Air France pilot strike cost €45m

The Air France pilot strike in Paris this week has cost the airline 60 percent of flights, which had to remain grounded. The French branch has lost between €30 and €40 million because of this over the last four days, says Chief Executive Alexandre de Juniac. In an interview with French radio channel RMC, De Juniac announced that it had to ground 60 percent of its flights on Thursday as well. The week-long strike, which will continue until Monday, has stranded thousands of passengers in France, and other places, and has caused delays. Passengers on KLM flights have also been warned of delays this week in relation to the strikes. The pilots are striking in protest of the plans to expand activities in Air France daughter company Transavia, while at the same time making cuts to mother company Air France-KLM.