Air France said it plans to operate all its long-haul flights on Friday, as well as over 90% of its medium-haul flights and almost 70% of its domestic flights. Public sector strikes in France prompted the French civil aviation authority on Thursday to instruct airlines to reduce their flight schedule on Friday by 20% to and from Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Paris-Orly and regional airports. Railway workers, teachers and emergency room medics on Thursday launched one of the biggest public sector strikes in France for decades, determined to force President Emmanuel Macron to abandon plans to overhaul the country’s generous pension system.<br/>
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Air France has embarked on tests with a driverless autonomous baggage tractor which is being used to deliver luggage for aircraft loading at Toulouse airport. Developed by a co-operation between ground vehicle manufacturer Charlatte and autonomous system specialist Navya, the AT135 tractor – known as 'Autonom Tract' – operates between the baggage sorting area and the aircraft stands. Testing of the vehicle under real airport conditions commenced on 15 November. "This test is the first step to a more widespread roll-out of autonomous vehicles at our airports," says Air France technology innovation head Vincent Euzeby. Once the baggage sorting facility receives passengers' luggage, an Air France subcontractor places the items in containers attached to the tractor's train. The location of the Air France aircraft on which the baggage is destined to be loaded is programmed, through a touchscreen, into the vehicle's navigation system. It then departs on a route to the aircraft stand – using 360° detection and decision-making technology – and stops nearby, allowing ground personnel to retrieve the baggage and load it manually onto the flight, before the tractor is despatched back along its arrival route to the sorting area. <br/>
Indonesia has called for the dismissal of national airline Garuda Indonesia’s CE for allegedly smuggling items on an Airbus A330-900 fresh off the production line. The minister for state-owned enterprises Erick Thohir Thursday ordered the dismissal of Garuda Indonesia's CE Ari Askhara, over an alleged attempt to smuggle a motorcycle into the country via the delivery of its first Airbus A330-900 in November. Thohir did not spell out Askhara's name but specified that the individual was the chief executive of Garuda, initials "AA". He explains that he received a letter from its board of commissioners, as well as a report from Garuda's audit committee, whose report indicated that there was "additional testimony" to support claims that the motorcycle belongs to "AA." "The [financial] transfer process was made in Jakarta to the personal [bank] account of Garuda's finance manager in Amsterdam. Mr "IJ" had assisted in the shipping and its processes, and in other [matters] too." Thohir did not specify who "IJ" was or what his role was in the carrier. He indicates that there will be further investigations, and the smuggling attempt is likely to lead to a civil and criminal case, as it "caused losses to the country."<br/>