Air France is to hold discussions with Boeing and its leasing company AerCap over cancelling deliveries of five 787 passenger jets, in order to cut costs.

The 787 aeroplanes were due to be delivered between 2016 and 2017.

This decision was proposed under Air France’s new money-saving policy, as the company has been struggling with financial difficulties.

Air France chief executive Frederic Gagey was quoted by Reuters saying that the company was reviewing additional 787 orders with Boeing.

"Air France is now forced to launch are structuring plan of its long-haul network."

Gagey spoke of the likelihood of the company improving its profit margins this year and denied plans for the French airline to launch a new low-cost, long-haul service.

The company, part of Air France KLM, has already planned an intense lay-off programme, after failing to reach an agreement with pilot unions.

Air France said in a statement: "Facing the impossibility of signing agreements enabling the implementation of productivity measures to restore long-term profitability, Air France is now forced to launch are structuring plan of its long-haul network."

The company’s financial proposal includes reducing the long-haul network by 10%, early retirement of aircraft leading to a smaller fleet, and losing 2,900 job, including 1,700 ground staff, 900 cabin crew and 300 pilots by 2017.

After announcing mass job cuts, the airlines faced protests and demonstrations from its staff, as around 100 employees disrupted a meeting of the airline’s senior management and confronted the executives.