Rolling strikes ground Air France flights

Industrial action is causing severe disruptions at Air France as employees demanding a 6 percent pay rise ground about a quarter of the airline’s flights. Industrial action Tuesday was expected to see Air France cancel 35 per of its long-haul flights, 27 percent of medium-haul services and 20 percent of its short-haul operations. The action involves pilots, cabin crew and ground staff and more rolling strikes scheduled for April 17 and 18 as well as April 23 and 24. The airline has rebuffed the pay claim and is instead offering a 1 percent rise with some additional benefits. READ millennial magnet Joon goes long-haul “Disruptions and delays are to be expected,’’ Air France said on its website. “Air France recommends its customers with a flight reservation on 10 April to postpone their trip. Air France regrets this situation and is making every effort to minimize the inconvenience this strike action may cause to its customers.” The airline said it would update customers Tuesday on the impacts of the following day’s strike but warned them to expect last-minute cancellations or delays. The airline is offering customers the option of changing their travel plans whether their flight is affected or not. Customers with a canceled flight are being offered penalty-free refunds regardless of the fare. Those with an Air France or Joon ticket issued before April 2 for a flight on April 10 or 11 can rebook between to April 30 at no extra cost for travel in the same cabin. Those who prefer to postpone their trip beyond April 30 can get a non-refundable voucher valid for a year on Air France, Joon of HOP flights. More information is available on the airline’s website. Alternative travel arrangements on France’s SNCF train network are also affected by rolling stoppages as workers strike two days out of five in opposition to reforms aimed at restructuring the system. Strikes by Air France and SCNF workers will coincide on April 18 as well as for two days on April 23 and 24.