“XL AIRWAYS, 30 million passengers, transported safely since 1995, the cheapest airline in France.
570 employees in France, a social tragedy.
Its employees were dedicated to it body and soul. As its manager explains, the company has not found a buyer in a very competitive and increasingly untenable and unbearable situation.
Aigle Azur, XL Airways, Thomas Cook, Adria Airways, the drain is spreading, it is a future that is darkening that of the French air transport model. Yet the companies are fighting back.
Thomas Cook, 600,000 passengers affected. The world’s oldest tour operator has failed to secure the necessary funding for its survival, causing the 22,000 employees of the group travel pioneer to fear the worst. But this bankruptcy also poses a major problem for the 600,000 tourists currently abroad, and for those who had paid in advance for a trip with Thomas Cook.
How to regain competitiveness and sustain the future of our companies?
The issues of structural cost and social security contributions that weigh on our companies in France are simply not applicable to foreign companies and there is no mechanism to counterbalance this situation.
French companies are constantly losing market shares, falling from 63% to 41% on the domestic market in 20 years and collapsing under the weight of taxes, duties and social security contributions.
Europe, which should represent a Union, a coherent structure, is no more than a territory open to fierce competition, without tax harmonisation.
French aviation employees are not protected and 100,000 French employees are exposed to international competition. We are being offered a late and urgent offer of a cure when we should be able to anticipate and take preventive action.
And tomorrow what will be left?
All indirect jobs, the competitiveness of the French aeronautical transport sector, travellers will be affected…
What solution for customers today?
An emergency number (01 45 05 40 81) has been set up for French travellers currently on holiday if they encounter “difficulties in continuing their stay or returning to France”: “We will do our utmost to assist customers, in close collaboration with the various professional organisations and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs”.
All our thoughts go out to all these companies, all their employees and all their travellers. ”
The Artheau Aviation team