The French press looks at the latest bad news for the economy. Air France is restructuring and layoffs are certain. Libération asks: what can the new left-wing government do? This as Le Parisien-Aujourd'hui-en-France reports on union anger that a former Air France CEO could, despite the economic crisis, get a "jackpot" bonus. That's the focus for this Friday, 25th May 2012.
The poster boy for anti-austerity protests, Greek leftist politician Alexis Tsipras, visits Paris - while we also look at rows over justice system reforms, and whether the state can stop Air France laying 5,000 people off.
The United States took an unassailable 3-1 lead over France in the Davis Cup on Sunday after American John Isner (pictured) defeated Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 5-7, 6-3, in quarter-finals in Monte Carlo.
Air France said on Friday that its services were returning to normal after a four-day staff strike over a draft law that would require workers to give 48 hrs notice before striking. The strike caused hundreds of flight cancellations.
Air France cancelled 65% of its long-haul flights and 75% of its medium- and short-haul flights on Thursday, the final day of a strike over the airline's striking policies. The airline claims the stoppage is costing EUR8-10mn per day.
Air France said it cancelled 40% of its long-haul flights on Wednesday, marking day three of a four-day strike by aviation unions. The airline is expected to run 70 percent its short- and medium-haul journeys.
Hundreds of striking aviation workers gathered outside Paris’s main airports Monday to protest against a draft law designed to protect passengers from industrial action, which they say threatens their “right to strike”.
Air France-KLM said in a statement on Thursday that it was embarking on "an ambitious three-year plan to restore profitability", including a salary freeze and a reduction in investment, in a renewed bid to tackle its debt.
Air France said flights cancellations would be down to fewer than 10 percent on Tuesday after two out of six trade unions agreed to end a five-day strike by flight attendants, which is now in its fourth day.
Air France was expecting to cancel 15 per cent of flights on Monday as flight attendants entered day three of a five-day strike in protest at plans to reduce the number of crew per flight. The strike coincides with school holidays in France.
