The group’s general manager, Ben Smith, does not envisage returning to normal for at least two years.
By Le Figaro with Reuters
Air France to initiate a voluntary departure plan as part of the restructuring of the Franco-Dutch company, hit like the whole sector by the crisis linked to the coronavirus pandemic, says the group’s managing director, in a published interview this Saturday by Les Echos.
Air France-KLM announced Friday that it has obtained aid of 7 billion euros from France, the Dutch government plans to provide emergency aid of 2 to 4 billion euros.
“Some Air France staff are probably ready to leave voluntarily, if given the opportunity. The first step would therefore consist in proposing voluntary departure plans“Ben Smith told Les Echos. He added that he did not expect the company to return to normal for at least two years, according to “the border reopening, but also the time it will take our customers to get back on the planes“
Regarding the fleet of very large Airbus A380 aircraft, Ben Smith said he was studying the possibility of removing them from the group’s fleet before the date initially scheduled for 2022. “Regarding the A380s, we had already decided to advance their release to 2022. Given the situation, does it make sense to put them back into service by then? We will make the decision soon“, he said.
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