Air France is set to expand its presence at London's fast-growing City Airport (LCY) by launching five new routes. At the same time it will link with Scot Airways to jointly operate flights on a further three routes.
Air France is using City Jet (a Dublin-based carrier which is now 100% owned by the French national carrier) to add services to Madrid, Milan Linate, Geneve, Zurich and Nice. The Scot Airways services will continue, as at present, to Edinburgh and Dundee with the addition of a new route to Belfast's downtown Harbour Airport.
Flights to the first five cities will be operated by 95-seater RJ85 jets (an updated version of the ubiquitous BAe146). Scot Airways' flights will be operated mainly by its existing Dornier 328 turbo-props although the plan is for City Jet's RJ85 jets to feature on a few services. All these routes, with the exception of Nice and Belfast Harbour, are already served by other carriers.
So far Air France isn't making available details of schedules and fares. But prices are expected to be competitive with the likes of British Airways, Swiss and Air One who already serve one or more of these cities from LCY.
Air France's existing flights from LCY to Dublin and Paris Orly will continue. The carrier has yet to decide whether or not to continue its once a day link with Paris CDG for the summer season.
For more information go to airfrance.co.uk.
Report by Alex McWhirter
