French FinMin backs Air France-KLM's CEO ahead of meet with Dutch counterpart

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Thursday he supported Ben Smith, the Chief Executive of Air France-KLM, ahead of a meeting with his Dutch counterpart to discuss the future of the airline. Le Maire, who is to meet with the Netherlands' Wopke Hoekstra on Friday for talks following the Dutch state's unexpected acquisition of a stake in the airline, called for the Dutch government to let Smith get on with his work.

Hoekstra summoned Smith earlier this month to secure assurances that Air France would keep key routes open at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport and KLM would retain the partial independence it has enjoyed since the airlines merged in 2004. Separately, Le Maire said the government will carry on with its privatization plan for Aeroports de Paris.