The new management of Air France will present measures to respond to a staff “malaise” on June 14, non-executive chairwoman Anne-Marie Couderc said in a letter to trade union representatives. Last month Air France-KLM appointed a trio of leaders including Couderc to run the airline while it searches for a new CEO, following a standoff over staff pay. Striking a conciliatory tone in the letter, Couderc wrote that staff had made clear there was a “malaise” inside the French airline. “This malaise is deep-rooted and goes beyond the issue of pay,” she said. “Concrete answers must be given.” The French government, already locked in a battle over reforms at state railway operator SNCF, has said it will not bail out Air France where a protracted dispute between management and unions over pay has resulted in 15 days of walkouts this year, costing the group E400m.<br/>
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Air France labor unions called for a strike from June 23 to 26, reigniting a costly labour conflict at the height of the busy summer travel season. Workers will strike unless an agreement is found to end the dispute in coming days, the unions said Friday in an emailed statement after meeting with management of parent Air France-KLM. The decision by labour representatives to stage more walkouts lifts a pause in their action that had been in effect since last month when former CEO Jean-Marc Janaillac resigned over the conflict. Fifteen days of strikes that got underway Feb. 22 have cost the airline more than E400m so far and helped lower passenger numbers at the Air France arm by 1.7% during May. The 10 unions representing pilots, cabin crew and ground personnel are demanding a pay raise of at least 5% this year, as they seek a share of Air France-KLM’s 2017 profit increase. Management has so far refused, citing the need to continue investing, including by buying new planes. The former CEO proposed a 7% increase over four years tied to performance.<br/>
Kenya Airways is evaluating an order of up to 20 Bombardier CSeries or Embraer E2 regional jets. A decision will be made by the end of this year, CEO Sebastian Mikosz said. “We are talking about 20 aircraft on top of what we have,” he said. Mikosz said one advantage is that Egyptian flag carrier EgyptAir has ordered 12 CS300s and he expects Ethiopian Airlines, as well as a Tanzania-based carrier, will order the CSeries as well. “This would make sense in terms of our maintenance capacity,” Mikosz said. The airline is also evaluating a Boeing 737 MAX order. Separately, Kenya Airways is expanding its network to Europe and Asia when the carrier adds five widebody aircraft in the next 18 months. Mikosz did not reveal the new destinations, but said they would be announced “sometime after the summer.” The carrier is adding the additional capacity as it prepares take back two Boeing 787-8s and three 777-300ERs when the leases expire.<br/>