Tue, Oct 18, 2011
Alexandre de Juniac Expected To Be Named To The Post
The board of Air France-KLM has voted to fire the company CEO
amid declining revenues and increased scrutiny of the airline's
safety culture. Pierre-Henri Gourgeon had been re-appointed to a
new four-year term in the position just over four months ago.
His replacement may be a long-time civil servant, Alexandre de
Juniac, and advisor to the French finance minister with experience
in the aeronautics industry. He could take control of the airline
sometime in November subject to review by a government ethics
committee.
The New York Times reports that Air France-KLM chairman
Jean-Cyril Spinetta will take the reigns of the airline until a new
holding company structure can be put in place. Analysts told the
paper that the firing of Gourgeon could be the first domino to fall
in a major reorganizaton of Europe's largest airline when measured
by revenue.
The plan was first reported Sunday by the French newspaper Les
Echos. That publication reported that Gourgeon had been told Friday
that he was going to be replaced.
File Photo
One of the incidents which may have contributed to the move was
the June 2009 accident involving an Air France A330 in which all
228 people on board were fatally injured. Both Airbus and Air
France are the subject of an ongoing investigation into the
accident. An interim report by the French accident investigating
agency BEA indicates that the pilots had not received training
which might have been able to prevent the accident. The airline has
ordered a top-down review of accident, saying it had properly
trained its pilots and that the pattern of cockpit alarms on board
the airliner was "misleading."
Another factor is likely the economic losses suffered by Air
France-KLM during the recession, and the slowness of its recovery
relative to other airlines. The New York Times reports that Air
France-KLM showed a net loss of about $270 million, which the
airline said was the result of pricing volitility for fuel, as well
as other international factors beyond its control. While it has
forecast a small operating profit for this year, it is far behind
Lufthans and International Airlines Group, the parent of Bitish
Airways and Spain's Iberia Airlines.
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