Friday, July 15, 2011

Anger over Algeria airline strike

13 July 2011 Last updated at 14:30 GMT Police officers at Orly Airport dealing with Air Algeria passengers, Wednesday 13 July 2011 Passengers screamed "thieves, liars" at an airline official There have been angry scenes at Orly airport in France after passengers were left stranded by a strike by Algeria's state-run airline.

Police tried to calm tempers after dozens of flights were cancelled by the industrial action that began on Monday.

Air Algerie's cabin crew are demanding a 106% increase in their salary.

French Transport Minister Thierry Mariani has summoned representatives of the airline for discussion, AFP news agency reports.

'Exhausted'

Stranded passengers yelled at an Air Algerie official at Orly airport in Paris as he arrived on Wednesday to talk to the passengers.

They screamed "thieves, liars" when he tried to explain what was being done to get them to their destinations, AFP reports.

The strike began on Monday at a time when passengers from North Africa plan to go on holiday.

"We're really exhausted, morally, physically; my wife is completely exhausted," one man told French television EVN at Orly airport.

Other airports affected by the strike in France include Marseilles and Nice, where passengers slept overnight.

On Tuesday, Algerian state radio quoted the airline chief, Mohamed Salah Boultif, as saying that Air Algerie was not in a financial position to fulfil the demand of the cabin crew.


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