Air France to rapidly increase weekly flights to US as borders reopen
Air France has reportedly planned to ramp up flights across various destinations in the United States as North American borders reopen from November 8. Starting November 8 2021, the airline will schedule around 122 weekly flights to the U.S. instead of the 95 that are currently offered.
Anne Rigail, the Director-General of Air France stated that the airline has been waiting for this reopening for a long time and it hopes to restart afresh following the peak of the COVID-19 crisis.
Rigail added that the reopening of North America is not only beneficial for Air France but also for the Air France- KLM group as it is the airline’s primary long-haul network. She noted that North America represented around 40% of the group’s long-haul flights before the COVID-19 pandemic. The airline is not starting from scratch as it never stopped its service in the United States even during the critical moments of the pandemic where it acted as a lifeline towards major cities, said Rigail.
The flight reservations went up significantly since the announcement from U.S. authorities that fully tested and vaccinated passengers will be able to visit the country. The airline is also restoring the networks with routes witnessing significant demand.
Rigail claims that the airline can reach around 70% to 75% of its total capacity in the winter, in comparison to 60% this summer. Nevertheless, she ensured that Air France will showcase flexibility in its operations depending on the global health situation.
The airline is adjusting its programs every week, and it now avoids making long-term plans. It is also looking to motivate business partners to travel more, as they are less likely to have quick returns than leisure passengers. Rigali also expressed her belief that the peak of the crisis has waned, and the rate of recovery will be consistent.
Air France is planning to make more flights available towards Miami, Seattle, and New York in particular.
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Pankaj Singh
Pankaj Singh Develops content for Algosonline, Market Size Forecasters, and a couple of other platforms. A Post Graduate in Management by qualification, he worked as an underwriter in the UK insurance domain before deciding to switch his field of profession. With experience in technical and niche w...