Air France and its pilot unions protested on Wednesday against EU demands that the airline give up takeoff and landing slots at its Paris base in return for government aid.

Brussels wants the French airline, part of Air France-KLM , to cede 24 Orly airport slots as a condition for approval of a state-backed recapitalisation, La Tribune reported this week.

“We wouldn’t understand being subjected to drastic measures that weaken our position in Paris,” Group Chief Executive Ben Smith told L’Express magazine in an interview – adding the slot demands could give low-cost Ryanair a foothold at Orly.

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