Air France Executives Attacked During Plans to Cut 2,900 Jobs

Air France staff took the law into their own hands-on Monday, during executives meeting where managers were presenting plans to cut 2,900 jobs.

The human resource chief, Xavier Broseta and the head of long-haul flights, Pierre Plissonnier, scaled an eight-foot-tall fence to escape angry protesters, Plissonnier shirt was shredded while Broseta was shirtless by the time security guards helped them to safety.

According to the Airline work council, 900 flight attendants, 1,700 ground staff and 300 cockpit crew might have to go. The management resolved to force dismissal since all talks to convince pilots to work more hours for the same pay to help end annual losses that began four years ago failed, forcing them to take a drastic step that has never been implemented since the 1990s.

Air France human resources chief Xavier Broseta scales a fence away from protesters in Roissy-en-France, today. Photographer: Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP

Under the strategic saving plans announced today, the airline fleets would be reduced by 14 jets and aging Airbus Group SE A340s phase-out, while orders for Boeing Co. 787s scrapped.

Also, the airline plans to stop plying some routes, especially in Asia where competition is toughest, 22 destinations would be affected based on the announcement made after the incident.

However, according to French legal requirements, job cuts couldn’t be implemented until mid-December giving the two sides two months to devise an alternative method should negotiations resume.

An attempt by Chief Executive Officer Alexandre de Juniac to establish a low-cost airline outside France last year to curtail losses caused two weeks strike by pilots costing the airline a total of $564 million before the government intervened.