Air France has advised that For 10 April, it expects to operate 75% of its flight schedule:
– 65% of long-haul flights
– 73% of medium-haul flights to and from Paris-Charles de Gaulle
– 80% of short-haul flights, Paris-Orly and French provinces.

Last minute delays and cancellations can also be expected.

However, the airline said that it is still to early to asses the impact that the strike will have on its operations on 11 April.

Passengers whose flights haven’t yet been cancelled are being warned to expect the potential for further delays and cancellations. Air France says it recommends customers due to fly on 10 April should postpone their plans to avoid issues.

Meanwhile, the Verdi Union is calling for ground handling and support services staff – and in some instances, airport fire brigades – at Frankfurt, Munich, Cologne and Bremen airports to walk out today.

As a result, Lufthansa Group says it will cancel around 800 of the 1,600 scheduled flights, including 58 long-haul services. The airline recommends passengers arrive at the airport earlier than usual, while anyone due to fly has the option to change their flight for free within the next seven days.

Following SAA’s announcement last week that the airline was scrapping one of its two daily return flights to London from April 20, the airline also confirmed it is cancelling a number of flights on the Perth route between February and June this year.

The airline said it would be making ad hoc cancellations to its services out of Perth due to ‘low market demand during February, March, May and June’. Flights on the following dates from Johannesburg are being reviewed:

* February 13, 16 & 18
* March 2, 6, 9 & 11
* May 5, 14, 18, 23 & 30
* June 3, 6, 11, 18 & 25

SAA Spokesperson Tlali Tlali said the tactical cancellations in the Australian market are commonplace in the airline industry and forms part of commercial decisions taken by airlines all the time.

Said Tlali: “The rationale behind our decision is based on matching capacity with demand. The cancellations we have announced are for the off peak season where the demand is low. In addition, this forms part of our forward planning aimed at bringing more efficiencies in the business and minimising the impact on our customers, hence the advance notification about the cancellations.”

SAA has promised a flexible re-accommodation policy that will enable the airline to transfer and/or accommodate affected customers on other flights.

Tlali stressed that SAA is not pulling out of the Australian market, but that the airline wants to conduct business in a manner that brings more commercial logic, cognisant of the costs and overall customer experience.

Corporate Traveller South Africa GM Oz Desai says the Johannesburg – Perth route is popular among South African corporate travellers, but that the measure announced by SAA is a routine timetable adjustment. “We support any initiatives that SAA employs to ensure its long term sustainability and will work with our customers to re-accommodate them with minimal inconvenience.”

Earlier this week, the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) also announced Cemair had been grounded indefinitely. The airline, based at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, flies to Bloemfontein, Cape Town, George, Hoedspruit, Margate, Plettenberg Bay and Port Elizabeth.

CemAir said it is working with the SACAA to resolve the issue as expeditiously as possible. In the interim, the airline promised it is working closely with other carriers to accommodate passengers with minimum inconvenience.

The announcement of these cancellations once again highlights the importance for travellers to book through a reliable travel agent. Sue Garrett, GM Product and Marketing FCTG, says: “The safety of our passengers will always be top priority. We will offer any support and assistance to re-accommodate any passengers who are affected by these changes.”