Air France News
Air France unveils first African destinations served by new Best & Beyond cabins
Customers can now enjoy flights to Douala in Cameroon and Malabo in Equatorial Guinea in the new Air France cabins, on board a Boeing 777-200. The new cabins offer 40 Business seats, 24 Premium Economy seats and 216 Economy seats, with flights departing up to seven times a week throughout the 2015 summer season
Air France signs cooperation deal with Air Seychelles
Air Seychelles and Air France have signed a memorandum of understanding, heralding a new era of commercial cooperation between the two carriers. The agreement was signed at a meeting in Aix en Provence in France between Joël Morgan, Seychelles minister of foreign affairs and transport and chairman of Air Seychelles, and Frédéric Gagey, chairman of Air France.
Delile to head up long-haul operations at Air France
Bruno Delile has been appointed to the role of executive vice president, long-haul operations with Air France. He will also sit on Air France’s Executive Committee. Delile, 53, holds an École Nationale Supérieure de Techniques Avancées engineering diploma and is a graduate of ESSEC business school.
Air France brings a touch of luxury to JFK with new lounge
Air France has unveiled its fully renovated lounge at Terminal 1 in New York’s JFK airport. Exclusively reserved for customers travelling in La Première and Business, and Flying Blue Elite Plus members, the lounge features a host of services, offering even greater comfort before a passenger’s trip.
Air France brings A380 to Paris-Miami route
Air France has confirmed it will offer up to seven flights a week to Miami from Paris-Charles de Gaulle for the winter season, until March 28th, with flights operated by an Airbus A380. Miami will become the third destination in the United States served by the largest aircraft in the Air France fleet, after New York and Los Angeles.
Air France flies A380 into Africa with Abidjan route
Air France is now offering three weekly services to Abidjan using the A380, the largest superjumbo in its fleet, with an additional four weekly frequencies to Abidjan operated by Boeing 777-300 aircraft. Air France revealed its ambition to make Abidjan the first destination in French-speaking Africa to be served with regular A380 flights with a special Air France flight on January 28th earlier this year, which also reflected the company’s wish to support the country’s development towards becoming the main hub for and gateway to Western Africa.
Air France strike to cost €500 million in lost revenue
Air France has estimated that a strike by pilots in September will cost it about €500 million lost revenue, in addition to intangible damage to its reputation. The struggling French-flag carrier was in dispute with pilots over plans to expand its budget subsidiary Transavia.
Air France inks code share deal with Kulula.com
Air France has signed a codeshare partnership with South African low cost carrier, kulula.com. Under this partnership, Air France will add its code to kulula.com’s domestic route network allowing customers to seamlessly connect in South Africa to and from Cape Town, Durban, George and East London.
Air France pilots return to work despite lack of strike deal
Pilots at troubled flag-carrier Air France have ended a 14 day strike which had grounded half of the airline’s flights, costing millions of euros. A late-night negotiating session with management saw leaders of the SNPL pilot union agree to return to work, despite no deal being agreed.
Air France bows to union pressure over Transavia expansion
Attempts to return Air France to sustained profitability suffered a significant setback today, as the flag-carrier bowed to union pressure over plans to develop its Transavia subsidiary outside of France. Pilots at Air France have been out on strike for ten days over perceived threat to their positions after the airline revealed plans to expand the low-cost subsidiary.
Air France denies abandoning Transavia expansion plan
Air France has branded claims it has abandoned plans to shelves the expansion of low-cost carrier Transavia “premature”. French transport secretary Alain Vidalies told RMC radio earlier: “The Transavia Europe project has been abandoned by management.”
Air France strike drags on into second week
Air France has urged customers to reschedule flights or exchange their tickets free of charge rather than wait for the outcome of the negotiation currently taking place with trade unions. Unions earlier said rejected an offer by the airline aimed at resolving the dispute, instead extending the ongoing strike at the airline until September 26th.