Like almost all the airlines in the world, Air France was hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic and had operated since mid-March only less than 5% of its flights before rising to around 20% from its capacity by the end of June. And as for the whole sector, the restart is done slowly. Consequences: flights booked but ultimately canceled and customers angry.
This is the case of a Lyon nurse who decided to go on vacation to Biarritz from July 16 to 21.
“Immediately after the announcement of the deconfinement, I booked two return tickets Lyon / Biarritz on the Air France website from July 16 to 21. The next day, I received an alert on my Messenger application to tell me that the flight was canceled, but that I was offered another one. There was another schedule change. I was then asked if I wanted to eventually arrive in Pau. It didn’t suit me, but I agreed. A few hours later, it was no longer possible. I was offered a Lyon / Biarritz via Lorient then with a stopover in Paris, a journey of 7:30 am instead of 1:20. The ride lasted more than a fortnight with incessant changes. All this so that in the end, I am told that it is not possible. I was offered a refund or a credit increased by 15%, ”says Nicolas.
Impossible for the health professional to change his vacation dates, annoyed he finally decided to take his car.
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An adapted flight program in real time
Contacted, Air France explains that since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, the company is adapting the flight program in real time, according to travel restrictions and demand. We plan to gradually increase the frequency of our flights and the number of destinations served. By the end of June, the program will represent around 20% of the capacity usually deployed over the period, then 35% in July and 40% in August. Our flight program is up to date until August 31, 2020. It is subject to change, ”underlines the communication from the French airline group.
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Automatic proposals sent to customers
For canceled flights, “commercial measures are in place to allow customers to postpone or cancel their trip,” the company said. Automatic proposals are sent to customers. In summary, our traveler from Lyon booked too early. His flight was canceled due to lack of travelers. Be aware that if you are planning a trip for September, there is a good chance that your flight will be canceled by then. Be careful when planning a plan B …
This trend does not only concern air transport. SNCF has canceled almost 5% of TGVs planned for this summer due to the reluctance of travelers, trains are currently only booked at 10 and 15% in July and 6% in August. “Customers who have booked tickets on these trains have been contacted by email or SMS,” says the company.
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