Your results are positive for the first half of 2011. Is the "Core SAS" plan beginning to bear fruit?
We have undertaken a major restructuring over the last two years, which has enabled us to save 820 million euros on our costs, while improving our load factor. We will now be moving into a new phase by the end of the autumn.
Has this period of restructuring reduced your efficiency?
No, on the contrary. In fact, for the second year running, we are the most punctual airline in Europe! Nearly 91.5 % of our flights depart and arrive on time. Despite the economic climate, we have not deviated from our environmental objectives either. We have just placed an order for 30 Airbus A320 NEOs, which will enable us to operate with the most environmentally-friendly medium-haul aircraft from 2016.
What are your current ambitions for the French market?
The bulk of our business remains point-to-point between France and Northern Europe. But we also have a substantial proportion of our French customers who extend to other long-haul destinations such as Tokyo. I hope this will also be the case for Shanghai, which we will be launching in March 2012 from Copenhagen.
Unlike other Scandinavian airlines, our strategy is not to specialise in flights between Europe and Asia. For our business customers, we have opened a brand new lounge at Roissy airport, with WiFi access, newspapers, drinks and the option of a private lounge. "fast-track for faster safety procedures.
