MONTREAL – Two French ******* unions blasted Air France-KLM this week after reports the Franco-Dutch carrier will name an ********** executive as its new CEO.

Several French news outlets have reported ********** chief operating officer Ben Smith is poised to be placed in the pilot’s seat at a board meeting Thursday.

Smith, who has acted as chief negotiator during labour talks for **********’s low-cost Rouge unit, would replace former Air France-KLM CEO Jean-Marc Janaillac, who quit more than three months ago when staff turned down his offer of a pay deal aimed at halting a wave of strikes.

Philippe Evain, head of Air France’s main pilot union, accused the board in a tweet Tuesday of poor decision-making and handing over the keys to the company to a North American executive.

A union representing Air France ground staff questioned Smith’s potential pay package, which the French newspaper Liberation reported will hit 3.3 million euros a year.

The criticism comes amidst growing labour turmoil on the tarmac in Europe, as pilots at Air France, Brussels Airlines and Ryanair have all staged work stoppages in recent months.

A spokesperson for Air France-KLM declined to confirm reports of a new CEO and said the appointment process was ongoing.