Air France execs have shirts torn in scuffle with protestors

An Associated Press photographer saw about a hundred activists rush the building after breaking through a gate.

The decision followed months of fraught negotiations between Air France and its pilots, who previous year waged the longest strike in the company’s history.

The management condemned the “physical violence” in a statement, and said it would file police complaints.

Transport Secretary Alain Vidalies said the violence was unacceptable and the culprits would be punished.

Air France is looking to boost its competitive edge against its main European rivals, Lufthansa and British Airways-Iberia.

Air France said the restructuring would see the airline’s costs reduced by €1.8bn (£1.3bn) over two years.

Union leaders at Dutch company KLM have criticised the pilots’ union in France, telling RFI on Monday that they are increasingly anxious about the impact the Air France developments will have on its own activity.

Air France managers have been forced to flee large mobs of angry staff after announcing plans to slash the size of the workforce.

Demonstrators try to enter to Air France headquarters in Roissy-en-France, on October 5, 2015, during a demonstration for the launch of a restructuring plan at a central committee meeting. Police also hoisted Mr. Plissonnier over a fence to help him escape after protesters ripped his shirt and suit jacket.

French radio station RTL reported Tuesday that the company plans to fire those involved in the attack once they are identified.

Human resources manager Xavier Broseta and senior official Pierre Plissonnier had to clamber over a fence, while several others were injured, reports the BBC.

Air France executives are protected by security guards during scuffles with union activists inside the airline’s headquarters Monday.

Due to numerous French labor laws, the layoffs would not occur before December so the pilots’ union and the company have another two months to work out a deal before the layoffs would take effect.

Deputy HR director Broseta later said he was “shocked and disappointed” but insisted “what we saw this morning is not typical of company staff”. The managers who fled included the head of human resources.