* Government looking for improved offers for Aigle Azur
* Wants any Air France offer to save as many jobs as
possible
* Air France KLM shares fall in early trading
(Adds detail and background)
PARIS, Sept 17 (Reuters) - The French government is hoping
for improved offers for insolvent airline Aigle Azur and that
any offer from Air France will save as many Aigle Azur
jobs as possible, junior transport minister Jean-Baptiste
Djebbari said on Tuesday.
"I am hoping that the offers will be improved," Djebbari
told FranceInfo radio.
Privately held Aigle Azur was put under bankruptcy
protection on Sept. 2 and eventually had to halt operations,
after the airline - like others in its sector - suffered from
the effects of higher fuel costs and tough competition.
Both Air France and EasyJet have expressed an
interest in putting in rescue offers for Aigle Azur.
Djebbari added that the French government, which has a 14.3%
stake in Air France KLM, was making "serious demands" on Air
France so that any offer it made for Aigle Azur would result in
the maximum number of jobs being saved.
Air France, which submitted an initial proposal last week,
has agreed to combine its bid with Air Caraibes parent Dubreuil
group, two sources told Reuters earlier.
The CFDT and CFTC trade unions which together represent a
majority of Aigle Azur's 800 French staff have also offered to
renegotiate contracts with Air France and Air Caraibes.
Shares in Air France KLM were down 1.2% in early session
trading, reflecting the impact of higher oil prices following an
attack on Saudi oil facilities and concerns about pressure from
the French government regarding an Aigle Azur rescue.
(Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta, Editing by Sarah White)