© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: An Air France Airbus A321 airplane takes off at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport, France June 18, 2020. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe
PARIS (Reuters) -Pilot union Alter said on Thursday it was calling for a strike on June 25 at Air France and its low-cost unit Transavia, escalating a labour dispute when Europe’s air industry is struggling with staff shortages.
The union, which represents a just over 10% of Air France pilots, said in a statement it was protesting against labour conditions which it said could “lead to mounting safety risks”.
Europe’s aviation sector is looking forward to a peak summer season largely free of COVID-19 restrictions worldwide for the first time since 2019.
But airlines and airports are struggling to cope with a rebound in demand with staff shortages leading to cancelled flights and long queues.