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Three Air France flights cancelled due to strike

DUBAI — Three Air France flights between Dubai and Paris have been cancelled because of an ongoing strike by cabin crew in France, Dubai International Airport and Air France officials said yesterday.

An Air France official in Dubai said the passengers had been accommodated on other flights and in hotels.

Unions in France recently called for flight attendants to strike over wages and work conditions.

The strike, which began on Thursday morning, is due to continue until tonight (Monday).

The Air France official said two flights between Dubai and Paris had been cancelled and confirmed that one of these flights was AF529, Dubai to Paris, scheduled to leave 11.30am yesterday. Details of a previous cancelled flight were unavailable.

The cancellation of a third flight, AF526, Paris to Dubai, scheduled to arrive in Dubai at 10pm last night, was confirmed by a Dubai International Airport official last night.

Air France is maintaining about 70 per cent of flights. However, it was expected that medium-haul flights would be affected most.

“During the next few days, Air France plans to operate at least 70 per cent of its flights: the flight schedule has been adjusted with precautionary cancellations, in order to minimise inconvenience for passengers,” a statement said.

“All passengers have been re-routed with Emirates and other airlines or accommodated in hotels.”

Air France was scheduled to increase its flights from Dubai to Paris from 12 flights to 13 flights weekly from today. The official said this flight increase was still scheduled to continue despite the strike.

Negotiations between Air France and cabin crew had stalled but a statement from the airline said they may resume at any time.

“Since the beginning of the current strike action by flight attendants, Air France management has been examining all possibilities of finding common ground in renegotiating a new agreement underway since June,” the statement said.