Air France: Paris attacks cost 70 million euros in December

Air France-KLM says the November terror attacks in Paris cost the airline group 70 million euros in December. Turnover in November fell by around 50 million euros as a result of the attacks, the Franco-Dutch group said last month.

Air France planes at Roissy airport near Paris, 27 October 2015 Reuters/Christian Hartmann

Booking trends in December, however, “were in line with a progressive recovery," the company said in a press release.

Total traffic in December for Air France, KLM and low-cost subsidiaries HOP! and Transavia was 6.7 million passengers, "stable" over the previous month, it said. Seat occupancy was 82.9 per cent, a fall of 0.2 per cent.

The Bank of France said last month that the attacks, which killed 130 people and wounded many more, cost France’s economy about 500 million euros, reducing the rate of growth by about a quarter. Those losses were mainly on the tourism sector.

Hotels, restaurants and leisure activities were "notably weakened in connection with the 13 November attacks" which targeted a music venue, cafés and restaurants, the bank had said in a statement.

Air France has been plagued in recent months by strikes and protests as the troubled French flag-carrier faces a major job-shedding programme. Trade unions have called for work stoppages this month to protect jobs, as well as to call for the end of disciplinary procedures for two pilots accused of involvement in an October protest in which managers had their shirts torn off.