Air France KLM Group

Vers une plainte d'Air France contre Ryanair

La compagnie française reproche à sa concurrente irlandaise de voler avec l'argent du contribuable C'est le quotidien [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] qui révèle l'information. Air France devrait déposer dans les semaines à venir une plainte contre Ryanair, la petite compagnie low-cost, qui, à force de prix plancher deviendra en 2010 le premier transporteur aérien européen avec 65 millions de passagers. Comment Ryanair s'y prend-t-elle pour pratiquer des tarifs aussi bas ? En minimisant tous les coûts mais aussi en choisissant des aéroports secondaires. Et c'est là que le bas blesse d'après Air France. Le transporteur français a mené son enquête : gestionnaires de ces aéroports régionaux, les chambres de commerce et d'industrie verseraient en moyenne à Ryanair 11 euros par passager. Généralisé à l'Europe entière, cela pourrait représenter quelque 660 millions d'euros qui s'apparentent à des subventions déguisées de nature à fausser la concurrence. Sans cette manne, le transporteur irlandais aurait donc accusé une perte de 829 millions en 2009.

Air France KLM intends to maintain its strong position in Africa and a strategy of continuous growth despite the economic downturn and increased competition, Senior VP-Africa & Middle East Etienne Rachou told ATWOnline.
"In terms of the number of destinations, frequencies and product, we are the number one to Africa. We will do everything we can to keep our leadership position," he said yesterday in Brussels.
AF KLM claims a 30% share of the passenger market between Europe and Africa. It operates some 380 weekly flights from its Paris Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam hubs to 43 destinations on the continent, of which 29 are unique to AF, 10 are served only by KLM and four by both. Rachou refrained from detailing the position of its closest competitor, but in January Lufthansa Group stated that its airlines (Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines and bmi) operated to 31 destinations in 27 African countries. During the summer schedule AF will launch A319 all-premium flights to Bata and increase ASKs to the continent by 2.9%. KLM will grow capacity 0.9%.
"Competition to Africa is not new, and we're not particularly afraid. We cannot deny that the competition is getting more challenging," Rachou admitted, noting the growing competition is coming "not only" from European rivals but from airlines across Africa and the Middle East as well as US carriers, "which have rediscovered Africa. It's up to Air France KLM to show and sell our assets and keep our passengers happy," he said. "This is one of the reasons behind the product upgrades."
AF was the first airline to introduce the A380 to Africa with a thrice-weekly CDG-Johannesburg service launched Feb. 7. When its third A380 arrives next month it will operate the jumbo daily on the route. Other upgrades include introduction of its new premium economy cabin on its widebody fleet. It currently is available to four African destinations.
"Passenger feedback on our new intermediary cabin is very positive," Rachou said, adding that it is too early to release any figures on demand, "but it is going in the right direction. The fact that the product is being expanded throughout the fleet [777s, A340s and A330s operating from CDG] by the end of the year gives an indication." AF introduced the new cabin last October on flights to New York JFK. It now operates retrofitted widebodies to 10 destinations, increasing to around 30 by June.

Air France: appel à une grève des hôtesses et stewards à partir du 28 mars

PARIS, 16 mars 2010 (AFP)Les hôtesses et stewards d'Air France appellent à la grève à partir du 28 mars pour protester contre un plan de la direction visant à réduire les coûts d'exploitation de vols moyens et courts courriers face à la concurrence des compagnies low cost, a-t-on appris mardi de sources syndicales.

PARIS, 2 avr 2010 (AFP)

Air France a signé un accord de partenariat avec Vietnam Airlines pour permettre à ses clients de voyager sur des vols directs vers Hanoï et Ho Chi Minh-Ville depuis l'aéroport de Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle, a annoncé vendredi la compagnie française dans un communiqué.

2010 AFP

Air France is considering deploying [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] aircraft on the short route between Paris and London Heathrow.
The airline has three of the type, which are serving New York JFK and Johannesburg.

But a spokeswoman for the airline says that the carrier is looking at other options to exploit the capacity and, while the plan has not been firmed, it is not ruling out putting the 538-seat jet on the route.

While not giving full details of the reasoning behind the potential deployment, which could occur "in the next few weeks", she indicates that pilot training and a desire to maximise the use of the aircraft are among the considerations.

She adds that Paris-London is a busy route and other carriers have shown that they can justify large-capacity aircraft on relatively short, high-density sectors.

Air France-KLM group, the airline giant, could have to wait until 2015 to start replacing its ageing long-haul fleet.

KLM's chief executive, Peter Hartman, said he had hoped new planes would start arriving by 2012, but is still waiting to place orders with Boeing and Airbus. The manufacturers have assured him they have the capacity, but he is waiting for clarification on delivery dates.

Air France-KLM order for 100 787s/A350s is “hanging”

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] is committed to a major order for [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] 787s and [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] A350s but is growing increasingly frustrated with the airframers over their inability to provide certainty around the projects.
"The manufacturers are not willing to give us fixed dates and [aircraft] specifications," Peter Hartman, president of [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] told ATI and Flightglobal at the group's annual results press conference.
The group has sent a request for proposals for 100 aircraft to each manufacturer for deliveries that it requires from 2014 but this is "hanging", says Hartman. "We need them in 2014. As soon as positions [are confirmed] we will start ordering." He is hoping for more certainty from the airframers by the end of the year.

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]-KLM requires the mid-size widebodies to replace A340s and the oldest 747s at Air France and MD-11s at KLM, says Hartman. "The order will most likely be a mix of the two aircraft [the 787 and [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]]," he says, with the first deliveries having to be leased.
KLM had secured delivery positions for 787s from the Royal Bank of Scotland but when this bank pulled out of the leasing market last year it lost those aircraft, says Hartman. The group remains active in the leasing market looking for 787s, he adds.