Angry workers ripped the shirts off two Air France managers as they were forced to escape a meeting on job cuts.
Human resources manager Xavier Broseta and senior official Pierre Plissonnier had to clamber over a fence, while several others were reportedly injured.
The men were taking part in talks about plans for 2,900 job losses when hundreds of workers stormed into Air France headquarters at Roissy near Charles de Gaulle airport.
Pilots had earlier rejected an offer to work longer hours.
Protesters rip shirts off Air France managers after meeting about mass job cuts http://t.co/1W6i3WDEwipic.twitter.com/xPiZ4wVS0R
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) October 5, 2015Parent company Air France-KLM condemned the physical attacks “perpetrated by particularly aggressive isolated individuals”.
The airline confirmed the job cuts as part of a major restructuring that will see the closure of loss-making long-haul routes.
The measures include cutting 1,700 ground staff, 900 cabin crew, and 300 pilots, as well as a 10% reduction in its long-haul business, a reduction in the size of the aircraft fleet and an increase in pilots’ working hours.
The carrier warned that compulsory redundancies “cannot be ruled out”.
The plans call for the long-haul fleet to be reduced by 14 aircraft from 107 operated this summer to 93 by summer 2017.
The ‘Perform 2020’ plan will see five routes closed to Asia and the Middle East and the cancellation of 35 weekly frequencies by 2017.
The airline is to accelerate the retirement of Airbus A340s which will not be replaced by new generation Boeing 787 Dreamliners as originally planned.
Air France-KLM chairman and chief executive, Alexandre de Juniac, said: “We regret that no agreement has been reached with the Air France flight crew unions.
“The turnaround of the company can only be fulfilled with the mobilisation of all its employees. The Air France management remains available to reopen negotiations with its unions at any point.
“We reaffirm our determination to implement the adaptation measures vital to ensuring the long-term future of Air France and allow it to finance its growth.”