carriers including Malaysia Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, and Japan Airlines that have added new routes and reintroduced services that were cut in the wake of September 11.

Malaysia, for example, said it will restore flights to major international destinations and upgrade services at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to compete with Singapore's Changi Airport.

According to Air France, January and February revenue yield showed a faster-than-expected recovery of traffic since the terrorist attacks on September 11 last year.

"Under these circumstances, Air France is now targeting an operating profit for fiscal 2001-2002."

"In addition, it should be noted that the company expects to receive a total 60 to 80 million euros (1 euro = RM3.38) in compensation for operating losses and extra costs incurred by additional security measures following the September 11 events," the company said.

According to Marc Benedetti, executive vice-president and managing director of Air France Asia Pacific, the company's third quarter operations were disrupted by the September 11 attacks but financially it remained healthy.

"We were affected... but we were not doing so bad because we have got a well balanced network," he said. load factor fell 5 points to 70.6 per cent. Turnover fell 7.8 per cent to 2.91 billion euros.

Operating expenditure, however, fell 5.8 per cent via cost-cutting measures while net-debt-to-equity ratio remained at 0.79, which is comparable with that of March 2001.

"Air France's main objective is to return to the performance of year 2000 and 2001," Benedetti said, explaining that profits had increased by about 46 per cent and turnover stood at 9.48 billion euros in 2001. Air France serves 340 destinations in 41 countries.

From now on, two daily flights will be available out of Tokyo to Paris while another two frequencies will be added to the current three Shanghai- Paris route.

Apart from capitalising on its Sky Team alliance, Air France hopes to continue its commitment in enhancing services to its customers so it can grab a larger portion of the market.

"We want to focus on customer loyalty with partner airlines," he said.

Between April 2001 and February 2002, Air France worldwide traffic increased by 2.2 per cent while its load factor increased to 82 per cent.

For the Asia Pacific market, traffic increased by 6.9 per cent and load factor increased to 87.5 per cent.

"For Air France, Asia remains a major market with great potential," Benedetti said.

The company will also add another direct flight to Manila owing to the tremendous success of the three weekly direct flights launched last year.

"We are intrinsically French, but sensitive to the needs of travellers from Asia," Benedetti added.

Separately, Benedetti said, there are no plans to provide direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to Paris, as the traffic between the two countries is not big enough to begin operations.

"Furthermore, we have good connections between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur and we think we are offering good service via Singapore," he said, explaining that many passengers prefer to drop by Singapore before embarking for Paris.Debra Moreira

[PrettyBoy]

Go, Air France go;) cause I'm not!!

[flyblue]

Mercredi 01 Mai 2002

Air France: les syndicats de pilotes renoncent à la grève

PARIS (AFP), le 30-04-2002
Le préavis de grève qui avait été déposé pour raisons salariales par trois syndicats de pilotes d'Air France pour prendre effet entre les 2 et 5 mai a été levé dans la nuit de lundi à mardi après une réunion de conciliation.

"Une exploitation normale de tous les vols reprendra à partir d'aujourd'hui", précise la direction d'Air France. L'un des trois syndicats concernés, le puissant SNPL, avait indiqué un peu plus tôt que "les négociations se poursuivaient de façon très constructive", et qu'il avait "bon espoir d'arriver à un accord dès la fin de la matinée".

Les trois syndicats, SNPL, Alter et le SPAF exigeaient la poursuite des négociations salariales dans l'entreprise, et contestaient un accord sur les salaires signé fin décembre 2001 par les syndicats SPAC, SNOMAC et SNPNAC. Cet "accord intermédiaire" revient à accorder aux pilotes, par des mesures portant sur différents éléments de leur revenu, une augmentation globale de 4% de la masse salariale.

Les signataires de cet accord avaient décidé de ne pas s'associer à l'appel à la grève, avait expliqué le président du SPAC, Philippe Raffin, qui entendait "poursuivre dans la logique de négociation, démarche qui peut s'avérer fructueuse", et souhaitait aboutir à "changer la nature des relations sociales avec la direction". Mais, selon Alter, qui a déjà mené plusieurs mouvements de grève contre l'accord intermédiaire, ce texte "ne correspond pas aux attentes des pilotes", et est très contesté notamment à Orly, "car très défavorable aux pilotes exerçant en court-courrier".

[crab]

flyblue-----I appreciate that you have the dubious privilege of being able to speak to French ATC in French,but this is an English speaking forum. If you wish to post in French then do so on the appropriate foreign language forum.

[flyblue]

crab, I am glad that you are content of the undoubted privilege of ignorance. If you want to post about it, we could propose a special forum for your likes. For the others that were so sharp that they could decipher "renoncent" , hope you don't feel too diminished :rolleyes:

[holden]

"undoubted privilege of ignorance"... very nicely said Flyblue.

[crab]

flyblue--------------Pardon,j`ai comprenne(sorry no appropriate accent on my keyboard)renoncant.However my point is that this is an English language forum.I would not presume to post on a French forum in English and as my French is no better than your English,I wouldn`t attempt a post in French although you should not be inhibited from future posts.
mille pardons.

[knows]

Flying Force - well said!
and Crab - " didn't you do French at school?"

[crab]

knows-----------Yes I did but very badly!

[AMEX]

French or English isn't Flyblue's first language but I have no doubt about an ability to teach many of us how to speak properly.
As for the French thing about AF, not that I care much to be honest but surely sometimes it is not a bad thing to actively demostrate how much you are fed up instead of just whingeing again and again.
Without going to the extent of being like the French (striking really is their national sport, believe you me) and other EU counterparts, I am sure a compromise is possible Sacrebleu !!
I may be wrong but when last year the LH guys got granted an 18% rise, wasn't it following a strike (or threat of...) ?

Over and Out, as I really can't be bothered about such a boring subject.
http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/mica/dino1b.gif

[flyblue]

I completely agree with AMEX (as usual?:D ). I posted that article just for info. The subject is indeed boring and I thought that the French article was more than enough to catch what's going on, so didn't bother to find the equivalent in English.
Truce?:D

[crab]

d`accord!