Up and Away with Air France

Written by Nancy Wilson

Nancy Wilson checks in with Regional Director Michel Pognonec

Most of our readers aren't French and may not have caught up with how AF has changed.

We've taken full advantage of the liberalisation of our industry and since the company was privatized in 2003, we've made enormous progress. We've modernized our fleet, done a lot to keep staff motivated and with advanced yield management techniques, we can offer fares to suit everybody. We've also got the advantage of the Paris CDG-hub. By the way, in just one year's time we'll be the first European carrier to introduce the Airbus A380.

We've got a lot of Dutch readers. How's the merger with KLM worked out?

Very well - and it was necessary, given an increasingly competitive situation. The combined resources of our two companies - centred on Roissy and Schiphol - have given us leading positions in markets across the world and that's matched by our profitability and financial stability. For the 2006/2007 year, Air France KLM carried 73.5 million passengers and become one of the most profitable groups with �23 billion of revenues and �1,240 million of operating income.

You mention competition. How has AF reacted to the low-cost carriers and to other companies' upgraded Business Class products and the now budget business-only airlines?

As to the low-cost carriers, we've reacted in two ways: by offering a quality service and a wide range of fares. For example, we now operate a low-cost product in the medium-haul leisure market, under the transavia.com brand.

We're very aware of the need to stay ahead in the area of what we call Premium classes - Business and First. Our seats in Espace Affaires - two metres in length when fully reclined - are among the very best in the market. Those travelling in Espace Premiere get VIP service every inch of the way. It's too early to say how the others will do.

Just a few weeks ago the Open Skies Agreement came into force for flights across the Atlantic. How do you view that? And what about London City?

For several reasons very positively - it's a great advantage to our alliance SkyTeam which can offer a seamless worldwide product to our customers. Within the SkyTeam alliance, we've now got eight new non-stop routes between London Heathrow and the US. These are to Atlanta, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Newark, New York, JFK and Settle. Our arrival at London City Airport has given us another great opportunity. We're now the biggest operator there, with 37 daily flights to 10 European destinations- including Nice, of course.

Travellers have a choice. So why choose Air France?

As I've said, we offer a service of high quality and a wide range of fares. We can offer every passenger a suitable travel solution. Remember, access to SkyTeam means a choice of 16,409 flights per day to 841 destinations worldwide. Wherever you're off to, you check-in only once. And lastly - for those many people who think green - Air France KLM has confirmed its support of the Kyoto Protocol and to the integration of air transport in the European Emissions Trading System. Bon voyage.

From Riviera Reporter issue 126: April/May 2008

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