Air France Staff Protest During Strike

PARIS (AP) -- Hundreds of angry Air France staff are demonstrating at the French airlines' headquarters in northern Paris amid a strike over pay that has grounded flights.

Air France said that half of its long-haul flights departing from Paris will not operate Thursday and encouraged customers with a Thursday flight reservation to change their ticket "at no extra cost."

The day-long strike aims to pressure management to increase employee salaries by 6 percent.

Air France said it will operate 75 percent of its total flights with 28 percent of employees participating in the action.

The airline said it would assure 75 percent of medium-haul flights and 85 percent of short-haul flights during the day.

(KA)