"We'll suggest to Air France that it provide special flights. Access to these flights will be reserved for people who have got a ticket for the matches," said Christian Paris, the spokesman for the main pilots' union, the SNPL.

The union said its members would be prepared to fly the planes without pay.

An Air France official described the offer as a positive gesture.

However, it is thought unlikely the dispute can be resolved before the World Cup starts on Wednesday.

The BBC Paris correspondent says the union is hoping its offer will deflect hostility within France towards the pilots.

Talks make little progress

Negotiations between pilots and management aimed at ending the dispute broke up early on Saturday without any prospect of a resumption of talks.

The French government had suggested that it might have to intervene in the stoppage.

"I believe everyone must be concerned about this and for that reason if the government can be useful, naturally taking into respect the autonomy of the management, we will play a role in the hours that come," said the French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin.

The strike has seriously disrupted domestic and international flights. It is also costing Air France $16m a day in lost revenues.

In recent days, there have been signs of concern amongst other Air France staff about the effect of the strike.

Ground staff are said to be worried

One union official said 3,000 pilots were playing with the future of 45,000 employees.

Ground staff and cabin crew are also known to be concerned about their exclusion from the talks between Air France management and the pilots.

The pilots had refused management proposals to accept pay cuts in return for shares in the airline when it is privatised.