Air France (Compagnie Nationale Air France) is a subsidiary of Air France-KLM. Before its merger with KLM, it was the national airline of France, employing 71,654 people (as of March 2004).[1]
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| Founded | 1933 | ||||||
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| Hubs | Paris-Charles de Gaulle International Airport | ||||||
| Focus cities | Paris- (Orly Airport) Lyon-Saint-Exupéry International Airport Nice-Côte d'Azur International Airport | ||||||
| Frequent-flyer program | Flying Blue | ||||||
| Alliance | SkyTeam | ||||||
| Fleet size | 237 | ||||||
| Destinations | 187 | ||||||
| Parent company | Air France-KLM | ||||||
| Headquarters | Paris, France | ||||||
| Key people | Jean-Cyril Spinetta (Chairman and CEO), Pierre-Henri Gourgeon (COO), Philippe Calavia (CFO) | ||||||
| Website | http://www.airfrance.com | ||||||
The company's headquarters are located at Charles de Gaulle International Airport near Paris; these headquarters are now used by Air France-KLM. Between April 2001 and March 2002, the airline transported 43.3 million passengers and earned 12.53 billion Euro. Air France's subsidiary, Régional, operates regional jet and turboprop flights within Europe.[2] Air France also accredited by the IATA with the IOSA (IATA Operations Safety Audit) for its safety practices.[3]
Air France-KLM union
Air France took over the Dutch company KLM in May 2004, resulting in the creation of Air France-KLM. Air France-KLM is the largest airline company in the world in terms of operating revenues, and the third-largest in the world (largest in Europe) in terms of passengers-kilometers.
Air France-KLM is part of the SkyTeam Alliance with Aeroflot, Delta Air Lines, Aeroméxico, Korean Air, Czech Airlines, Alitalia, Northwest Airlines and Continental Airlines. Both Air France and KLM continue to fly under their brand names.
History
Founded on October 7, 1933 through the merger of Air Orient, Compagnie Générale Aéropostale, Société Générale de Transport Aérien (SGTA, the first French carrier, founded as Lignes Aériennes Farman in 1919), Air Union and CIDNA (Compagnie Internationale de Navigation). The airline had extensive routes across Europe, but also to French colonies in northern Africa and elsewhere. During World War II, Air France moved its operations to Casablanca, Morocco; the airline was featured prominently in the film Casablanca.
After the Second World War the company was nationalized and Societe Nationale Air France was set up on 1 January 1946. Compagnie Nationale Air France was created by a parliamentary act on June 16, 1948. The government held 70% of the new company and in mid-2002 still held a 54% stake in the airline. On August 4, 1948, Max Hymans was appointed president of Air France. During his thirteen years at the helm, he implemented a modernisation policy based on jet aircraft, specifically the Sud Aviation Caravelle and the Boeing 707. In 1949 the company was one of the founders of SITA (Société Internationale de Télécommunications Aéronautiques). The airline used the De Havilland Comet for a short while from 1953, but soon replaced it with Vickers Viscounts. In 1959 the company started widespread use of the twin-jet Sud Aviation Caravelle. It graduated to the use of Boeing aircraft, but as a national European carrier it became committed to Airbus designs from 1974.
In 1976, the airline started operating the Concorde SST supersonic airliner on the Paris-Charles de Gaulle to New York route as well as a number of other routes (those other routes were dropped in 1982). It flew the route Paris to New York City in 3 hours and 20 minutes, at about twice the speed of sound.
On 12 January 1990, the operations of all government owned airlines, Air France, Air Inter, Air Charter and UTA, were merged into the Air France Group. A new holding company Groupe Air France was set up by decree on 25 July 1994 and implemented on 1 September 1994. It had majority shareholdings in Air France and Air Inter (renamed Air France Europe). In 1997 Air France Europe was fully absorbed into Air France. On 10 February 1999 the French government partially privatised the airline on the Paris stock exchange. It became a founder member of the Skyteam Alliance in June 2000.
The five Air France Concordes were withdrawn from use on 31 May 2003 as a result of insufficient demand following the 2000 accident, along with higher fuel and maintenance costs. British Airways followed suit a few months later, with their last Concordes flying on 24 October 2003. Concorde F-BVFA was transferred to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, near Washington-Dulles airport in Washington, D.C., an annex of the National Air & Space Museum. F-BVFB was given to a German museum, F-BTSD to the "Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace" in Paris, while F-BVFC was returned to its place of manufacture in Toulouse (France) at the Airbus factory.
On September 30, 2003, Air France and Netherlands-based KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines), announced the merging of the two airlines, with the new company to be known as Air France-KLM. The merger became reality on May 5, 2004. Former Air France shareholders own 81% of the new firm (44% owned by the French government, 37% by private shareholders), while former KLM shareholders hold the rest. The French government's share of Air France was reduced from 54.4 per cent (of the former Air France) to 44 per cent (of the current Air France-KLM), thus in effect privatizing Air France. In December 2004 the French state sold 18.4% of its equity stake in the Air France-KLM Group, reducing its stake to just under 20%.
Destinations
Most of Air France's international flights operate from Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport. Air France also has a strong presence in Paris-Orly and Lyon-Saint-Exupéry. Some flights also operate out of Nice.
Fleet
Passenger fleet
The Air France passenger fleet consists of the following aircraft as of March 2007: [1]
| Aircraft | Total | Passengers (Première/Affaires/Tempo) |
Routes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A318 | 18 | 118* 123 |
France and Europe | Short-medium haul routes |
| Airbus A319 | 46 | 133* - 136* 138 - 142 |
Europe, Africa, Middle East | Short-medium haul routes |
| Airbus A320 | 68 | 160* - 166* 165 - 172 |
Europe, Africa, Middle East, Intra-Caribbean, Miami, Cayenne | Short-medium haul routes |
| Airbus A321 | 13 | 196* - 200* 206 |
Europe, Africa, and Middle East | Short-medium haul routes |
| Airbus A330-200 | 16 | 211 (6/42/163) 222 (40/182) |
North America, Asia and Africa | Long haul routes |
| Airbus A340-300 | 29 | 252 (6/42/204) 272 (36/236) 289 (30/259) |
North America, South America, Caribbean, Eastern Asia and Africa | Long haul routes |
| Airbus A380 | (10 orders) | 555 | Americas, Eastern Asia and Africa | Long haul routes |
| Boeing 737-500 | 7 | 106* 112 |
France and Europe | Short haul routes To be phased out by end of 2007 |
| Boeing 747-400 | 7 | 395 (13/58/322) 433 (39/394) 474 (17/457) |
Africa, Asia, North America, Caribbean, Indian Ocean and Brazil |
Long haul routes |
| Boeing 747-400M | 5 | |||
| Boeing 747-400ERF | 2 | |||
| Boeing 777-200ER | 25 | 264 (4/49/211) 270 (12/56/202) |
North America and Asia plus Africa | Long haul routes |
| Boeing 777-300ER | 17 | 310 (8/67/235) | North America, Asia, St Denis and La Réunion | Long Haul Routes Launch Customer with Japan Airlines |
| Boeing 777F | (5 orders) |
*Short Haul aircraft base L'Espace Affaires seating amounts by demand.
The average fleet age of Air France is 8.9 years as of September 2006 [4].
Cargo fleet
| Aircraft | Total | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Boeing 747-200,300 | 14 | Phasing out by end of 2009 Replacement Aircraft: Boeing 747-400F and Boeing 777-200F |
Orders
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- On 22 February 2005 Air France placed an order for 4 further Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, adding to 10 previously ordered (4 delivered). The airline had previously ordered 18 Boeing 777-200ERs.
- Air France has ordered 10 Airbus A380 aircraft, with options on a further 4 aircraft. A further 3 aircraft will be delivered in 2009, with the remaining 6 over the following 2 years. The A380 will initially be used on North Atlantic route services from Paris to Montreal and New York and as additional aircraft arrive, on services to Beijing and Tokyo [5].
- On 20 May 2005 Air France signed an agreement with Boeing to convert three of its former combi Boeing 747-400 aircraft, currently in all passenger configuration, into full freighter configuration under the Boeing 747-400SF (Special Freighter) programme. The first modified aircraft will be delivered in June 2007, enabling acceleration of the phasing out of old Boeing 747-200 Freighters [6].
- On 23 May 2005 Air France agreed to purchase 5 777 Freighters (with 3 further options), making it the launch customer of the 777 Freighter along with Air Canada who ordered 2. First delivery will be in late 2008, commencing replacement of the airline's Boeing 747-200F fleet [6].
Retired fleet
- Aérospatiale-BAC Concorde
- Airbus A300
- Airbus A310
- Airbus A340-200
- Bleriot 5190
- Bloch 220
- Boeing 707
- Boeing 727
- Boeing 747-200
- Boeing 767
- Breguet 763
- Convair 990
- de Havilland Comet
- Dewoitine 338
- Douglas DC-3
- Douglas DC-4
- Farman 2200
- Lockheed Constellation
- Sud Aviation Caravelle
- Sud-Est SE-161 Languedoc
- Vickers Viscount
- Wibault 282
Cabin
Air France has three primary classes of international service: L'Espace Première (First), L'Espace Affaires (Business), and Tempo (Economy). European shorthaul flights feature Tempo class service. For flights to the Caribbean and Indian Ocean, a premium economy class, Alizé, is also offered.[7] Inflight entertainment via AVOD (Audio Video on Demand) is available in select cabins.
L'Espace Première
L'Espace Première, Air France's longhaul first class product, is available on Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. The L'Espace Première cabin features four to eight wood and leather seats which recline 180°, forming two meter long beds. Each seat features a 10.4" touchscreen TV monitor with interactive gaming and AVOD, a privacy divider, automassage feature, reading light, storage drawer, noise-cancelling headphones, personal telephone, and laptop power ports. À la carte on-demand meal services feature entrées created by chef Guy Martin. Turndown service includes a mattress, duvet and pillow. Private lounge access is offered worldwide.
L'Espace Affaires
L'Espace Affaires, Air France's longhaul business class product, is available on Airbus A330, Airbus A340, Boeing 747-400, Boeing 777-200ER, and Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. L'Espace Affaires features lie-flat seats which recline to two meters in length. Each seat features a 10.4" touchscreen TV monitor with interactive gaming and AVOD, reading light, personal telephone, and laptop power ports. Meal service features three-course meals and a cheese service, or an express menu served shortly after takeoff.
Tempo
Tempo, Air France's economy class product, features seats that recline up to 118°. The latest longhaul Tempo seat, which debuted on the Boeing 777-300ER, includes winged headrests, a personal telephone, and a touchscreen TV monitor with interactive gaming and partial AVOD, with films and programs restarting every 15 minutes. Shorthaul Tempo services are operated by Airbus A320 family aircraft with different seating arrangements. On flights over 10.5 hours, a self-service snack buffet is available in the galley.
Alizé
Alizé, Air France's premium economy product, is available on flights to the Caribbean and Indian Ocean (such as the Antilles, Guyana, and Mauritius). On the Boeing 777-300ER, the Alizé cabin is located in front of the Tempo cabin and features 36 seats. Alizé seats recline up to 123° and feature massaging foot rests. A predeparture drink, enhanced meal service, and feather pillows and blankets are offered.
Codeshare agreements
The following airlines have codeshare agreements with Air France as of August 2006:
(This list does not include SkyTeam airlines)
Subsidiaries
In partnership with Dutch affiliate, Transavia, Air France is to launch a new charter/low-cost subsidiary to be based at Paris - Orly Airport and to begin operations in spring 2007 with leisure route services in the Mediterranean and North Africa. It is rumoured to be named Air France Soleil and will operate Boeing 737 aircraft to be transferred from Transavia's fleet as part of its equity investment. Transavia is understood to have a 40% stake, with Air France holding the rest [8].
Incidents and accidents
- On October 27, 1949, boxer Marcel Cerdan, violinist Ginette Neveu and some members of the Barnum & Bailey Circus died when an Air France flight crashed into a mountain after two failed attempts to make a landing at the São Miguel Island airport in the Azores.
- On the nights of 12-14 June 1950, two Air France Douglas DC-4s crashed into the waters off Bahrain while attempting to land, with the loss of 86 lives.
- 3 June, 1962: A chartered Boeing 707-328 (registration F-BHSMdisaster), the Chateau de Sully, from Orly Airport (Paris, France) to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (Atlanta, Georgia, USA) crashed during take-off; 130 of the total 132 people on board were killed. Two flight attendants sitting in the aft (tail or rear) section of the aircraft were saved. The investigation found a faulty servo motor, which had led to an improper (and non-adjustable) elevator trim. Brake marks measuring 1,500 feet (457 m) were found on the runway, indicating that the cockpit crew tried to abort take-off. The aircraft rolled right while only seven feet (2 m) from the ground, causing its right wing to hit the ground. The 707-328 crashed 50 yards (45 m) from the runway and exploded.
- June 22, 1962: A Boeing 707-328 crashed into a hill during bad weather, while attempting to land in Guadeloupe, West Indies, killing all 113 on board. The aircraft was attempting a non-precision NDB approach. A malfunctioning VOR station, and poor NDB reception due to thunderstorms in the area, were blamed for the accident.
- June 27, 1976: Flight 139 from Tel Aviv to Paris through Athens was hijacked by a Palestinian group. The Airbus A300 and its 260 occupants were taken to Entebbe, Uganda, where they were rescued by Israeli soliders the following week. See Operation Entebbe.
- On June 26, 1988, Flight 296, an A320-100 of Air France crashed near the airfield of Mulhouse-Habsheim during an airshow, in Alsace/France. The aircraft overflew the airfield in good weather. Seconds later the aircraft touched the tops of trees behind the runway and crashed into a forest. Three passengers died in the accident and about fifty were injured.
- In 1994, a group of men from the Algerian group GIA hijacked Flight 8969, intending to crash it into the Eiffel Tower. French GIGN intervened and prevented an incident.
- On July 25, 2000, Flight 4590, a chartered Concorde departing from De Gaulle airport in Paris bound for JFK crashed just after take-off in Gonesse impacting a hotel. All 109 people on board died plus four people on the ground.
- On August 2, 2005, Flight 358, an A340-300 (registration F-GLZQdisaster) with 297 passengers and 12 crew, overran the runway and crashed into trees at Toronto Pearson International Airport in bad weather conditions. The aircraft caught fire. All passengers survived, although a reported 43 people were taken to hospital for minor injuries.
France has been the target of many hijackings: 1973 Marseille; 1976 Benghazi (Operation Entebbe) and Ho Chi Minh City; 1977 Benghazi; 1983 Geneva; 1984 Geneva twice; 1989 Algiers; 1993 Nice; 1994 Algiers; 1999 Paris. On December 24, 2003, three Air France flights bound for LAX were cancelled because of fears that terrorist group members would board.
Livery
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Air France's livery is a Eurowhite scheme, composed of primarily white with blue and red accents.
Particulars
- The song featured in the Air France commercials, and the song played before and after Air France flights is "Between Us" by the band Aswefall.
- There are ranks for the flight attendants. Two silver sleeve stripes denote a Chief Purser. One silver sleeve stripe denote a Purser. Flight Attendants do not have any sleeve stripes.
- Air France was named by the Association of European Airlines as one of seven airlines with a worse-than-average record for lost luggage in 2006. The average over 24 airlines is 15.7 bags per 1,000 passengers.[9]
References
- ^ AIR FRANCE - KLM Company Profile Yahoo! Finance
- ^ Régional, compagnie aérienne européenne Company Profile
- ^ Air France IOSA Operations Profile
- ^ Air France Fleet & Age
- ^ Airliner World (March 2005)
- ^ a b Air International (July 2005)
- ^ Air France - On Board
- ^ Airliner World (January 2007)
- ^ "AEA Consumer Report" (PDF). Association of European Airlines. Retrieved 2007-04-04.
External links
