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Battered Air France cargo faces 2 crippling strikes in January over layoffs

AIR FRANCE pilots have called for a strike from January 10 - 13 likely to cause the troubled cargo unit crippling disruption, reports IHS Media.

Cargo operations will be hit hard because Air France has been reducing freighter deployment and flying more freight in passenger bellyholds.

Air France-KLM plans to fly five freighters by the end of 2016, down from 13 in 2014 and 26 when the carriers merged in 2005.

The Alter union, which represents 10 per cent of the airline抯 pilots, has called for a strike to protest "scandalous disciplinary procedures" against two of its members.

The suspended two pilots were punished for their involvement in a protest in October against planned layoffs during, which two Air France managers had their shirts ripped off.

The larger CGT union has called for a 24-hour strike on January 28 to protest plans to cut 3,000 jobs over the next two years and the suspension of employees involved in the "shirt ripping" incident.

Air France-KLM抯 freight has fallen 11.3 per cent in November year on year as capacity shrank 9.7 per cent due to a 33 per cent reduction in full freighter capacity.

Cargo losses narrowed to EUR81 million (US$86.7 million) in the third quarter from EUR102 million year on year, but the shortfall in the first nine months increased to EUR222 million from EUR181 million.