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Air France cabin crews walk out

July 29, 2016

France's flag carrier has canceled 10 percent of its long-distance flights because of a cabin crew strike. Flight attendants are protesting against further decreases in staffing levels for better working conditions.

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Air France Flugzeuge am Roissiy-Charles de Gaulle Flughafen Paris
Image: AP

Some 139 long- and medium-haul Air France flights at Charles de Gaulle-Roissy Paris hub were canceled Friday, as a cabin crew strike enters its third day in the middle of the busy summer holiday season.

Two unions called for Air France cabin crew members to strike from July 27 to August 2 to protest against further decreases in the number of crew members and to call for better conditions.

Air France management said in a statement the carrier would maintain 80 percent of Saturday flights - the same figure forecast across Friday.

Talks broke down last year

Half of the strikers are covered by the striking unions, after marathon talks failed to reach a breakthrough on renewing a collective bargaining agreement that expires in October.

Air France wants to limit the extension of the agreement to 17 months, whereas unions want between three and five years.

Flights operated by low-cost airlines HOP! and Transavia, as well as KLM and Delta codeshares, were not affected by a stoppage which affected some 30,000 passengers on Thursday.

The airline's last strike, which grounded around 20 percent of flights from June 11-14 after pilots walked out ahead of the Euro 2016 football tournament, hit France as it was gripped by social unrest over the French government's labor reforms.

Air France estimated that the stoppage cost around 40 million euros ($45 million) in lost revenue.

jar/msh (AFP, AP)