Air France pilots are due to walk out for a week from Monday, leaving hundreds of cancelled flights in strike action that could cost the airline up to £12 million in lost business.
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Just how bad the strike will affect the airline is unknown, as under French labour laws, any pilots joining the action must announce their intentions at least 48 hours before the start of the walk out.
But if only half the pilots decided to strike, the airline would still lose between £8 million and £12 million each day – which could add up to around £60 million in a week.
The pilots are protesting about job cuts and switching short haul flights from Air France to the airline’s budget brand Transavia.
Pilots are concerned that rather than working for Air France or Transavia, the airline wants a single pool of pilots working flexible hours for less money.
Travel disruption – Italy
Strikes by Italian air traffic controllers led to the grounding of hundreds of flights across Europe during the past week – and the bad news is more of the same is on the way.
Protests about pay and working conditions have led to unions representing air traffic controllers, rail workers and lorry drivers to schedule more walk-outs in the coming weeks.
So far nine strikes are on the timetable, but the details can change at short notice:
- Air – 24 hours from midnight September 13, 2014
- Air – 4 hours from midday September 17, 2014
- Freight – 24 hours from 9pm September 18, 2014
- Rail – 24 hours from 9pm September 20, 2014
- Air – 8 hours from 10 am September 27, 2014 – but EasyJet cabin crew are walking out for 24 hours
- Air – 24 hours from midnight October 8, 2014 – EasyJet cabin crew only
Latest strike information is available from the Italian Ministry of Transport web site
New departure tax
The Tunisian government has confirmed a £11 a person departure tax will be levied on expats, tourists and business travellers from October 1.
The tax is payable in cash.
Bahrain demonstrations
Thousands of anti-government protesters took to the streets in Manama, the capital of Bahrain, this week to call for the release of activists and political prisoners from jail.
Although the protests are aimed at the government, expats and travellers are warned to stay away from large gatherings as they sometimes turn violent.
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