Air France issues crew travel limits, expands cargo network and diverts Panama flight
Written by AI from 5 reports listed below. Not checked by a person before publication. How we use AI
Air France announced a directive restricting crew of 31 nationalities from flying to Israel, added new cargo routes for the winter schedule, and returned an Airbus A350‑900 to Paris after a magnitude‑7.7 earthquake in Panama.
Crew travel restrictions
Air France issued a directive requiring crew members of 31 nationalities to refrain from flights to Israel. At least 1,240 crew members of those nationalities landed in Israel in 2026.
Winter cargo network
Air France KLM Martinair Cargo will operate its winter schedule from 25 October 2026 to 27 March 2027. The plan includes service to 14 freighter destinations, 112 wide‑body belly destinations worldwide and 54 destinations in Europe. New freighter service to Cairo, Egypt, will operate three times weekly with Boeing 777F aircraft. Two weekly Boeing 777F flights will serve Navi Mumbai International Airport instead of Mumbai. Seoul will be served three times weekly, with one standalone flight and two combined with Hong Kong. From Paris Charles de Gaulle, new services will start to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, three times weekly on Boeing 777‑300ER from November, and to Malé, Maldives, twice weekly on Airbus A350‑900 from December.
Panama flight diversion
An Air France Airbus A350‑900 bound for Panama City turned back to Paris Charles‑de‑Gaulle on 9 October 2026. The diversion occurred after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck at 12:56 local time (19:56 Paris time), with the epicentre 10 km from Pitaloza Arriba in Herrera province. Panama City International Airport was temporarily closed. The earthquake caused 27 injuries and more than a hundred aftershocks were reported. Air France confirmed the flight was diverted because the airport was closed.
Alleged discrimination claim
An internal Air France note allegedly excludes crew members from flights to Israel based on nationality or dual nationality with a state not maintaining diplomatic relations with Israel. The note targets 31 nationalities. The CGT claims the measure is discriminatory and violates French labour law.