fransknorge

Data point: I held a MUC CDG//CDG FRA booking in a semi flex fare (non refundable, change allowed for a fee). The outbound is Friday and the inbound Sunday. I just hang off with the call Center: they have rebooked me on a LH flight for the outbound. The return is operated by Hop so no cancellations possible. The flight CDG MUC is not cancelled yet, the agent proactively offers to change my booking.
This was above my expectations. AF is getting good at handling strikes.

This is for a low ivory member who fly AF when there are no other choices.
I am now waiting for the e-ticket and travel documents. With some luck I will end up in a fare that gives me 100% mileage on my SK EB account !

orbitmic

I suspect the unions' figures are actually far more accurate than the management's: in particular, there seem to be a lot of cancellations of ORY flights, far more than the 10-20% of cancellations of domestics and European flights announced by AF, which I suspect indeed include Hop! in their total figure so as to artificially lower the announced levels of disruption.

What is more, I have heard from people that there have been some denied boardings today because some flights have insufficient crew numbers which impose a reduction in the number of passengers who can be allowed onboard. Those are of course not counted as cancellations (indeed they are not) but they represent an additional layer of disruption to passengers.

It seems that AF is back in the dark days of frequent and highly disruptive strikes. While I sympathise with the unions' on the fact that management does not seem to have a clue on how to get out of the current mess (at least not a convincing clue. I still believe that their whole Transavia plan will be a completely predictable crash), I certainly do not think that their strike is going to improve anything and AF's reputation as a reliable airline will continue suffering amongst the thousands of families who will be affected on their only holiday of the year and will most likely choose another airline when they book next year following his new bad experience. Suicidal.

MSPeconomist

The media in Europe are saying that 30% of AF domestic and short or medium haul flights were cancelled today/yesterday, during the first day of the labor action or strike if I can use that word.

stimpy

The media I saw said 10%. But I would not presume to believe either AF or the Syndicates. It only matters if your flight went or did not.

MSPeconomist

They're saying 10% for longhaul flights, although one source specified longhaul flights to Africa, Asia, etc. And gave the impression that longhaul flights to/from the USA weren't included, apparently implying that no flights to/from the USA or North America were cancelled.

Transpacificflyer

I was fortunate to change my long hauls from Asia from AF to KLM. Unfortunately, I cannot select my seat as J class is apparently closed despite being 3 days out. I received no communication from AF and I would have appreciated being able to change my flights a week or two ago when the strike was definite. There would have been an almost $500 charge had I made the change on the website. I called in and made the changes with an agent and the fare & fee was waived.This change will cost me a day and a hotel. STill better than the risk of being stranded somewhere. I only fly AF/KLM one TPAC per year or so, so I am not as screwed as an FF. However, that's it for me an AF. The combination of poor catering, poor service and decrepit equipment on my routes is enough for me to say rot in hades AF and take all your rude miserable employees with you. I will gladly switch to Finnair or stay with *A service as I at least have status at AC.

superpointsLXflyer

Data point: it took me a total of 45 minutes (including wait time) to have me rebooked from AF to an LX operated flight ZRH-CDG on Saturday. The original ticket was cheapish economy (definitely not flexible).
First I was just told to check their homepage again on Friday night to see if the flight was cancelled or not. I said this was not an option and asked for a direct flight on LX or my money back so I could book the flight myself.
Suddenly it was possible to rebook me on KLM over Amsterdam. I declined citing that I booked a direct flight and was unsure about potential strikes in AMS.
After that a direct flight ZRH - CDG operated by China Eastern appeard in her system (stangely I can't even find such a flight- just codeshares operated by AF). She cited an arrival time of around 4pm so I declined as I would miss my onward flight to DOH.
After declining the useless vouchers as well it took some more minutes and one of the LX flights that I asked for in the beginning magically appeared as well. Waiting for the new tickets to be issued...
Next problem: what to do at CDG for 4 or 5 hrs landside waiting for the Qatar Airlines check-in to open? That was the only reason I booked the AF flight in the beginning.

MSPeconomist

You can apparently get a drink and Internet at the Sheraton. It's landside in terminal 2, basically on top of the train station in the center.

It would require a taxi or uber, but there's an airplane museum pretty close to CDG.

ADDED there's a security guy guarding the Sheraton entrance with a hand held metal detector wand.

Dlougach

I received e-mail today early in the morning that out of my two flights ZRH-CDG and CDG-NCE the second one was cancelled. They automatically rebooked me on a later flight ORY-NCE (which would bring me to Nice 3 hours later than planned). So when I called customer support for the first time, I was told that they cannot propose me flights on other carriers because they have options on Air France, I said I'd think whether I want to cancel or not. Then I called second time, and another agent almost immediately proposed me options on LX, LH and OS (in the end I took OS).

brunos

I do not see ANY media claiming that 10% of the medium-haul or even short-haul flight are cancelled.

Air France announced that they plan to fly 70% of European and 80% of domestic, but that is ......... I am at Nice airport and up to now, only 7 departed from Nice and 7 are already cancelled. So that's well over 30% cancelled. Don't know about the last two late flights.

San Gottardo

Always remember the saying "I only believe the statistics I fake myself". In this case: 10% or 30% or whatever percentage... of what? I think the airline puts a low number because they include in their calculation all flights operated by HOP, and even flights by DL and KL, possibly even other code shares. Whereas the union will look at only the flights due to be operated with AF mainline aircraft, i.e. the ones that could be affected by the strike.

stimpy

Here you go....

http://www.france24.com/fr/20160727-...ions-syndicats

You can choose to believe any source you want.

superpointsLXflyer

Update: in the afternoon the same agent left a message saying that the tickets won't be rebooked after all "because the flight has not been cancelled yet"
Booked the Swiss tickets myself and will never spend a cent with AF again.

Analise

Question regarding BIQ-ORY, CDG-ORD tomorrow, July 30. This is the return trip back to the US.

AF's customer service agent stated to a friend of mine that AF will notify 20 hours in advance if the BIQ-CDG flight is cancelled. My friend with this itinerary purchased a train ticket to Paris TODAY to give her peace of mind so as not to worry if the domestic leg of her trip is cancelled.

I'm up in the middle of the night worrying about the following: If AF actually does NOT cancel the domestic flight, will her ticket for the 2nd leg to ORD be cancelled because she would be a no show on the domestic leg?

Xandrios

Yes, missing the first flight (if not cancelled) means all subsequent flights on the itinerary will be automatically canceled. You should take action to prevent this - either by making sure your friend does fly the booked segments rather than taking the train, or, by calling AF and trying to convince them to accept dropping the first leg from the itin. The first option probably has the greater chance of success.. (Though do try to give AF a call - perhaps they are willing to be flexible).