Air France may cut 5,000 more jobs in new restructuring: sources

PARIS (Reuters) - Air France will cut a further 5,000 jobs if a second phase of its cost-cutting plan goes ahead, on top of an already announced plan to cut 2,900 jobs, two union sources told Reuters on Tuesday, although the French company denied these figures.

Air France, having failed to secure pilots' agreement for a plan to increase working hours for the same pay, had to come up with a more draconian one earlier this week, unveiling 2,900 job cuts and prompting violent protests among staff.

That could be just the first phase of the so-called "plan B", union sources said.

"If we move to the second phase of the plan, there will be outright dismissals among the 5,000 jobs to go," one union official said, confirming earlier information by investigative weekly Le Canard Enchaine.

However, in a statement later on Tuesday, Air France denied the new figures.

"Management has worked on several scenarios that could preserve jobs and competitiveness at Air France. It is therefore not surprising that unconfirmed figures circulate today," it said.

"There is no hidden plan about headcount changes in 2018, 2019 or beyond," it added.

On Monday, Air France said the long-haul business would be reduced by 10 percent, with the fleet down by 14 aircraft to 93.

Union sources told Reuters that each aircraft taken out represents 100 stewards, 50 pilots and 200 ground workers, as well as other productivity savings, suggesting total cuts may eventually reach almost 8,000.

(Reporting by Cyril Altmeyer; Writing by Michel Rose; Editing by David Evans and William Hardy)

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