The Cannes Film Festival May 12-23 is in jeopardy from entertainment workers who have been striking since last summer and whose walkouts canceled cultural festivals in Avignon and Aix-en-Provence, and the premiere of the final Lord of the Rings film in December. The workers are protesting government reforms that curtailed their benefits, and they have threatened to disrupt the film festival unless a settlement is reached. In airline news, crews for Air Brit and Regional, two low-cost airlines owned by Air France, began a five-day strike April 19 that forced cancellations of some 70 flights around Europe. The strike was called to seek job security for 900 pilots following Air France’s agreement to take over Dutch carrier KLM. Further strikes are possible if their demands are not met.
