Paris, August 1 (RHC)-- At least 150,000 people have been affected by five days of strike by Air France crew as the carrier struggles to cope with the repercussions of the industrial action at the height of the holiday travel period.

The airline said Sunday that some 900 flights, or about one in five, have been cancelled since the walkout began on Wednesday, adding that so far the strike has affected around 150,000 people. Air France said that the walkout had cost the company tens of millions of dollars.

Reports say security considerations have prompted Air France to go ahead with some flights with a reduced passenger load as there were not enough crew on board. That comes as millions are returning home from their July holidays this weekend and millions more are departing for their August break.

On July 25, Air France said some 13,600 of its flight attendants, about 35 percent of the company’s workforce, would join a stoppage affecting about 10 percent of long-haul flights. It said the action has forced the company to cancel 30 percent of the domestic and medium-haul flights.

Earlier projections had shown that more and more flights will be affected by the strike as more Air France crew were expected to join the action. Talks failed on July 22 between unions representing about half of the strikers and officials from Air France as the two sides did not agree on how to renew a collective labor accord on rules, pay and promotions, which expires in October.