Corsair International (SS, Paris Orly) could be re-equipped with a fleet of B777-300(ER)s the Assistant Secretary of the airline's workers council (CGT), Jacques Biron, has said.
Biron's comments come in the wake of the collapse of talks with Air Caraibes (TX, Pointe à Pitre) parent, Groupe Dubreuil, over their proposed acquisition of Corsair from parent, TUI AG. As such, the German leisure firm has now had to reconsider its options apropos Corsair's future with the group.
"This plan has not yet been officially tabled but we're talking about three to four B777-300(ER)s that would replace seven aircraft in service with the company," he was quoted by French paper, Les Echos.
Groupe Dubreuil had planned to retire Corsair's fleet of four A330-200s and three B747-400s by 2017 replacing them with A350-900s from 2016 onwards. The plan, however, drew significant criticism from Corsair unions over concerns the airline's B747 and A330 pilots would be made redundant once their types had been retired.
In addition, unions also opposed Groupe Dubreuil's plans to create a new subsidiary responsible for operating its fleet of A350s on the grounds that Corsair crew would be forced to reapply for their jobs albeit without their seniority and with clauses linking their salaries to productivity.
Unions have expressed a willingness to help return Corsair to profitability under the mantle of TUI AG.
