Air France to lower prices, revamp service in bid to end losses on medium-haul flights
12 November 2009

PARIS (AP) - Air France said Thursday it plans to cut fares on European flights as part of a wider move to revamp its medium-haul service and stem losses.

The airline, part of the Air France-KLM SA group, said the price cuts, which reach up to 24 percent off the most expensive current fares on flights to Copenhagen and Frankfurt, are a response to changing customer requirements. It said the fare cuts don't amount to a shift in its strategy to a "low-cost" model like those of rival airlines Ryanair and easyJet.

Customers "now want reliable, efficient air transport, with an appropriate service, at the lowest possible price, while retaining the Air France touch," the airline's chief executive, Pierre-Henri Gourgeon, said.

Air France's medium-haul flights account for 40 percent of its revenue, and the airline has been slashing capacity faster than competitors in an effort to counter falling traffic and losses, which amounted to euro426 million ($641 million) in the April-June quarter.

Gourgeon said the revamping will allow the airline to cut its operating costs, for example by increasing reliance on internet bookings and serving simpler meals, and to increase market share by allowing customers greater flexibility to change reservations and offering them a "grace period" when reserving tickets.

"All this has the goal of returning the short and medium-haul business to profitability," Gourgeon said.

for the first class in A380, i would prefer Emirate to AF

Emirates First class is excessively flashy : I prefer by far Air France's cabin

Corporate.airfrance.com :

New European service for spring 2010

On 1 April 2010, Air France will be introducing a new European service, on sale as from January 2010. Two types of service will be offered: "Voyageur" for passengers looking for a simple product with all the basics at inexpensive fares which are not refundable but which can be modified, and "Premium" for those travelling for business who are looking for flexible fares and additional service.
New European service for spring 2010

Contrary to the low-cost airlines, Air France will continue to offer passengers free transport of at least one piece of hold baggage in addition to a cabin bag, a free in-flight snack and free newspapers. Air France will also be offering new services to help passengers save time, plus lower fares.

http://corporate.airfrance.com/uploads/RTEmagicC_plan_actu_en.gif.gif

http://corporate.airfrance.com/en/press/news/article/item/nouvelle-offre-europeenne-au-printemps-2010/

Corporate.airfrance.com, November 20, 2009 :
A380: first transatlantic flight between Europe and the United States

With its today's inaugural flight AF380 from Paris to New York tomorrow, Air France is the first airline to offer transatlantic flights between Europe and the United States by A380.
A380: first transatlantic flight between Europe and the United States

On board, the 380 winning bidders of the auction for tickets on the Paris - New York flight will be the first passengers to cross the Atlantic from Paris on the biggest ever civil aircraft. The aircraft will land at New York-Kennedy airport at 1:20 pm local time, 7:20 pm Paris time.

The benefits of the auction for the inaugural Paris-New York-Paris flights will go to several projects in aid of humanitarian associations for children in need all over the world. The Air France Foundation supports these projects.

Starting on Monday 23 November, the A380 will operate daily scheduled flights:


AF 006 Paris-New York leaving at 1:30, arriving at 3:45 pm;
and AF 007 New York-Paris leaving at 7:15 pm, arriving at 8:35 the following day.


From Paris, Air France will operate the A380 on its Johannesburg route as from 3 Februray 2010 and will therefore be the first airline to operate the A380 to Africa.

http://corporate.airfrance.com/en/press/news/article/item/a380-premier-vol-transatlantique-entre-leurope-et-les-etats-unis/

Paris - Joburg has such high traffic? Wow. Thought they'd go for a former French colony first.

Paris - Joburg has such high traffic? Wow. Thought they'd go for a former French colony first.

Maybe they believe the national soccer team will attract crowds of French supporters to the World Cup! :lol:

Paris - Joburg has such high traffic? Wow. Thought they'd go for a former French colony first.

This is hardly about prestige. If it were solely that, I'd be worrying for AF's survival already. Expect the A380 destinations to be places already being served by B777-300ERs as those planes seat anywhere from 310 to 472, so putting on an A380 with 538 seats is not that ridiculous. Anyway, isn't CDG-JNB already served with B77Ws??

Anyway, isn't CDG-JNB already served with B77Ws??

CDG-JNB is indeed currently served by 1 B777-200 and 1 B777-300ER daily. I don't know however if the A380 will replace both for 1 return flight daily, of if it will replace only one of those to increase the capacity on this destination.

CDG-JNB is indeed currently served by 1 B777-200 and 1 B777-300ER daily. I don't know however if the A380 will replace both for 1 return flight daily, of if it will replace only one of those to increase the capacity on this destination.
A dummy booking on AF can answer this question. CDG-JNB becomes 1 daily with the beginning of the A380 service.

A dummy booking on AF can answer this question. CDG-JNB becomes 1 daily with the beginning of the A380 service.

im going to add to this as it isnt entirely correct...

CDG-JNB will become 10 x weekly with the A380 operating 3 x per week and i a daily B772/B77W...dont forget that due to the altitude and climate the A380 will arrive to JNB in the morning and only depart in the evening once temperature has cooled down with about + - 12 hours sitting at a remote stand therefore CDG -JNB needs 2x A380 to operate on a daily basis

when there next A380 comes in it will become a daily A380 operation and the extra B772/B77W will fall away:)

Maybe they believe the national soccer team will attract crowds of French supporters to the World Cup! :lol:
Passengers will be allowed to play handball aboard.

CDG-JNB will become 10 x weekly with the A380 operating 3 x per week
Humm...strange: with only one aircraft, it won't be easy to fly 3x weekly to JFK and 3x weekly to Jo'burg.
AF will have to wait until march when the company will get 3 A380...the Paris-Tokyo route should open in the same time.

FROM http://corporate.airfrance.com/en/press/news/article/item/font-color051039premiers-vols-commerciaux-de-la380-a-partir-du-23-novembre/

AF A380 service to JNB will begin on feb 3, 2010 and is now bookable
AF990 : CDG - JNB : 23:20 - 10:55 next day
AF995 : JNB - CDG : 20:30 - 6:00 next day

A380 service will be first operated 3 times a week (to JNB : wed, fri, sunday. From JNB : Thur, sat, mon). Other days are 772 and/or 77W. From march 28 A380 service becomes daily.

Here's a couple blog posts that show the inaugural JFK->CDG flight on the A380. http://www.planereality.com/?p=533

This is a great plane to fly with, very spacious.
I've flown it last summer from CDG to SIN and back,
with Singapore Airlines A380-800.
So qiuet smooth fligts.
I would recommend it!!
How many seats are in the A380 of Air France? Much more then the Singapore Airlines configuration?

Grtz XeloS

Air France : 538 seats, Emirates : 489, Singapore : 471, Quantas : 450 ;)

^^ and Air Austral: over 800 seats (all economy)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Postcard: Paris.
7 December 2009
Time

http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2009/0911/A380_1123.jpg
The first Air France Airbus A380 passenger jet arrives at Charles de Gaulle airport near Paris on Oct. 30, 2009
Benoit Tessier / Reuters

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1942120,00.html#ixzz0YGVao2Mi

Air France's transatlantic A380 service features comfy seats, six bars and an art gallery. But is the Airbus jumbo now a white elephant? Bringing the party back to the skies

By my watch, the takeoff roll for Air France Flight 380 lasted 35 seconds. "Thirty-nine seconds," corrected Laurent Bonnard, a French historian, as we chatted in a lounge area later. Either way, all the planiacs on board Air France's inaugural A380 Airbus New York City--to--Paris flight agreed the takeoff was a thing of beauty. Imagine a 500-ton apartment building with wings stepping into the sky with the quiet grace of a ballet dancer.

The A380 is the largest airliner to ever part with the pavement: it can hold more than 800 passengers in full-sardine-tin configuration, although Air France has mercifully limited the crowd to a mere 538. In preparation for its entry into service in 2007, airports widened runways and hardened taxiways. Its catering trucks rise two stories off the ground to reach the galleys.

France's national carrier got the departure of the European-built jet off with considerable élan. The flight leaving John F. Kennedy Airport was packed with partying Francophiles, journalists and airline junkies. An in-flight band played "C'est Magnifique"; birthdays were celebrated; the Champagne flowed.

Air France is trying to bring the party back to the skies in the critical transatlantic market. There are six bars on the plane, which encourage passengers to mingle (in their own class, of course). On the upper deck, there's even an art gallery of sorts: flat-screen TVs displaying previews of the New York City and Paris cultural scenes.

The A380's standard coach seat is about 5% wider than that of other jets on the route--as good as it's going to get in the claustrophobic calamity that is air travel. Alex Hervet, an A380 design engineer, explained to me that he repositioned the hinge point on the chair back an inch higher so that your knees won't get squeezed when the guy in front of you reclines his seat. But let's not kid ourselves--it's still a coach seat. Business-class travelers, ensconced in their designer flatbed seats, face a full French press of everything that Gallic cuisiniers can throw at them: menus by three-star chef Alain Ducasse, vin extraordinaire and, of course, the smugness of knowing you're not in coach.

Like all new jetliners, the A380 was controversial in conception, delayed in construction and years late on arrival. But none could have predicted that it would fly into the most turbulent economy in the history of aviation. Air France ordered a dozen of the $300 million aircraft starting in 2001; by the time it took delivery, the industry was on its knees, and the globetrotting executives whose business- and first-class tickets make up the bulk of airline profits were staying home.

Aircraft analyst Richard L. Aboulafia of Teal Group has called the A380 the "worst product-launch decision since New Coke." It was made for a hub-and-spoke world where flights between countries were regulated. Now airlines are freer to travel between any two cities, avoiding the major hubs--and making 800-passenger megajets less necessary. (Emirates, the first to fly the A380 into New York City, quietly withdrew the plane from its JFK flights.)

Analysts like Aboulafia see a future that favors Boeing's smaller, lighter 787 (assuming it ever gets delivered). Airbus is developing its own not-so-jumbo jet, the A350, for that reason. But Air France CEO Pierre-Henri Gourgeon is sticking by his hub strategy. The skies are getting crowded, and he'd rather have the A380 collect passengers in Paris from all over Europe and deliver them to places like New York City and Johannesburg. "It's just like the big cities today," he says. "It doesn't make sense to add a lot of small cars. You need to add buses."

To the jetizens aboard the A380 as it made a somewhat wobbly landing, the arguments about economics and hub-and-spoke miss the point. The A380 is new, massive, filled with technology, and right now only Air France's flies the Atlantic's most glamorous route. They booked passage on this inaugural flight to catch a glimpse of better days, when flying was still an adventure, even if it will never cease to be a chore.

I wish there was an A380 flight to Rio. Anyone knows if it will happen?

Computer glitch forces New York-Paris superjumbo to turn back
30 November 2009
Agence France Presse

An Air France A380 had to turn around and land in New York after problems with its navigation system, only days after the superjumbo began flying across the Atlantic, the airline said Monday.

The double-decker Airbus made a U-turn 90 minutes after takeoff from New York and landed safely at Kennedy Airport in the early hours of Saturday, an Air France spokesman told AFP.

"The plane is new and is still getting into its stride. It was a minor computer problem that made navigation a little imprecise," he said.

The plane was carrying about 530 people on the New York-Paris flight when it was forced to turn back. Following repairs in New York, it took off again three hours later.

It was the second time that an A380, the world's largest passenger plane, was forced to turn around in mid-flight due to a malfunction.

A Singapore Airlines superjumbo returned to Paris on September 27 after one of its four engines failed during a routine flight to Singapore. Airbus later said the engine trouble was a "non event" in technical terms.

The Air France spokesman described last week's problem as a "minor" computer glitch, and said the airline took immediate steps to respond to the defect.

"It was a minor glitch, but we do apply a principle of absolute caution and as soon as there is the slightest concern, we come back, we fix it and the plane takes off again," he said.

"It was a problem with the in-flight computer but it did not at all affect air speed," he added.

An Air France A330 jet made by Airbus crashed in the Atlantic in June, killing all 228 people on board.

Investigators found the plane's air speed sensors were defective, but said that the crash was not solely caused by the faulty monitors. The inquiry is continuing and no final verdict on the cause of the accident has been released.

Air France's main pilots' union, the SNPL, said the superjumbo was forced to return to New York after the automatic pilot broke down, but it stressed this was a minor incident.

"Every hour, there are several planes that are forced to make a U-turn and land at another airport," said Erick Derivry, spokesman for SNPL.

"After making several attempts to re-activate the automatic pilot, the crew decided to turn back," he said.

The superjumbo made its maiden flight for Air France 10 days ago, taking off from Paris for New York with 538 passengers on board.

Air France is the first European airline to use the giant plane, but it made its first test flight in April 2005 and has been in service for Singapore Airlines since October 2007.

The superjumbo can carry 525 people in the standard three-class layout and up to 853 with all-economy seating.

Gulf-based Emirates airlines and Australia's Qantas are also flying the A380, which has enjoyed some commercial success despite initial production delays.

Singapore Airlines has ordered 19 A380s in all, and plans to have 11 in service by March 2010. Air France is planning to fly 12 superjumbos, with three others to be delivered by June.

Air France has said it will begin A380 flights from Paris to Johannesburg and Tokyo in the coming months.

Air France to revamp European operations-paper

PARIS, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Air France plans to renegotiate working conditions with pilots and cabin crew as part of a drive to restructure its European network and boost profitability by 120 million euros, Les Echos reported.

Air France, part of the Air France-KLM group, unveiled its new short- and medium-haul service last month, the paper said in an advance copy of its Thursday edition.

The paper did not cite sources for the story.

The airline faces stiff competition from high-speed train links and low-cost carriers, and the group as a whole needs to generate 500 million euros of extra earnings before interest and tax in the coming months to allow for a return to break-even for the domestic and European network for the financial year 2011-12.

Les Echos said the 120 million euro profitability gain would contribute to that.

Contacted by Reuters, an Air France-KLM spokesman declined to comment on the article.

Government to quiz Air France on works council report
11 January 2010

PARIS, Jan 11 (Reuters) - The French government will ask Air France management for explanations after a newspaper report said an audit would reveal on Monday that there is a hole of over 20 million euros ($29 million) in the accounts of the airline's works council.

French works councils are made up of representatives from staff and trade unions and notably manage budgets for employees' social and cultural benefits.

"Naturally we will look at this very closely and ask the chairman of Air France for explanations ... if there is a problem, it must be addressed swiftly," junior transport minister Dominique Bussereau told France Info radio.

Le Figaro quoted an unidentified member of the management board of Air France's works council saying the hole in the accounts could come "95 percent from bad management and 5 percent from possible personal enrichment".

The situation was tied to the works council's team in place from March 2007 until Nov. 3, 2009, the paper said.

Five members of the former works council said in a statement issued on Monday that the situation described in the Le Figaro report was "totally false" and they were considering legal action.

They said the works council budget was around break-even in 2009 and that there was no "hole", though they added that there remained a "cash flow problem".

Air France officials had no immediate comment. ($1=.6983 euros)

Air France-KLM Sells Freighters to FedEx

Bruce Barnard | Jan 29, 2010 5:08PM GMT
The Journal of Commerce Online - News Story

Downsizing carrier unloads two yet-to-be delivered 777s Air France-KLM signed a letter of intent to sell two new 777 freighters to FedEx as it downsizes its all-cargo operation.

"This sale is in line with the current slump within the global air cargo industry," the Franco-Dutch carrier said.

The sale of the planes, which have yet to be delivered by Boeing, will not affect the number of flights by Air France Cargo, the airline said.

Air France didn't say how much FedEx is paying for the 777s, which have a list price of $252 million to $260 million each.

Air France Cargo currently operates five aircraft -- two 777-200 extended range freighters and three 747-400 extended range freighters. It has leased two 747-400s to Russian carrier Air Bridge and a third is due to be chartered out in March.

Air France-KLM owns Europe's largest all-cargo fleet of 29 freighters but plans to significantly reduce its exposure to the sector by transferring some aircraft to its Amsterdam-based subsidiary Martinair and selling others to rival carriers.

The airline, which has grounded 11 freighters, wants to optimize the use of belly hold space on its passenger aircraft and its combi passenger/freight planes.

Air France-KLM's cargo unit booked a $219 million loss in the second quarter ended in September against a year-earlier profit of $15 million as revenue slumped 41 percent to $851 million. The airline does not expect to break even for at least another 18 months.


http://www.joc.com/node/416377

Well .. selling them now at a big discount / loss probably given the downturn in freight demand.

Travel Daily News, June 09, 2010 :
The Air France A380 between Paris and Tokyo

With the arrival of the fourth Airbus A380 in its fleet, Air France will be offering as from 1 September 2010, three weekly frequencies between Paris and Tokyo operated by the Airbus 380. The flight will be daily as from 5 October. Tokyo is therefore the first destination in Asia to be served by the Air France A380 and the third worldwide after New York in November 2009 and Johannesburg in February 2010. It is already possible to make bookings.

A380 flight schedule between Paris and Tokyo:
- Paris-Tokyo:
AF 276 on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays (daily as from 5 October 2010)
departing from terminal 2E at 1:30 pm, arriving at 8:10 am the following day.
- Tokyo-Paris:
AF 275 on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays (daily as from 5 October 2010)
departing at 11:50 am, arriving in Paris at 5:15 pm at terminal 2E.

Air France's A380 is equipped with 538 seats, divided into three cabin classes La Premiere (First) 9 seats on the main deck -, Affaires (Business) 80 seats on the upper deck and Voyageur (Economy) 449 seats divided between the two decks.

The A380 is the most environment-friendly aircraft in the world - with less than 75 grams of CO2 produced per passenger per kilometre - and the quietest in its category. Its wide cabin offers passengers additional space and comfort. On board this aircraft, Air France has innovated by introducing different lighting moods adapted to the various stages of the flight, areas for passengers to meet up and a brand new in-flight entertainment system with new, wider individual screens.

Air France offers up to 5 daily flights between Tokyo, Osaka and Paris-Charles de Gaulle. The flight schedules enable passengers to benefit from rapid connections at Paris-Charles de Gaulle to the rest of the world.

http://www.traveldailynews.com/pages/show_page/37377-The-Air-France-A380-between-Paris-and-Tokyo

An Airbus A320 repainted in 1946 livery

http://a.imageshack.us/img188/6084/livree75anshd02.jpg (http://img188.imageshack.us/i/livree75anshd02.jpg/)

http://a.imageshack.us/img441/7485/0842hd02.jpg (http://img441.imageshack.us/i/0842hd02.jpg/)

© Air France (http://corporate.airfrance.com/fr/presse/mediatheque/photos/la-flotte-air-france/un-airbus-a320-aux-couleurs-de-1946/)

http://a.imageshack.us/img37/4031/dxvop04154401.jpg (http://img37.imageshack.us/i/dxvop04154401.jpg/)

© Air France (http://corporate.airfrance.com/fr/presse/mediatheque/photos/la-flotte-air-france/airbus-a318/)

http://a.imageshack.us/img25/4851/dxvop04120201.jpg (http://img25.imageshack.us/i/dxvop04120201.jpg/)

© Air France (http://corporate.airfrance.com/fr/presse/mediatheque/photos/la-flotte-air-france/airbus-a319/)

^^

The retro paint job looks class but makes the plane itself look like its from the 60's (1st pic only).

Some KLM pics:

http://www.buzzecolo.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/KLM.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3058/2931068749_953b7d36be.jpg?v=0

http://www.hln.be/static/FOTO/pe/3/2/1/large_530521.jpg

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTel4J4EYgSICrbFo_-E1lAID2Q7nB7_4ntVW2i1q7uJcYGjKg&t=1&usg=__6QWT4trgG-NFbWNHgiMxugnTL4M=

Emergency alarm on Air France flight caused by faulty smoke detector

Investigators have determined that emergency alarms that forced an Air France Boeing 777 jet to land at the eastern Canadian town of Goose Bay earlier this week were caused by a faulty smoke detector, Canadian officials announced Friday.

The jet, en route from Paris to Montreal Tuesday, was about 500 km northwest of Goose Bay, Labrador, flying over subarctic wilderness, when alarms went off.

The plane, accompanied by Canadian air force fighter planes, landed safely at Goose Bay one hour later.

The 478 passengers were stranded in the town of 7,500 people for 28 hours before another Air France flight arrived from Paris to take them to Montreal.

Peter MacKay, Canada's minister of national defense, on Friday thanked Canadian Air Force pilots and the people of Goose Bay for their help.

"I would like to take this opportunity to extend my sincere thanks to the Canadian Forces members and contractors at 5 Wing Goose Bay, as well as the people of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, who so graciously offered their hospitality to the stranded passengers and crew of an Air France Boeing 777," MacKay said.

"You opened your hearts and worked long hours to house, feed and make comfortable 478 unexpected guests following some tense moments in the skies. I know that they were appreciative of your efforts and grateful for your kindness."

Berjan Nicolas, a passenger on the plane, said passengers were told there were some technical difficulties and the plane would try to land at the nearest location.

Nicolas said they were later informed that a fire alarm had gone off.

After the plane touched down and an inspection was done, the decision was made to send another aircraft to transport the passengers to Quebec.

While waiting for the replacement plane to arrive, the passengers and crew members spent the night in air force barracks in Goose Bay.

They were provided with access to phones and given meals by Canadian air force personnel and local townspeople and continued their journey the following day.

The Canadian Transportation Safety Board said Friday the forward lower level cargo smoke detector on the first plane was replaced and it had since been returned to service.

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90777/90852/7104761.html

From the Breguet 'Deux Ponts' (Double-Decker) to the Airbus A380

Air France has been operating the Airbus A380 to New York since November 2009 and to Johannesburg since February 2010.

With the arrival of a fourth A380 in its fleet, Air France will offer, as from 1st September 2010, three weekly flights between Paris and Tokyo, and a daily flight as from 5 October 2010.

In 1953, Air France was already operating another double-decked aircraft, the Breguet Double-Decker.

The Sahara flying machine

On 17 March 1953, Air France inaugurated the first of its twelve Breguet 763 "Provence". They mainly served the routes between mainland France and Algeria (Algiers-Marseille-Lyon), as well as Algerian domestic routes.

Sixty years before the appearance of the Airbus A380, the Breguet Double-Decker was one of the world's first double-decked aircraft. The combi version could carry close to 12 tons of cargo and the all-passenger aircraft up to 107 passengers: 59 on the upper deck and 48 on the lower deck.

Thanks to its solid construction, this aircraft could land on rough terrain and carry heavy, bulky loads. This Sahara flying machine, the first genuine Air France freighter, transported bulky equipment destined for Algerian oil drilling platforms.

On 31 March 1971, the last Air France Breguet 763 flew for the last time between Paris and London.

The world's biggest civil aircraft

Air France's A380 is equipped with 538 seats, divided between three classes: La Première, with 9 seats on the main deck, Affaires-Business, comprising 80 seats on the upper deck, and Voyageur, with 449 seats divided between the two decks. The main deck of the A380 boasts equivalent capacity of a Boeing 777-200 and the upper deck that of an Airbus A340-300.

The A380 is the most environmentally-friendly aircraft - with less than 75g of CO2 produced per passenger kilometre - and the quietest aircraft in its category. The roomier cabin offers increased comfort and space. On board this superjumbo, Air France has innovated with special lighting ambiences that change depending on the various stages of the flight, special areas geared towards relaxation and conviviality and the brand-new in-flight entertainment system, equipped with larger video screens.

Air France has ordered 12 A380s. Tokyo is the first destination in Asia to be served by Air France's A380.

http://corporate.airfrance.com/en/press/news/article/item/du-breguet-deux-ponts-a-lairbus-a380/



A video can be found here : http://corporate.airfrance.com/en/press/media-library/videos/air-france-cultural-heritage-division/the-breguet-deux-ponts-double-decker-images-from-the-cultural-heritage-division-all-rights-reserved/

Air France-KLM Plans To Expand Capacity, Add Routes - Paper
27 August 2010

PARIS (Dow Jones)--Franco-Dutch airline Air France-KLM (AF.FR) plans to expand its capacity by around 2%-3% for the period October 2010 to March 2011, La Tribune newspaper reports on Friday, without citing sources.

The company also foresees opening several new international routes, the paper reports.

A spokesman for the company wasn't immediately able to comment.

Newspaper website: http://www.latribune.fr

Don´t AirFrance plans to flying to another cities in Brazil instead of Rio or São Paulo?

I mean,the traffic between Brazil and France is big,but there is only directly flights from Rio and São Paulo.

Just to compare...

Passangers/2008

Brazil-Portugal-Brazil 1 220 455
Brazil-France-Brazil 1 108 136
(...)


Cities in Brazil with directly flights to

Portugal 9
France 2(Rio and Sao Paulo)

Weekly frequencies

Portugal 70
France 48(28 from São Paulo and 20 from Rio)

Fastest-growing markets 2007 - French airports


2007 X 2006

Egypt 20.6%
Spain 18.6%
Brazil 14.7%
Maroco 14.4%
Austria 12.9%
(..)

----

http://www.anna.aero/2008/04/21/france-domestic-traffic-flat-inter-regional-demand-up-paris-routes-down/

http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq169/bragaz/mapa4.jpg

http://www.anna.aero/2008/02/29/air-france-maintains-stranglehold-on-cdg/

eTravelBlackboard, September 21, 2010 :
Air France crowned most sustainable

Airlines can take a lesson in sustainability from Air France who was confirmed by Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI) as the leading air carrier for the sixth year running.

Efforts put in by the airliner since 2004 have paid off after winning in the DJSI World and DJSI Europe in the transport and leisure sector.

“This recognition underscores the consistent and unwavering commitment by AIR FRANCE KLM to safeguarding the environment and this we are certain reflects the sentiments of those who choose to fly with us,” Air France-KLM General Manager Paul Rombeek said.
http://www.etravelblackboard.com/article/108991/air-france-crowned-most-sustainable

Air France-KLM To Raise Capacity In Africa By 4% This Winter
30 September 2010

PARIS (Dow Jones)--Franco-Dutch airline Air France-KLM (AF.FR) Thursday said it is pursuing its growth strategy in Africa and will increase its available capacity on the continent by more than 4% this winter.

MAIN FACTS:

- By the summer of 2011, flights will be operated to five new destination, subject to obtaining traffic rights: Bata in Equatorial Guinea, Kigali in Rwanda, Freetown in Sierra Leone, Monrovia in Liberia, Tripoli in Libya.

- Air France and KLM will also increase their services to five destinations: Pointe Noire in Republic of Congo, Libreville in Gabon, Malabo in Equatorial Guinea, Dar Es Salaam and Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

The Montreal Gazette, October 8, 2010 :
Airline travel takes giant stride

One double-decker Airbus A380 flight will replace two Paris-Montreal runs

By FRANCOIS SHALOM

The first commercial flight of an Air France/KLM A380 to Montreal was a bit of a fluke -a surprise double-decker trip for most of the 530 passengers aboard who touched down yesterday at 5:37 p.m.

The next one won't land at Dorval's Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport until May 9 -when the French/Dutch carrier will inaugurate daily flights between Paris and Montreal on the Airbus superjumbo.

Among the 530 souls aboard was the airline's president

Pierre-Henri Gourgeon, who told reporters he made the trip to underscore the importance of the Canadian market.

In peak season, the carrier operates 64 weekly flights between Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam-Schiphol and four Canadian cities -Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver.

One 380 flight will replace two currently made by Air France/KLM A340s and B777s.

The aircraft consolidation will result in "considerable savings," of about 15 million euros a year, Gourgeon estimated.

Cedric Leurquin, a Parisbased Air France/KLM spokesperson, called the Paris-Montreal run the carrier's second in volume in North America behind Paris-New York. But he couldn't say how much traffic each represents.

Aeroports de Montreal president James Cherry beamed as Gourgeon called Trudeau airport "a hub of our traffic between Europe and North America."

Gourgeon said his company's joint venture with Delta Air Lines and Alitalia offers 200 weekly flights over the Atlantic and will present "many opportunities for more growth."

He added he was not overly concerned with the announcement yesterday of a partnership between Montreal-based Air Canada and United Airlines to pool resources on transatlantic routes.

He noted that Air France/ KLM signed an agreement with WestJet Airlines to route AF/KLM passengers on the discount airlines for 22 connections in Canada.

The upbeat event was in marked contrast to the history of Airbus's 380, which suffered years of production delays and disastrous cost overruns. Its first non-commercial flight to Montreal -operated by manufacturer Airbus -was in November 2007, but regular A380 traffic to Dorval next May will be two years late.

Critics also contend that most airports can't accommodate the huge A380, which relies on an outdated hub-and-spoke air travel concept where smaller airlines -and planes -feed passengers to major airports for long-haul flights. The trend, they argue, is toward point-to-point travel served by smaller but faster planes with more range.

The A380 landed 60 years and five days after the first Air France flight linking Paris and Montreal. But that maiden flight on Oct. 2, 1950, was on a Lockheed Constellation, a four-propeller-engine aircraft that made pit stops in Shannon, Ireland, and Gander, N.L. -a 19-hour trip.

Montreal is Air France/ KLM's fourth destination for its A380, of which it has four and has ordered another eight. The model's first regular route was Paris-New York service, which began last November, followed by Johannesburg and Tokyo this year.

Canada is Air France/ KLM's second largest market in the Americas after the U.S. and accounted for about $700 million in revenues last year.

Gourgeon said mergers of international airlines will continue, "reducing the number of players, which will provide more stability in the industry."

As of today, travellers can book their Montreal-Paris trip on an A380.

"I hope all Quebecers rush on to this plane," Gourgeon said.

http://www.montrealgazette.com/Airline+travel+takes+giant+stride/3642438/story.html

Guide2 Midi Pyrenees, November 16, 2010 :
Air France KLM set to compete against low-cost airlines

According to French daily economic newspaper Les Echos, Air France KLM is poised to announce a plan to reorganise their domestic operations to help it compete with low cost airlines such as Easyjet and Ryanair, and the expanding TGV network.

The group is said to be planning to use four bases where it will locate both pilots and cabin crew, in an effort to cut costs and increase the number of hours planes spend in the air. The four bases in Marseilles, Nice, Toulouse and Bordeaux could be joined by a further base at Paris Orly in the longer term.

Under the new organisation, pilots and crew would start and end the day at their home location, removing the need for expensive overnight costs. Planes will operate using two crews in ‘relay’, which would enable planes to be in the air for 12 hours per day. Staff could be asked to work their full monthly permitted hours over a fifteen day period, with fifteen days off each month.

The new regime is expected to be put in place from summer 2011.

http://www.guide2midipyrenees.com/news/360/Air-France-KLM-set-to-announce-rival-scheme-to-combat-low-cost-airlines

KLM is going out of this world.
KLM to Offer a New Perk for Frequent Fliers: Outer Space

Published: November 17, 2010

PARIS — In the rarified realm of airline frequent-flier perks, elite status can bring cushy upgrades, airport lounge access, priority boarding and any number of concierge and customer service benefits.

But on Wednesday, the Dutch airline KLM set a new goal for road warriors to aim for: free space flights.

The carrier, part of the Air France-KLM group, confirmed that it had purchased a handful of advance tickets for sub-orbital space flights that are expected to be offered as early as 2014 by Space Experience Curaçao, a space tourism company founded on the Caribbean island by two Dutch entrepreneurs.

“KLM supports this idea and this project,” said Gedi Schrijver, a spokeswoman for the airline. She said the airline still had to work out exactly what the criteria would be to earn a space flight ticket — which sells for $95,000. “There are many options,” she said.

Space Experience Curaçao was founded in 2009 by two Dutchmen, Ben Droste, a former commander of the Royal Dutch Air Force, and Harry van Hulten, an air force test pilot. The company, which has backing from private equity investors and Hato International Airport in Curaçao, signed a deal last month to lease a sub-orbital space plane and a pilot from XCOR Aerospace, a company based in Mojave, California, that is developing a rocket-propelled craft called the Lynx.

The Lynx has just two seats, meaning that it can carry just one passenger at a time. According to Mr. Droste, the total flight time would be about 30 minutes, with the passenger experiencing just over four minutes of weightlessness at a maximum altitude of 200,000 feet, or 61,000 meters, above sea level.

Source and full story:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/18/business/global/18klm.html?src=busln
KLM will also be responsible for promotional work and ticket sales for this small space company.

^ I guess the price tag approximates a long-haul First Class flight? So it'll take the similar # of points?

Source : http://www.pbase.com/lrafale/a380

http://www.pbase.com/lrafale/image/131484962.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/lrafale/image/123287840.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/lrafale/image/123287991.jpg

Sarkozy: Air France to launch new flights to Martinique, Guadeloupe
9 January 2011

FORT-DE-FRANCE, Martinique (AP) - Air France is adding two new weekly flights to the French Caribbean islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe, President Nicolas Sarkozy said Saturday.

Starting in November, the carrier will fly once a week from Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris to each island.

Air France already serves both destinations daily from Paris' Orly Airport.

Sarkozy announced the flights as he met with officials in Martinique to talk about tourism and economic development.

The global economic crisis has severely curtailed tourism in Martinique, which received 570,000 visitors last year -- down from the 1 million that came annually as recently as a decade ago.

Both Martinique and neighboring Guadeloupe were paralyzed by violent protests two years ago amid demands for higher wages and lower food prices.

Sarkozy and first lady Carla Bruni flew to Guadeloupe on Saturday afternoon.

Source : http://pic.feeyo.com/posts/520/5208782.html

http://pic.feeyo.com/pic/20110109/201101090933289240.jpg

Thursday 27 January 2011
Press Release

Increase in long-haul capacity this summer

This summer, Air France will continue to develop its flight network to emerging markets and markets offering strong tourist potential. This rise in long-haul capacity will be supported by the launch of two new destinations served by Airbus A380.

Between 2011 and 2013, Air France’s long-haul flight capacity will be up by +6%.

Air France will launch 5 new destinations out of Paris-Charles de Gaulle:
starting on 27 March 2011, flights will operate to:

* Phnom Penh in Cambodia, three times weekly, with a stopover in Bangkok, operated by Airbus A340-300 equipped with 275 seats.
* Monrovia in Liberia, two times weekly, with a stopover in Conakry, operated by Airbus 330-200 equipped with 207 seats.
* Freetown in Sierra Leone, three times weekly, with a stopover in Conakry, operated by Airbus 330-200 equipped with 207 seats.

Starting in June, flights will operate to:

* Lima, 5 times weekly, by Boeing 777-200 with 309 seats.
* Orlando, 3 times weekly, by Boeing 777-300 with 472 seats. This service will be operated as part of the Air France-KLM Alitalia_Delta trans-Atlantic joint venture agreement under which the partners jointly operate their trans-Atlantic routes, thereby sharing revenues and costs.

These new destinations will complement the Air France and KLM long-haul network, proposing an even wider choice of destinations and direct flights, with convenient flight times allowing for fast and easy connections at Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam-Schiphol to destinations worldwide.

Starting on 22 April, Air France will begin operating daily flights to Montreal by A380 and, as from 6 June 2011, flights to Washington.

With these new destinations, the A380 super jumbos will be progressively equipped with Premium Voyageur seats, located between the Business and Voyageur cabin classes, comprising 9 seats in La Première, 80 seats in Business, 38 seats in Premium Voyageur and 389 seats in Voyageur.

In June 2011, Air France will operate the A380 to 5 destinations out of Paris-Charles de Gaulle: New York-JFK, Johannesburg, Tokyo, Montreal and Washington.

awesome！ AF will start LIM！

plus rumored routine of TK's IST-LIM, LIM is a hot destination this year!

Source : http://pic.feeyo.com/posts/523/5231580.html

http://pic.feeyo.com/pic/20110206/20110206080249505.jpg

Air France's January Passenger Traffic Up 4.8%
8 February 2011

PARIS (Dow Jones)--Franco-Dutch airline Air France-KLM (AF.FR) said Tuesday its passenger and cargo traffic in January rose from the same month in 2010.

Passenger traffic increased 4.8%, allowing a 1.1 percentage point improvement in load factor--a measure of how full an airline's planes are--to 79.2%.

In January 2010, a two-day strike of air traffic controllers in France and snowfall had disrupted activities.

Air France-KLM said passenger seat revenue per kilometer leveled off and the political situation in countries such as the Ivory Coast, the Sahel region, Tunisia and Egypt hurt revenue.

Cargo traffic was up 2.4% in January, while load factor was stable at 64.3%.

KLM's newest Boeing 777-300ER, PH-BVF 'Yakushima National Park’ taking of on it's delivery flight to Schiphol Airport where it arrived yesterday.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5172/5427459390_ee37b3b01d_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/moonm/5427459390/)
KLM PH-BVF Boeing 777 Delivery Flight (http://www.flickr.com/photos/moonm/5427459390/) by moonm (http://www.flickr.com/people/moonm/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5174/5427461564_3c093418b0_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/moonm/5427461564/)
KLM PH-BVF Boeing 777 Delivery Flight (http://www.flickr.com/photos/moonm/5427461564/) by moonm (http://www.flickr.com/people/moonm/), on Flickr

Air France-KLM net loss narrows in 3rd quarter
Wednesday February 9, 2011, 1:33 pm EST

PARIS (AP) -- Air France-KLM says its net loss narrowed to euro46 million ($62.7 million) in its fiscal third quarter, down from a euro295 million net loss a year earlier when the global economic slowdown caused a record drop in passenger traffic.

Air France-KLM says the October-December quarter was "strongly disrupted" by air traffic control strikes in France and heavy snowfall that forced the closure of airports in Europe and the U.S.

Europe's largest airline in terms of passenger traffic said in a statement Wednesday that its will not achieve a targeted increase in earnings this year. It blamed security issues in North Africa as well as weaker-than-expected revenue in the fourth quarter driven by overcapacity by rivals.

Air France-KLM To Boost Capacity by 5.7% In 2011 Summer
21 February 2011

PARIS (Dow Jones)--Air France-KLM (AF.FR) said Monday it will increase the group's capacity by 5.7% this summer compared with a year earlier, though the increase will be only 2.6% higher than the summer of 2008, before the financial crisis, the company said.

The airline group said it will increase capacity, or available seat kilometers, by 6.5% on long-haul flights and by 2.9% on medium-haul flights.

The capacity of Air France alone will rise 6.1% during the summer compared with the same period in 2010.

"Although global gross domestic product has surpassed its pre-crisis levels, Euro-zone GDP remains below the pre-crisis level, with the result that the increase in capacity on the medium-haul network is more moderate [up 1.8%], but is sufficient to meet the expected rise in connecting traffic with the long-haul routes," the company said in a statement.

At 0819 GMT, shares of Air France-KLM were down 0.8% at EUR12.37, while the CAC-40 index was down 0.3%.

Source : http://pic.feeyo.com/posts/527/5271834.html

http://pic.feeyo.com/pic/20110321/201103210614336844.jpg

Source : http://pic.feeyo.com/posts/527/5273202.html

http://pic.feeyo.com/pic/20110323/201103230650483382.jpg

Source : http://pic.feeyo.com/posts/527/5277493.html

http://pic.feeyo.com/pic/20110328/201103280947468656.jpg

http://pic.feeyo.com/pic/20110328/201103280948386318.jpg

Don´t AirFrance plans to flying to another cities in Brazil instead of Rio or São Paulo?

I mean,the traffic between Brazil and France is big,but there is only directly flights from Rio and São Paulo.

Just to compare...

Passangers/2008

Brazil-Portugal-Brazil 1 220 455
Brazil-France-Brazil 1 108 136
(...)


Cities in Brazil with directly flights to

Portugal 9
France 2(Rio and Sao Paulo)

Weekly frequencies

Portugal 70
France 48(28 from São Paulo and 20 from Rio)

Fastest-growing markets 2007 - French airports


2007 X 2006

Egypt 20.6%
Spain 18.6%
Brazil 14.7%
Maroco 14.4%
Austria 12.9%
(..)

----

http://www.anna.aero/2008/04/21/france-domestic-traffic-flat-inter-regional-demand-up-paris-routes-down/

http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq169/bragaz/mapa4.jpg

http://www.anna.aero/2008/02/29/air-france-maintains-stranglehold-on-cdg/

You know, Zehneh, Air France is seaking to increase capacity in Brazil, by adding new routes this year. Actually, they are working in 2 new routes: CDG-NAT and CDG-FOR, and the flight would be Paris-Natal-Fortaleza-Natal-Paris. If they start, they will compete against Iberia's MAD-FOR-REC-MAD flight! :lol:

Air France-KLM raises fares as costs rise

PARIS, April 1 (Reuters) - Franco-Dutch carrier Air France-KLM is raising its prices, it said on Friday, to counter increased costs as inflation accelerates.

The general price rises will allow the group to maintain a significant level of investment in the business, the airline said in a statement.

Fares are increasing by as much as 20-50 euros on long-haul return flights, between 4 and 14 euros on medium-haul services and 2 euros on short-haul routes, Air France-KLM said.

French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde said on Tuesday that a government-commissioned panel of independent economic advisors was forecasting inflation of 1.8 percent this year in France.

The government had previously forecast inflation at 1.5 percent in 2011, the same level as in 2010. It forecasts the French economy will grow 2 percent this year.

Source : http://pic.feeyo.com/posts/528/5282381.html

http://pic.feeyo.com/pic/20110403/201104030903517757.jpg

You know, Zehneh, Air France is seaking to increase capacity in Brazil, by adding new routes this year. Actually, they are working in 2 new routes: CDG-NAT and CDG-FOR, and the flight would be Paris-Natal-Fortaleza-Natal-Paris. If they start, they will compete against Iberia's MAD-FOR-REC-MAD flight! :lol:

Any new news about this possible new AF route to Brazil (FOR-NAT)?

Air France to fly to city thrice every week
7 April 2011
Cape Times

AIR France is to fly directly to the city three times a week, "an extremely positive development", says Cape Town International Airport general manager Deon Cloete.

The first flight would be on November 3, Cloete said yesterday.

It is following in the footsteps of Emirates, Turkish Airlines and Edelweiss Air, opening the city to new business and tourism opportunities.

Paris is a central hub for flights to and from European countries.

Tourism MEC Alan Winde said they would try to persuade French business interests in Africa to relocate regional head offices to the city.

Winde said for the Western Cape to contribute to the creation of 5 million jobs promised by President Jacob Zuma by 2015, the tourism sector needed to expand four to five times.

"Big corporates cannot be expected to grow to that extent. It is up to the small, medium and micro enterprises to reflect such growth in jobs."

Cape Town Routes Unlimited chief executive Calvyn Gilfellan said: "Air France has shown incredible confidence by investing in Cape Town. It's up to us to ensure that they don't regret this decision."

More than 100 tourism decision-makers gathered at the tourism conference in the city yesterday. Economic growth and job creation were the key focus areas.

Any new news about this possible new AF route to Brazil (FOR-NAT)?

You mean a domestic route between FOR & NAT?

http://www.latribune.fr/entreprises-finance/services/transport-logistique/20110414trib000615467/air-france-a-t-il-besoin-de-l-a320-d-airbus-remotorise-.html

Air France a-t-il besoin de l'A320 d'Airbus remotorisé ?
Source : La Tribune.fr - 14/04/2011 | 13:06 - 185 mots |

Même si le directeur général d'Air France-KLM Pierre-Henri Gourgeon a maintes fois fait part de ses doutes sur les gains que peut apporter l'A320 remotorisé (NEO), le groupe étudie néanmoins ses performances. Un porte-parole d'Air France a confirmé l'existence de discussions avec Airbus révélées par BFM, qui précise qu'une décision est attendue mi-2011.

[...]


Air France is in discussion with Airbus about the A320neo and may make its decision this summer.

You mean a domestic route between FOR & NAT?

^^ Hi, hkskyline. Air France has seen an important grow in Brazil's market. So the company want to start flights to 3 new destinations: Fortaleza, Natal and Brasilia. It, its very posible, that the CDG-BSB route may start a little late, because of the lack of slots in Brasilia. Also, the CDG-NAT-FOR-CDG flight, would start at the end of the year, for the summer time in the south Hesmisphere.

Does anyone know if Air France is launching CDG to Wuhan this year or next?

By Melbourne_spotter from HKADB :

http://www.hkadb.com/forum/files/dsc_4132_121.jpg

http://www.hkadb.com/forum/files/dsc_4129_219.jpg

Source : http://pic.feeyo.com/posts/532/5327024.html

http://pic.feeyo.com/pic/20110521/201105211205261120.jpg

^^ Hi, hkskyline. Air France has seen an important grow in Brazil's market. So the want to start flights to 3 new destinations: Fortaleza, Natal and Brasilia. It, its very posible, that the CDG-BSB route may start a little late, because of the lack of slots in Brasilia. Also, the CDG-NAT-FOR-CDG flight, would start at the end of the year, for the summer time in the south Hesmisphere.

But does France have rights to pick up passengers between 2 Brazilian cities?

INTERVIEW: Stronger Dollar Would Concern Air France-KLM - CFO
2 June 2011

PARIS (Dow Jones)--The lower the dollar goes, the more Air France-KLM (AF.FR) Chief Financial Officer Philippe Calavia likes it.

Like other airlines, Air France-KLM has substantial exposure to fluctuations in the price of oil, and currency shifts can cause large swings in its fuel bill--EUR5.7 billion last year--once this cost is translated into euros. A stronger dollar increases the amount of euros it must pay its suppliers, while a weaker U.S. currency means it pays less.

When the euro depreciates against the dollar, it also tends to depreciate against other currencies like the British pound and the Japanese yen, and that attenuates the dollar's impact to some extent, Calavia told Dow Jones Newswires in an interview. The depreciation of the euro by nearly 7% against the dollar in the fiscal year through March 31 had a positive effect on the airline's dollar receipts, but the overall impact was negative because its costs in dollars outweigh receipts by $2 billion.

"We don't talk much about our foreign-exchange risk management, because it's much smaller than our fuel hedging," Calavia said.

The airline generally covers its dollar exposure two years ahead, and as a rule hedges half of its exposure, although that can change depending on its view of how exchange rates are likely to move in the medium term.

"That way, we know exactly how much we're going to pay for half of our dollar purchases, and for the remainder we suffer the market swings," he said.

Why is that? "Well, the sums involved aren't negligible, and the dollar has become extremely volatile. It can go quite easily from $1.20 to the euro to $1.50 in the space of six months; those are enormous swings," he added.

For the coming year, Air France-KLM is hedged at a rate of around $1.38 to $1.39 to the euro, compared with a spot price of about $1.44. If the dollar were to tumble to $1.50 or $1.60 to the euro, Calavia said, "it would hurt us for half of our exposure, but we're only talking about tens, not hundreds of millions, as it would be for our fuel bill. A 10-cent variation means a EUR20-, EUR30- or EUR40-million impact. That's not negligible, but not huge."

Air France-KLM hedges slightly more than half its currency cash flow exposure over a rolling 12-month period, with about 80% forward contracts and the remainder in options. For the following 12 months, currency risks are typically 30% hedged, and Calavia said the hedging period can be extended if the company sees opportunities for locking in favorable rates.

For purchases of aircraft and other big-ticket foreign-currency investments, the currency cover is stepped up from the time the contract is signed to the time of delivery, but that depends on the company's view of how the dollar will move over time. "If we buy a plane and at the time of the order the dollar is $1.60 or $1.70 to the euro, I think we would cover ourselves a lot" as the probability of an even greater depreciation would be limited, he said.

European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. NV (EAD.FR), the parent company of commercial aircraft company Airbus, has tried will little success to persuade European airlines to buy Airbus jets in euros rather than in dollars, the international currency of the aviation and defense industries. EADS has most of its costs in euros while revenue is in dollars. It has argued that if airlines paid for planes in euros, they and it would effectively eliminate currency risk.

Calavia said Airbus several years ago had offered to bill Air France-KLM in euros for about half the cost of 12 superjumbo A380 planes that carry a sticker price of $375 million apiece. "The problem here is the price we would have to pay and our vision of the parity at the time of signing the contract," he said. "We said: 'That's fine, but what exchange rate are we going to use? The rate when we sign the order, or the average of the last five years, or what?' We didn't agree on it, and in retrospect we were right, because when we signed the deal the dollar was at around $1.20 to the euro and today we're over $1.40. If we had done a deal on the basis they proposed, we'd be paying 15% more for our aircraft in euros."

Calavia said one way to reduce the currency risk in aircraft purchase contracts might be to set the price in euros using an average exchange rate over a period of two, three or five years with a revision clause or a cap in the case of a sharp fluctuation.

"The main thing to bear in mind is your vision of how exchange rates are likely to move," he said. "Today, in view of the state of public finances in the U.S.--and the euro zone, too, but mainly in the U.S.--there's no reason to expect an extremely strong appreciation of the dollar over the next 12 months."

"We might be tempted to say: 'Let's wait for the dollar to depreciate even more.' It will be even cheaper for us."

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/photos/9/2/7/1936729.jpg

http://www.airliners.net/photo/KLM---Royal/Boeing-777-206-ER/1936729/L/



http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/photos/2/6/5/1936562.jpg

http://www.airliners.net/photo/KLM---Royal/Boeing-777-206-ER/1936562/L/

^^ AIRFRANCE's newest flight to Lima, Peru had an ocupation around 93,2%. Pretty cool...

Source : http://pic.feeyo.com/posts/538/5384767.html

http://pic.feeyo.com/pic/20110718/201107181207433314.jpg

^^
awesome :cheers:

Bogotá (Colombia)

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/photos/3/5/6/1876653.jpg

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Air-France/Airbus-A340-313X/1876653/L/&sid=8de3af6267c97115e495b3a0c973f458

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/photos/2/7/5/1953572.jpg

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Air-France/Airbus-A321-211/1953572/L/

Source : http://www.flickr.com/photos/tobylam/with/6011245217/

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6010/6011245217_7627097449_b.jpg

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/photos/2/7/5/1953572.jpg

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Air-France/Airbus-A321-211/1953572/L/
WOW

http://i48.servimg.com/u/f48/11/28/71/03/p1030211.jpg (http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=1247&u=11287103)

http://i48.servimg.com/u/f48/11/28/71/03/p1030212.jpg (http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=1248&u=11287103)

http://i48.servimg.com/u/f48/11/28/71/03/p1020610.jpg (http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=1249&u=11287103)

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/photos/8/7/2/1852278.jpg

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Air-France/Airbus-A340-313X/1852278/L/&sid=8d9ddaa8519a5e3577f5f00c4847baba

I9rydT6uOAM

OI_I-DH85kU

^^ Technically your post should have been called Martinair Cargo @ MAA.

KLM Cargo only uses passenger flights to transport cargo, their own 747-400ERF's are all leased to Martinair Cargo (that is 100% owned by KLM).

^^ Done :okay:.

http://spotters.net.ua/files/images/0000053548_large.jpeg

http://spotters.net.ua/file/?id=53548&size=large

Air France - Klm will unveil it's big order of 787 or/and A350 the 15th of September.

Air France KLM announces the order of 110 Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 aircraft

http://i52.tinypic.com/20s9cw6.jpg
KLM B787-9

The Air France KLM Board of Directors, which met on 15 September, approved the Group’s order of 110 long-haul
aircraft (50 firm orders and 60 options), still subject to the finalization of discussions with the manufacturers.
This first joint long-haul order by Air France and KLM will be replacing in the medium term the aircraft with 200 / 350
seats currently present in the fleet and support the Group's growing operations.
The acquisitions are scaled to a size that can be financed through cash flow generated from Group operations.
Consistent with the provisional fleet plan, this order will result in the Group's operation of 73 next generation aircraft
through 2024: 43 Airbus A350-900 and 30 Boeing 787-9. The first aircraft Boeing 787-9 order will enter into service
with KLM in 2016 and the first Airbus A350-900 with Air France in 2018. Later, both airlines will operate both types
of aircraft.
The selection of engines for the Boeing 787-9 will be made later. The Airbus A350-900 will be equipped with Rolls-
Royce Trent XWB engines, the only engine provided for this aircraft by the manufacturer.
These new aircraft will reduce fuel consumption by over 15% and will give rise to a significant reduction in noise and
gas emissions, confirming the Group's commitments in terms of environment and sustainable development. Air
France KLM is a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index since 2004 and also leader of the “Transport and
leisure” sector.
Within the framework of this order, Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance, the Group’s aircraft
maintenance department, is confirming its commitment to position itself as a key market player for the maintenance
of these aircraft and their engines.
Following this approval, memoranda of understanding will be signed with Airbus, Boeing and Rolls Royce and the
finalized contracts are expected before the end of the year.
“For its first joint order, the Air France KLM group made its selection after a detailed assessment showing all the
performance characteristics of each aircraft, including their energy and environmental performance” declared
Pierre-Henri Gourgeon, CEO of Air France KLM. Peter Hartman, president & CEO of KLM added: “Their integration
into the fleet will enable the Group to continue to operate one of the youngest and most modern fleets in the world”.

http://i56.tinypic.com/291dc2v.jpg
Air France A350-9

http://i52.tinypic.com/1zlyw3k.jpg
KLM A350-9




http://www.airfranceklm-finance.com/en

Air France-KLM to acquire up to 60 A350 XWBs

http://i56.tinypic.com/291dc2v.jpg
Air France A350-9

http://i52.tinypic.com/1zlyw3k.jpg
KLM A350-9

A350XWB continues to attract world class airlines.
The Air France-KLM Group has announced its intention to sign for up to 60 A350 XWB aircraft, of which 25 A350-900 will be firmed up shortly. The aircraft will become an essential pillar in the group’s long-haul fleet modernization strategy.

"We are honoured that our all new, extra efficient A350 XWB will contribute to Air France-KLM’s long-term success", said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer - Customers. "The A350 XWB's unbeatable economics and environmental credentials will establish the aircraft as the future backbone of the airline's long-haul fleet. We take this decision as a testimony of confidence in our brand and products".

The A350 XWB (Xtra Wide-Body) Family is an all-new long range product line comprising three models capable of flying between 270 and 350 passengers in typical three-class layouts on flights of up to 8,500 nautical miles.

In total the Air France-KLM Group currently operates a fleet of 191 Airbus aircraft, comprising six A380s, 26 A330s, 15 A340s, 24 A321s, 58 A320s, 44 A319s and 18 A318s. With this new order Air France-KLM joins the expanding group of airlines to have a member of each Airbus aircraft family in their fleet.

By end of August, Airbus has recorded 567 A350 XWBs firm orders from 35 customers.


http://www.airbus.com/newsevents/news-events-single/detail/air-france-klm-to-acquire-up-to-60-a350-xwbs/

Air France A340-3

http://i52.tinypic.com/241ti03.jpg

http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?aircraft_genericsearch=%3Dairbus%5C+a340*&airlinesearch=%3A%28%22air+france%22+OR+%22%28air+france%29%22+OR+%22%28air+france%22+OR+%22%28air+france%29%29%22+NOT+%22aero-club%29%22+NOT+%22%28aero-club%22+NOT+%22aero-club%22+NOT+%22industries%22%29&countrysearch=&specialsearch=&daterange=&keywords=&range=&sort_order=photo_id+desc&page_limit=15&thumbnails=

KLM MD 11

http://i56.tinypic.com/wvzksl.jpg

http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?regsearch=PH-KCA&distinct_entry=true

http://spotters.net.ua/files/images/0000054134_large.jpeg

http://spotters.net.ua/file/?id=54134&size=large

great pics!

http://spotters.net.ua/files/images/0000055528_large.jpeg

http://spotters.net.ua/file/?id=55528&size=large

^^^^^^ That is a very nice picture..

KLM launches service to 4 new Latin-American destinations


India Infoline News Service / 18:00 , Nov 02, 2011

Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires and Havana/Punta Cana are also served by Air France.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines launched service to four new destinations in Latin America this week: Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Havana and Punta Cana.

KLM now operates 24 flights to and from destinations in Central America, and 28 flights to and from destinations in South America.

Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires and Havana/Punta Cana are also served by Air France. With our dual-hub strategy through Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and Paris Charles de Gaulle, the schedules of Air France and KLM are seamlessly connected. Together, the two airlines operate 17 weekly flights to Rio de Janeiro, 13 weekly flights to Havana, 10 weekly flights to Buenos Aires, and 7 weekly flights to Punta Cana.



http://www.indiainfoline.com/Markets/News/KLM-launches-service-to-4-new-Latin-American-destinations/5280030833

KLM to adopt fully flat beds in business class

Dutch airline KLM is poised to join the flat bed club. Starting in May 2013 it will begin installing proper flat bed seats across its long-haul fleet which will replace the current angled lie-flat versions.

According to respected Dutch travel website zakenreis.nl the development has been confirmed by KLM's managing director Erik Varwijk. It will take 2.5 years to retrofit KLM's fleet with the new seating.

KLM's B747s will be the first to have them fitted followed by its B777s and, finally, the Airbuses. Details of the various configurations are not yet available. The new seats will be fitted with traditional IFE screens.

But interestingly, KLM's Erik Varwijk reckons that the future for IFE lies in portable tablets. Zakenreis.nl quotes him as saying, "Tablets not only offer better quality and more opportunties [for IFE] but they are less likely to crash than the current IFE systems. Moreover, tablets are lighter which saves on fuel costs."

It is believed that KLM has selected the Diamond seat from BEAerospace. These are similar to the new product being installed by Continental Airlines.

KLM's joint partner Air France, which currently offers angled seating in business class, has yet to announce what version, if any, it will adopt in the future.

The news will be wecomed by the tens of thousands of UK-based business people who patronise KLM for their long-haul flights via Amsterdam both from London and a large number of regional airports.

For more information visit zakenreis.nl, klm.com.

Report by Alex McWhirter

(Business Traveller (http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/klm-to-adopt-fully-flat-beds-in-business-class), 2011)

Source : http://pic.feeyo.com/posts/548/5486960.html

http://pic.feeyo.com/pic/20111111/201111111203016167.jpg

http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/8791/img2058z.jpg

http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/6555/img2118za.jpg

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/photos/8/7/1/2021178.jpg

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Air-France/Airbus-A380-861/2021178/L/

http://img.planespotters.net/photo/238000/original/F-GZNE-Air-France-Boeing-777-300_PlanespottersNet_238879.jpg

http://www.planespotters.net/Aviation_Photos/photo.show?id=238879

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd251/bima25/IMG_7667.jpg

KLM W12 Long-Haul Operation Changes as of 27DEC11

As per 27DEC11 GDS timetable and inventory display, initial operation changes to KLM’s Winter 2012/13 season on long-haul service as follows.

All changes are effective 28OCT12, and further changes remain possible:

Amsterdam – Atlanta Capacity increase in W12 compared to W11, with Boeing 777-300ER operating 5 times a week
KL621 AMS1655 – 2030ATL 77W x57
KL621 AMS1655 – 2030ATL 772 57

KL622 ATL2250 – 1315+1AMS 77W x57
KL622 ATL2250 – 1315+1AMS 77 57

Amsterdam – Buenos Aires Service increases from 3 weekly to 4 weekly. Boeing 777-300ER replacing -200ER, to be introduced from 28MAR12, is maintained in NW12
KL707 AMS1010 – 2020EZE 77W x247
KL708 EZE2220 – 1535+1AMS 77W x247

Amsterdam – Calgary Service operates 5 weekly in W12, increases from 4 in W11
KL677 AMS1230 – 1345YYC 332 x13
KL678 YYC1540 – 0830+1AMS 332 x13

Amsterdam – Dubai Service operates 11 weekly in W12, reduced from 12 weekly in W11. Airbus A330-300 aircraft enters operation on this route
KL427 AMS1430 – 2359DXB 333 x135
KL427 AMS1430 – 2359DXB 772 135
KL429 AMS2050 – 0620+1DXB 332 x456

KL428 DXB0135 – 0600AMS 333 x246
KL428 DXB0135 – 0600AMS 772 246
KL430 DXB0750 – 1215AMS 332 x567

Amsterdam – Miami Service appears to be converting to Winter seasonal, as reservation for flights after 28OCT12 is open, 5 weekly MD11 operating
KL627 AMS1520 – 1935MIA M11 x26
KL628 MIA2135 – 1210+1AMS M11 x26

Amsterdam – Rio de Janeiro Service increases from 3 weekly to 4 weekly, 777-200ER operating
KL705 AMS1040 – 1930GIG 772 x135
KL706 GIG2140 – 1155+1AMS 772 x135

Amsterdam – San Francisco Airbus A330-200 operates 6 weekly, increases from 5 weekly MD11 in W11
KL605 AMS1005 – 1235SFO 332 x2
KL606 SFO1425 – 1010+1AMS 332 x2

Amsterdam – Washington Dulles Airbus A330-300 operating twice weekly
KL651 AMS1245 – 1520IAD 333 47
KL651 AMS1245 – 1520IAD 332 x47

KL652 IAD1810 – 0745+1AMS 333 47
KL652 IAD1810 – 0745+1AMS 332 47


http://airlineroute.net/2011/12/27/kl-w12update1/

AIRFRANCE S12 Orlando Operation Changes

As per 27DEC11 GDS timetable and inventory display, AIRFRANCE is adjusting planned operation on Paris CDG – Orlando service in Summer 2012 season.

From 25MAR12 to 14MAY12, service operates with 2-class Boeing 747-400 instead of 777-300ER. Note operational day changes is also in effect.

Details:

AF694 CDG1335 – 1655MCO 744 246
AF693 MCO2045 – 1110+1CDG 744 246

From 04MAY12, service operates on Day 257
From 15MAY12, service operates with 3-class Boeing 777-300ER once again
From 29AUG12 to 24SEP12, Service operates on Day 57 only

http://airlineroute.net/2011/12/26/af-mco-s12/

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd251/bima25/IMG_7846.jpg

Boeing confirms Air France-KLM Dreamliner orders

Boeing and Air France-KLM Group have finalized an order for 25 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, with options. The order was signed in late December 2011 and was recorded on Boeing’s Orders & Deliveries website, attributed to an unidentified customer. A preliminary agreement was first announced on September 16, 2011.

Story continues Here (http://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/boeing-confirms-air-france-klm-dreamliner-orders/)

Paris-Wuhan flight launched during "French Week"

WUHAN, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Air France-KLM on Thursday claimed to have become the first passenger airline to link China's central heartland with Europe, as it launched a service between Paris and Wuhan.

An Air France-KLM Boeing 777-200 ER aircraft will fly the route three times a week. A one-way trip takes about 11 and a half hours, bringing Europe closer to central China, according to Peng Jun, an official with the municipal transport committee.

By the end of 2011, Wuhan had been linked to 11 cities outside the Chinese mainland by air. The city will benefit from at least eight more international routes this year, including one to the United States, Peng and other officials added.

The number of international destinations that can be reached by air from Wuhan will further increase to 40 by 2030, making the city China's fourth-largest air transport hub after Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, they said.

Thursday's launch is one of the events marking "French Week," held in Wuhan from April 12 to 18 to promote cooperation on trade, education, science and technology. Wuhan is a top choice for French investors in China.

Other events include launching a bio-science center, hosting a transportation symposium, a genetic science workshop, a French singing competition, French wine promotions, food and arts festivals.

Source: Airliners.net - Langenfeld
(http://www.airliners.net/photo/KLM---Royal/Airbus-A330-303X/2091981/L/)http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2ghxdVXYi1qes27do1_1280.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7101/7090130825_8a41e5ba0b_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/52328780@N07/7090130825/)
P1100386 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/52328780@N07/7090130825/) by tan_dvd1 (http://www.flickr.com/people/52328780@N07/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7116/6934404986_5583d85820_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/a380spotter/6934404986/)
[13:50] AF1215 CDG-ZRH. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/a380spotter/6934404986/) by A380spotter (http://www.flickr.com/people/a380spotter/), on Flickr