Air France eyeing 6,500 job cuts by 2022: sources

PARIS (Reuters) – Air France-KLM aims to present a plan to trade unions to cut just over 6,500 jobs by the end of 2022, with about half of those coming from natural departures, such as retirees who will not be replaced, two sources familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.

Ground staff are expected to be among the hardest hit by the cost cutting plans, as the airline looks to trim capacity and exits loss-making domestic routes to weather the coronavirus crisis.

A third source said an additional 1,000 layoffs would affect the Air France group’s “HOP!” airline. BFM TV and Agence France Presse earlier reported 7,500 looming job cuts.

Air France declined to comment layoffs plans.

(Reporting by Maya Nikolaeva, Caroline Pailliez, and Sarah White, editing by Louise Heavens)