Air France is to launch a total of 54 European routes from Marseille, Toulouse, Nice and Bordeaux, as well as increasing capacity on existing domestic routes by 80 per cent, as part of an "offensive on departure from the French regions".
Exact details of the new routes have yet to be disclosed, but Air France says that the new routes will fly to “major European cities and the Mediterranean”, with an estimated 4.5 million additional passengers being transported, and an overall increase in capacity of some 30 per cent.
The carrier says that the implementation of this new strategy, which it hopes will enable it to “regain market share in a highly competitive context”, is based on “a significant reduction in operational costs of about 15 per cent”.
This will be attained through measures including the use of a single aircraft type (the Airbus A320), optimised daily use of aircraft, flight crews based in the regions, and "better use of human and material resources on the ground throughout the day".
Flights will remain broadly full service, with benefits including one free piece of checked luggage, seat selection, and a free newspaper and snack. It has however been reported that the carrier will ask passengers to take their rubbish with them when they leave flights, in an attempt to cut turnaround times.
Air France’s market share has been eroded by the rise of low-cost carriers in recent years. Easyjet bases a number of aircraft in the country, and Spanish carrier Vueling recently launched a base at Toulouse airport with routes to Amsterdam, Barcelona, Ibiza, Malaga, Paris, Pisa and Venice.
For more information visit airfrance.co.uk.
Report by Mark Caswell
