Air France aims to present a plan to trade unions to cut just over 6,500 jobs over the next two years, three sources familiar with the matter said on Tuesday, as the airline grapples with the coronavirus crisis, reports The New York Times.
France's flagship airline, part of the Air France-KLM group, is cutting capacity and exiting loss-making domestic routes as the pandemic hits international travel.
On top of the 6.500 staff cuts - roughly representing just under 15% of employees such as pilots, ground staff and flight attendants - an additional 1,000 layoffs would be made at Air France's "HOP!" airline, one of the three sources said.
BFM TV and Agence France-Presse earlier reported 7,500 looming job losses.
Air France declined to comment on its labour plans. It is expected to hold talks with unions on Friday.
Some 3,500 of the job cuts would come from natural attrition - such as retirements and not replacing leavers, two of the sources said.
Under CEO Ben Smith, who joined from Air Canada in 2018, Air France-KLM has sought to cut costs, improve French labour relations and overcome governance squabbles between France and the Netherlands, which each own close to 14% of the group.
Read more of this Reuters report published by The New York Times.