Tens of thousands affected by Air France strike

Around 150,000 people have been affected so far by the strike of Air France flight attendants which started five days ago. The week-long stoppage action comes at the peak of the holiday travel period in the country.

This file picture shows Air France planes parked on the tarmac of Charles de Gaulle airport. Thousands of travellers have been affected by the week-long strike called by Air France flight attendands. Stephane de Sakutin/AFP

According to the airline, the strike has cost the carrier tens of millions of euros with 20 per cent of flights staying grounded.

Some 900 flights, or about one in five, have been cancelled since the action began on Wednesday, the airline said.

Some flights have gone ahead but with a reduced passenger load for security reasons as there were not enough flight attendants.

Millions of people are returning home from their July holidays this weekend as millions more set off for an August break, causing long tailbacks on the roads and frenetic scenes at rail stations and airports.

Unions representing around half of the Air France strikers called the stoppage after marathon talks failed to reach a breakthrough on renewing a collective labour accord on rules, pay and promotions that expires in October.

The management wants to limit the extension of the agreement to 17 months, while unions are asking for between three and five years.

Union leader Christelle Auster said on Sunday that talks were at an impasse, threatening a new strike following the current action, which ends Tuesday.