For Henri HourcadeManaging Director France ofAir France-KLM, 2024 will remain an excellent year for Air France. During the summer, the carrier flirted with passenger traffic close to 2019 levelsbefore Covid. " Traffic levels were equivalent to 95% of what they were before the health crisis. On average 137,000 passengers a day" confirmed Henri Hourcade. A particular source of satisfaction was the fluidity of passenger movements. " We were able to learn from the dysfunctions of 2022" added Henri Hourcade during his presentation at IFTM Top Resa.
The carrier, in partnership with ADP and the various institutions involved at both Roissy and Orly had prepared well for the summer of 2023. The situation remained under control, with smooth border controls, security checks, baggage delivery and connections.
The slow recovery in business travel is still affecting supply in Europe
The other segment suffering from a fall in traffic is domestic. Air France must in fact comply with the French government's demands to reduce domestic air services in favour of rail. " We're concentrating on the shuttle from Orly to Marseille, Nice and Toulouse as well as on the transverse lines supplying our regional hub in Lyon. This network remains important for business traffic" says the Managing Director France. However, the company is keen to expand its intermodal services with the SNCF via Roissy TGV station. " We'd like to do more, but we're limited by the station's capacity. On the other hand, we already offer an end-to-end digital recording solution on Brussels, Lille and Strasbourg" says Henri Hourcade. Before Covid, intermodality at CDG generated some 150,000 passengers/year.
The Managing Director for France is convinced that by 2024, intermodality will have returned to, or even exceeded, this figure. Yet it is business traffic that continues to generate uncertainty. The latter continues to be a weak link in the recovery. Although it is making progress again, according to Henri Hourcade, it remains much more affected than leisure traffic. Particularly when you compare his performances to 2019. " We can talk about stabilisation, but we won't see a return to pre-Covid levels for another year or two." says Henri Hourcade.
" Which is not to say that our business product doesn't work. Quite the contrary, business class achieves record occupancy rates. But it's about new customer behaviour" he adds.
The relative weakness of the business market partly affects services to Europe. " We have completely overhauled our strategy, adopting a more flexible approach. In Europe, we are no longer content simply to offer a year-round service to a destination because of the flow of business. We are increasing the number of seasonal routes. For example, this summer we served up to 8 destinations in Greece. It would have been impossible to conceive of such an offer a few years ago! This winter, we will be serving Northern Europe with flights to Kittilä, Rovaniemi and Tromsø." says Henri Hourcade.
