The co-pilot of the Air France passenger jet that crashed and burned at Canada’s busiest airport will be interviewed today as investigators try to piece together why the plane skidded off the runway and burst into flames after landing in a ravine.

Aviation chiefs insisted measures to protect the world’s airlines are adequate and today downplayed a purported al-Qaida claim that it is now targeting Western carriers.

Newly merged Air France-KLM expect to see substantial increases in operating profit for the current financial year according to the group's chairman and chief executive Jean-Cyril Spinetta.

Jean-Cyril Spinetta, Groupe Air France chief executive, has said that according to CGT and CFDT labour union sources, an alliance with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines NV should generate €400m of cost synergies over the next 5 years.