For at least two months, Air France has been carefully updating part of its fleet. Airbus A330-200 brand aircraft that have been part of the French airline’s fleet for at least 10 years are being phased out of flight operations. Therefore, between August 26 and September 30, 2024, four aircraft of the aforementioned brand entered the 30 ha area owned by Tarmac Aerosave (a company that specializes in storing aircraft with maintenance in operational condition , light and heavy maintenance, scrapping and recycling of aircraft). airlines reaching the end of their economic life, at Tarbes-Lourdes airport, Hautes-Pyrénées). They will be replaced by new Airbus A350-900s that Air France has ordered from Airbus.
According to our colleagues at Journal Aviation, Air France has already received 35 copies out of the 41 it ordered. Currently, Air France still has 15 Airbus Airbus A330-200s in its fleet. They serve destinations such as Abuja (Nigeria), Bangalore (India), Douala (Cameroon), Libreville (Gabon), Lomé (Togo), Luanda (Angola), Malabo (Equatorial Guinea), N’Djamena (Chad), Pointe – Dubh (Congo), Saint-Martin and Yaoundé (Cameroon). According to our colleagues mentioned above, “The new A350-900s delivered to Air France will be gradually replaced.
YAOUNDÉ PRIORITY DESTINATION
Cameroon appears to be a priority destination for Air France. Last May, the French company announced the arrival of a new Boeing 787 in its fleet to serve Yaoundé, thus marking the strengthening of its presence on the Cameroonian air market. This decision, announced by Anne-Marie Couderc, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Air France-KLM, is part of an ambitious strategy to improve the company’s work in the region. “We really want to lay the foundations for real cooperation for the coming months and years, with strong ambitions for the air sector.», announced Couderc at a meeting with the Cameroonian Minister of Transport on May 16 in Yaoundé.
This new Boeing 787-9, a latest generation model, offers more comfort to passengers thanks to a more spacious cabin and a modern entertainment system. The addition of this aircraft will bring to three the number of Air France aircraft dedicated to routes between France and Cameroon, a significant reinforcement in an increasingly competitive market.
However, the meeting was also an opportunity to highlight several challenges the company faces, including frequent delays, high ticket costs and service quality. Aware of these complaints, Anne-Marie Couderc promised improvements to meet the expectations of Cameroonian travelers.
