Paris, Sep 17 (IANS): French Prime Minister Manuel Valls Wednesday urged Air France pilots to end their strike, saying it could weaken the flag carrier's finances and taint France's attractiveness as a top tourist destination.
"We have to stop this strike that weighs heavily on Air France, its finances, and the attractiveness and image of our country," Xinhua quoted Valls as telling France Inter radio.
"I call on pilots to join talks and advance negotiations. I have confidence in each side to resolve the conflict as soon as possible," he added.
On Wednesday, the French-Dutch joint venture was operating four in 10 flights as pilots continued their week-long strike over pay and transferring workers to the group's low-cost Transavia unit.
According to Air France-KLM, the strike will cost the company up to 15 million euros ($19.45 million) a day.