While Air France is not the official carrier for the French Olympic teams, who are playing at home, it is the carrier of choice for many sportsmen and women. In mid-June, the airline was planning to fly the following to Paris 15% athletes and 13% for members of the Olympic family, as well as 35% for Paralympic athletes, thanks to its SAPHIR service, adapted for travellers with disabilities. At the same time, a large number of supporters will be travelling with Air France, notably from the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany and Japan.
Up to 125,000 customers a day are expected to board the airline's flights during the period, with traffic peaks just before the opening ceremony and just after the flame is extinguished at the Stade de France. To avoid any hitches, Air France has reserved an unprecedented number of aircraft - seven long-haul and eight medium-haul - which can be mobilised in the event of another aircraft being unavailable.
As an official partner of the Paris 2024 Games, in the same way as ADP, the company has also worked with the airport group, the organising committee and the authorities to ensure that the Games are a success. seamless experience for sportsmen and women, supporters and travellers alike. But, of course, it's the challenges associated with moving sportspeople around that are the main focus of attention, first and foremost the transport and registration of their equipment.
Olympic athletes travel with four items of luggage on average, including one oversize item. These include bicycles, kayaks and poles, as well as wheelchairs for the Paralympic Games. Up to 10 times more oversized luggage is expected on peak days, before the start and at the end of the Games.
A plane named Paris
To ensure that departures run smoothly, the company will be organising the following events over the three days surrounding the closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games a facility at the heart of the village125 staff were on hand to check in the baggage of delegations travelling on Air France and its partner airlines. This was complemented by a dedicated route to and from the airport.
To celebrate this link with the host city of the 33e Olympics of the modern era, Air France, which brought the Olympic flag back to Paris at the end of the Tokyo Games in 2021, has recently christened the latest long-haul aircraft Paris, an A350 that bears the name Paris and the official Games logo on the front of its fuselage.
Throughout the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Air France is holding a show in the heart of the city, landing from 27 July to 11 August 2024 at the Palais de Tokyo - a subliminal reminder of the last Olympiad - before moving to SPOT24 from 28 August to 8 September 2024. The 850 m² exhibition space at the Palais de Tokyo will immerse visitors in the airline's world, with a virtual visit to the cockpit of the Paris aircraft and a presentation of the airline's latest Business cabin. There will also be an educational trail on the airline's commitment to sustainable development.
