Strike grounds Air Algerie flights from capital

ALGIERS: A strike by Air Algerie crews on Monday grounded flights by the carrier out of the North African state's capital, the airline and a union said.

An AFP correspondent at Algiers international airport said Air Algerie flights were landing as scheduled but there were no takeoffs by the carrier.

Other carriers operating out of Houari Boumediene airport, where around 70 international and domestic departures were scheduled on Monday, did not appear affected by the industrial action, although their desks were stormed by travellers wanting to buy new tickets.

Hundreds of passengers were left waiting in the departures terminal without information.

"We've been left alone. I don't know if I should buy a new ticket or leave (the airport). I don't know anything, I'm just waiting," said one traveller, Kenza, who had been due back at work in Nice, southeastern France, later Monday.

Mohamed Adjoudj, 55, said he had been waiting for hours for his Lisbon flight scheduled for 8:00 am. 

"It was only around 2:00 pm that we were informed that the flight had been cancelled," he said. "The mess was aggravated by the total absence of Air Algerie officials who left passengers to their own devices."

Mohamed Charef, an adviser to the head of Air Algerie, said late Monday afternoon that a court had ruled the strike was illegal.

"The stewards must return to work," he said.

Charef told the private Dzair News TV channel that 20 international flights from Algiers were cancelled Monday, although two aircraft chartered by Air Algerie were set to take off for France by the end of the day.

Karim Ourad, head of Algeria's air crews union, the SNPNCA, denied the strike was illegal and insisted the company had been informed in advance but failed to attend conciliatory meetings.

His union had demanded the restoration of a pay rise schedule agreed in January 2017 but withdrawn a month later when new management took over.

Charef said the airline had been unable to raise salaries due to financial difficulties which left six planes grounded last month because the company could not afford spare parts.

But Ourad said the strikers planned to continue their action.

"We will not give in," he said.