Will AF Air France Survive
 

The question is will AF Air France survive after the strike is over? The answer is we hope so but it may not. The European carriers are taking a beating from their LCC counterparts.

This was an editorial opinion in Aviation Week for Monday.

"Air France-KLM’s pilots have prevailed. A strike that crippled air traffic to, from and within France and the Netherlands for the better part of two weeks—and led to staggering financial losses—has forced the airline to back down on an ambitious plan to regain competitiveness by expanding its low-cost subsidiary, Transavia.

That has set the stage for the pilots to return to work on Sept. 30, though even that is far from certain, given that the strike already has been extended twice. The retreat is a catastrophe for Air France-KLM Chairman/CEO Alexandre de Juniac and could ultimately prove to be the same for the storied carrier".

Re: Will AF Air France Survive
 

They can only blame themselves. You can't fight fire with fire. You can't fight LCC's using their own methods. You have to stand strong and beat LCC's with principles and laws. If you start to use low cost crew from Asia and treat passengers like cattle, then you can never win in the long run. EU must be better to enforce better labor laws. The way Norwegian and Ryanair operates is illegal in many countries, but the politicians let the continue anyway. We have to regulate the market better.
AF and KLM will survive. It only takes ONE deadly accident for Ryanair to lose the whole company.
//Antesyd

Re: Will AF Air France Survive
 

Extremely well said!

Re: Will AF Air France Survive
 

I think they will be fine. I remember having the same concerns when BA were being crippled by strikes. The reality is I think short haul flights will continue to be dominated by LCC.