The talks were adjourned on Tuesday, after more than five hours of negotiations.

With just over a week to go before the World Cup football finals open in France, the transport minister, Jean-Claude Gayssot, warned the pilots not to hold France and the tournament hostage.

The BBC correspondent in Paris says both sides in the dispute - unions and management - are under enormous pressure to end a dispute that could be catastrophic for the airline, the smooth running of the World Cup, and the international image of France.

Airport havoc

The strike caused havoc at airports across France on Monday, with most international and domestic flights being cancelled.

The chief pilots' union has given notice that the strike over proposed pay cuts will last at least two weeks.

Although Air France has promised to ensure that all teams taking part in the World Cup arrive on time for their matches, some fans are already looking at alternative travel plans.

Row over pay-cuts

Air France management is in no doubt that the strike by 3,200 pilots has been timed to coincide with the tournament in order to exert maximum pressure. Some French politicians have accused the pilots of blackmail.

The pilots are refusing the proposals of the management to accept pay cuts in return for shares in the airline when it is privatised.

But the airline has dropped plans for a lower pay scale for new recruits, which would have cut the overall cost of pilot salaries by about $83m a year.

The Air France management claims that French pilots are paid 40% more than their German counterparts and 19% more than British Airways pilots.

It says that with Air France just starting to return to profitability, it needs the savings to buy new aircraft.

Paris Metro workers announce strike

The pilots' action comes as the union representing workers on the Paris underground railway - the Metro - called a strike for Thursday to press demands for extra staff during the World Cup.