Next Air France-KLM boss must not surrender French interests - director

Reuters  |  PARIS 

(Reuters) - The next of Air-France-must not be beholden to external interests, said a senior French pilot on the group's board of directors, criticising the possible choice of Air Canada's as preferred candidate.

The group has not denied Smith is a candidate, saying only that no decision has been made yet. has made no comment.

"It might be useful to say what Air does not need: enough with candidates who are ambassadors for external interests," Paul Farges, a representing employee shareholders, wrote in Sunday's Journal du Dimanche newspaper.

Farges' comments highlight the opposition among Air staff to any new chief who might ride roughshod over their demands, in particular over higher pay, and focus on cost-cutting rather than restoring the Franco-Dutch group's reputation as a leading player.

The French state is the biggest shareholder in Air France-with a stake of about 14 percent. and each hold 8.8 percent.

Senior French officials say is open to considering a non-French national to lead the group for the first time. The appointment is seen as a test of Macron's resolve for the state to take a lighter touch on the economy.

Referring to the potential pick of a North American boss, Farges wrote: "Would not be renouncing its air sovereignty at a time each country is bitterly defending the economic interests of its companies?"

Air-France-has been hunting for a since the abrupt departure three months ago of Jean-Marc Janaillac, who quit after pilots led a revolt against a pay offer aimed at ending costly strikes.

needs to cut costs, as its sister brand has, to keep up with leaner rivals in including and and compete with the rise of low-cost carriers and Gulf carriers.

Farges said workers were not to blame for the challenges facing the unit.

"Air France's difficulties this summer are not related to a failure of employees, but to the attrition of the fleet at a time when the growth of the market requires increasing the volume of supply and staff," he said.

An eventual vote on a new will go to the 18-strong board of directors.

(Reporting by Richard Lough; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Sun, August 12 2018. 16:00 IST