Air France |
With the announcement of the reopening of American borders for vaccinated travelers, Air France is preparing to increase the number of its flights to and from the United States. | Source: Getty Images
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The company Air France announced last week that it would increase the number of flights to and from the United States, after the United States government decided to lift the restrictions for vaccinated international travelers (decision effective in early November) . Air France will therefore increase its flights to New York, Miami and Los Angeles in order to return to 90% of its offer by March 2022. Recently, the French company also won four Skytrax World Airline Awards, including that of the best company air travel in Europe.
Air France serves 11 destinations in the United States, with more than 100 flights per week : New York, Boston, Washington DC, Detroit, Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, Houston, Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles. For the French company, the North Atlantic is its main long-haul route. Indeed, this represents 40% of Air France’s long-haul turnover. New York JFK is the most important international stopover for the company, which operates five flights from Paris each day.
The French company is the ambassador par excellence of the French art of living and the showcase of France in the world. From the iconic white bird with a curved beak, to the uniforms designed by the greatest couturiers (Cardin, Courrèges, Dior, Carven or Jean Patou, to name a few), including the onboard menus supervised by the chef Alain Ducasse, Air France commemorates all the codes of French luxury. The airline has always been recognized for its exceptional service and attention to its customers.
Over 50% of American customers business class and first class is touristy, unlike other airlines where American passengers travel primarily for business reasons. Flying with Air France is the first step on a magical French adventure that begins in New York when passengers board a flight to Paris. Once in France, they will experience a luxury stay in a Parisian palace or travel to the south of France.
“During my childhood, two airlines made me dream: Air France and Pan Am. I want to keep the magic of Air France and I will do everything possible to keep its specificities and its assets. Air France is a magical brand, a unique experience for passengers ”, declared the CEO of the company, Ben Smith, in 2018.
On June 24, 2021, the French company celebrated the 75th anniversary of the very special Paris-New York line. The two cities are the foundations of the Air France adventure and an innovation laboratory that has revolutionized air travel. A beautiful love story between two cities which look at each other on either side of the Atlantic Ocean.
It all started on June 24, 1946. A Douglas DC4 called “Ciel d’Île-de-France” took off from Paris-Orly at 7 pm. After two stopovers, one in Ireland and the other in Newfoundland, Air France’s first scheduled flight lands in New York 23 hours and 45 minutes after leaving Paris. For 75 years, so many memories and stories have forged the reputation of the French company, a reputation recognized by its crews, its teams and of course its customers.
The Concorde has greatly contributed to shaping the rich and emblematic history of the company. With this extraordinary aircraft, the French company has forged an incredible know-how. In 2000, the company opened its first Salon La Première at Roissy Charles de Gaulle (CDG). Today it is one of the best salons in the world.
Alain Vershuere, who joined Air France as a flight attendant in 1982, likes to talk about his flights on all of the company’s planes, from the Boeing 747 to the Concorde: “I am forever grateful to have been able to work on the Concorde. It was magical to fly to New York and come back the same day. It was the time when it was always necessary to go faster, today our customers like to take their time and enjoy their flight ”. The extreme personalization and incomparable luxury of the Concorde have given Air France immense know-how with its customers, which the company has then integrated into all of its flights: “Our customers like to fly with us, because we have a tailor-made approach that they can’t find anywhere else. They love France and Air France is part of the French identity. Our heritage, human kindness and careful service are the strongest and most important assets of the company ”.
The busiest line in the world, Paris-New York has always been the dream of pilots and aviation enthusiasts. Air France captain, Jean Michel Buffet, says it is probably the most beautiful destination in the world. Joining Air France in 1987, Jean Miche Buffet likes to remind everyone that he is happy to be part of this emblematic line which has transported millions of passengers since 1946: “There is another life above the Atlantic Ocean. When I fly at night, I have the chance, as the captain, to see the Northern Lights, shooting stars or unusual phenomena. Recently, I was fortunate enough to observe some sort of sparkling cloud over the North Pole. Flight captains like to chase the sun and play with time zones ”. Jean Michel Buffet celebrated the 75th anniversary of the Paris-New York route by piloting Air France flight AF006 on June 24, 2021. “It was and will always remain a memorable route. We flew way north, to Greenland, Newfoundland, then Boston, Cape Cod. On the way back to Paris, we caught the jet-stream and therefore arrived an hour earlier ”. Even after 33 years with the company, Jean Michel Buffet is still amazed by the hours spent up there.
Since last May, Vanna Oak is the Air France station manager in New York JFK. It oversees the most important stopover after Paris Roissy CDG. Paris-New York is the busiest line in the Air France network and ranks second after Roissy in terms of staff. Vanna Oak arrived at Air France in 2006. From Boston, to Washington Dulles and now New York JFK, she participated, as an Air France employee, in the history of the transatlantic line. The opening of the magnificent Air France lounge in Washington Dulles is one of the achievements of which she is most proud. Today, she manages daily flight schedules, Air France teams and all ground operations at JFK. “This stopover is the company’s showcase in the United States, we must continue to maintain it at its best. We are ready to welcome passengers from Paris again, ”says Vanna Oak with a big smile.
Article translated from Forbes US – Author: Cécilia Pelloux
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