Algeria pilots’ strike grounds national carrier

Air Algerie planes were grounded for several hours on Saturday when the national carrier’s pilots staged a wildcat strike over pay, officials in the North African country said.

Air Algerie said in a statement that the strike caused delays for the airline and other carriers that lasted a few hours until normal operations resumed in the afternoon, after negotiations between management and the pilots’ union.

In a separate statement, the union said the strike was aimed at forcing Air Algerie to implement a series of contracts that it had previously signed with the pilots.

News agency APS quoted pilots at Algiers airport as saying their demands related to salaries.

The morning talks between management and the union were reported to have ended in agreement, APS added.