Air France

Due to the high level of fuel prices, Air France is increasing its fuel surcharge by 2 euros per segment on domestic flights, by 4 euros per segment on medium-haul flights, by 10 euros per segment on long-haul flights and by 14 euros per segment on very long-haul flights. This increase is valid on tickets for trips from France, issued as from 10th July 2008.

Delivering the most innovative customer relations solutions on the web, Air France has adopted a unique new communication and distribution channel, the video widget. The widget, developed by French start-up Djingle, was a hit from the word go, immediately winning a prestigious Travolution Award in London.

In an aim to combat climate change and considering that the destruction of forests accounts for some 20% of CO2 manmade emissions, Air France finances a GoodPlanet-run project to fight against deforestation in Madagascar. The project is implemented locally by WWF-Madagascar.

Since 2 June 2008, VoyageurREWARDS, the Air France loyalty programme designed for small and medium-sized companies has made it easier for French companies to earn points and provides access to a new online space for booking tickets and managing accounts.

The summer holiday season is fast approaching, and Air France once again forecasts record passenger traffic at its Paris airports over the last weekend in June, with 25% more passengers at Paris-Charles de Gaulle and 10% more at Paris-Orly compared with a normal day.

Over the past few years, Air France has been making every effort to make travel for disabled and reduced mobility passengers as easy and simple as possible.

Due to the high level of fuel prices, Air France is increasing its fuel surcharge by 2 euros per segment on domestic flights, by 5 euros per segment on medium-haul flights, by 10 euros per segment on long-haul flights and by 20 euros per segment on very long-haul flights. This increase is valid on tickets for trips from France, issued as from 13 June 2008.

Since 1 April 2008, Air France has been serving Pointe-Noire with three weekly frequencies, with one flight seating 219 operated by Airbus 330 and the two other flights with a seating capacity for 79 operated by Airbus 319. As from 23 June, the Paris-Pointe Noire route will be exclusively operated by Airbus 330-200, representing a 65% increase in capacity compared with last year.

Air France and Le Tanneur have brought out 6 new ranges of baggage signed "Air France by Le Tanneur" using names from the aeronautical alphabet: Delta, Echo and Tango for the hardside range, and Fox, Zulu and X-ray for the soft range.

On 30 May 2008, in conjunction with Airbus, Air France provided the logistics and technical support for a special humanitarian flight to Chengdu, the capital of the province of Sichuan, which was affected by the earthquake on 12 May 2008.

Starting on 2 June 2008, Air France is launching the new non-stop Paris-Charles de Gaulle – Salt Lake City (Utah) service. The flight is operated by a Delta Air Lines’ Boeing 767-300ER, equipped with 36 seats in BusinessElite and 178 seats in Economy. The flight is operated on a code-share basis by Air France and Delta.

Air France-KLM and China Southern today announced the signing of a Framework Agreement for the development of a Sino-European Cargo Joint Venture between both companies.

On its long-haul flights, Air France is phasing in a new inflight entertainment programme that is constantly upgraded. When it comes to inflight music, Air France passengers can now listen to the very best of all types of music through a selection of albums that will be renewed each month, in some fifteen musical categories thanks to this latest partnership with Fnac.

Air France’s Boeing 777-300ERs can carry 325 passengers on international routes and 472 passengers on the French Caribbean & Indian Ocean network. With a payload of 57 tonnes, these aircraft have the largest load capacities of all long-haul twin-engined aircraft.

Starting 1 June 2008, all Air France tickets will be electronic, in compliance with recommendations stipulated by IATA (International Air Transport Association) which represents 94% of airlines.

On the occasion of the Cannes Film Festival, Air France has added a new section about the film world to its website - Airfrancelasaga.com. When and how did cinema get on board? In what way has film screening developed? Through a voyage through time, airfrancelasaga.com invites surfers to discover several films portraying the story of Air France and cinema.

Air France expressed its satisfaction with the decision taken by the Council of State on 7 May 2008, cancelling the amount of airport fees applicable in the MP2 low-cost terminal at Marseille-Provence airport for 2006 and 2007.

On 30 April 2008, Air France’s 50th Boeing 777 joined the fleet. The aircraft, a 777-300ER registered F-GZNB, landed at Paris-Charles de Gaulle at 9:30, after taking off from Everett airport near Seattle the day before, which is the site of Boeing’s assembly line.

Due to the high level of fuel prices, Air France is increasing its fuel surcharge by 2 euros per segment on domestic flights, by 4 euros per segment on medium-haul flights and by 10 euros per segment on long-haul flights.

Since its inauguration on Sunday 30 March 2008 at 0620 (local time), the new boarding satellite of Terminal 2E at Paris-Charles de Gaulle dedicated to Air France and built by Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport has already handled over 27,000 customers and 120 flights.

To accompany the launch of its new daily London-Los Angeles service on 31 March 2008, Air France is teaming up with the International news channel BBC World to offer customers their favourite daily news bulletins. Every month, close to 13,000 passengers on board the new London-Los Angeles flights will have access to the latest afternoon news bulletins (flight departs at 5pm), at over 30,000 feet.

Air France and Delta Air Lines have officially kicked off their joint venture agreement with a joint press conference during which Pierre-Henri Gourgeon, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Air France-KLM, and Richard Anderson, Chief Executive Officer of Delta Air Lines, announced the launch of three trans-Atlantic routes that take full advantage of the E.U.-U.S. Open Skies Agreement.

Air France and OnAir today announced the launch of a trial of inflight voice calls. Air France’s is the first inflight mobile phone service to offer the full range of mobile communications services, including voice, SMS and email.

Due to growth in Air France activity and staff retirements, more pilots are being recruited and trained. Following on from an annual recruitment rate of 130 pilots between 2003 and 2006, Air France recruited 260 pilots in 2007 and will recruit close to 300 more pilots in 2008 and 2009.

In accordance with the announced timetable, Air France-KLM submitted on 14th March 2008 a proposal to Alitalia aimed at combining Alitalia and the Air France-KLM Group and acquiring the control of the Italian company.

The summer schedule of Air France and KLM posts a 4.6% increase in capacity for summer 2008 in terms of available seat-km compared with summer 2007. This breaks down into 5.1% for the long-haul network and 3.2% for short and medium-haul routes.

Air France Madame, the sophisticated French/English bilingual luxury magazine for women, has been given an ultra-contemporary makeover, with new editorial content and a new layout.

The latest Airbus A321 to be delivered to Air France and which entered into service last weekend on the medium-haul network (Europe and Middle East), is powered by engines benefiting from the Tech 56 technology developed by CFM, like the other 30 aircraft of the A320 family ordered in 2007.

Air France has received two awards from the Business Traveller specialist magazine (UK and German editions) in recognition of its outstanding quality white wines served in its l’Espace Affaires cabins along with its top-rated menus on flights to the Americas.

On 25 January 2008, passengers travelling on Air France’s latest Airbus A321 will be able to discover the new cabin and colour scheme to feature on the airline’s new Airbus A320 fleet.

Due to the high level of fuel prices, Air France is increasing its fuel surcharge by 1 euro per segment on domestic flights, by 2 euros per segment on medium-haul flights and by 8 euros per segment on long-haul flights.

Panta Holdings B.V., owner of VLM Airlines, has announced it has reached an agreement on terms for the sale of VLM Airlines to Air France-KLM.

Air France KLM has confirmed its determination to support Alitalia in its recovery and to relaunch it as a strong national flag carrier with world coverage. The enlarged Group will then be able to rely on three strong, complementary brands providing customers with an unparalleled network.

Air France has signed a code-share agreement with the airlines Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, offering its customers the opportunity to travel to 18 new destinations in the Western United States and Alaska on board flights operated by these two airlines under the AF code.

Further to the announcement on 17 October of the signing of the joint venture agreement with the US carrier Delta, Air France is now pleased to confirm that its new transatlantic flight from London-Heathrow to Los Angeles is on sale today.

Today Air France-KLM is sending a non-binding letter of interest to Alitalia, which will be submitted to the Italian carrier’s Board of Directors.

From now on, passengers with access to the Air France l’Espace Première lounge at Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport can discover and sample a new range of gourmet dishes created by Jean-François Rouquette, Chef at the Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme Hotel.

Christian Boireau, Air France Executive Vice President French market, Bruno Matheu, Air France Executive Vice President Marketing and Network, and Guy Mathiolon, President of the Aéroport de Lyon Supervisory Board, were present at the tenth anniversary celebration of the Air France hub in Lyon, which began operating on 27 October 1997.

Air France has filed a suit against Ryanair for slanderous accusations with the Tribunal de grande instance in Bobigny after Ryanair advertised to the press that it is launching proceedings with the European Commission denouncing the alleged collusion between Air France and two other European airlines.

An Airbus A380 touched down yesterday at Montreal-P.E. Trudeau airport (in Quebec, Canada) for the first time, arriving from Paris-Charles de Gaulle.

Due to the high level of fuel prices, Air France is increasing its fuel surcharge by 2 euros per segment on short and medium haul flights and by 10 euros per segment on long-haul flights.

Air France's website has had a facelift. As of today, the site has a dynamic look and feel and is even easier to navigate. The site has been designed using Monet, a concept specific to Air France and the UK website is the first foreign market after the US to adopt this new and improved look and feel.