"Consistency" was the key word in Frédéric Gagey's speech when he presented Air France's new medium-haul offer in Stockholm on Wednesday. In the wake of the long-haul network, and after a year 2014 focused on the leisure segment, the airline is extending its upmarket strategy to include flights lasting more than one hour. Continuing its quest for comfort and elegance, based in particular on the testimonies of some 10,000 passengers, Air France has mobilized no less than 50 million euros to push the medium-haul cabin towards the new standards of international flights. The new leather seats - 7,800 in all - will be installed in Economy and Business on 24 Airbus A319s between now and June. Twenty-five A320s will follow in the first half of 2016. As part of the "French touch", gastronomy is also part of this strategy to move upmarket. Air France is introducing a hot food service in Economy and Business on routes of more than 2 hours: a resolutely qualitative offer, as shown by the excellent feedback from the inaugural flight organised on 15 April between Paris CDG and Stockholm.
Cabin comfort is not, however, the only priority for Air France's management, which intends to target more business customers. Henri de Peyrelongue, the airline's CEO for Europe and North Africa, has clearly set the course for the coming months: "After a year focused on the leisure market in 2014, we are concentrating on the business travel segment in 2015". This ambition is immediately reflected in the airline's pricing policy, with the presentation of Economy Flex. This new offer, which aims to combine flexibility and efficiency - two qualities so precious to business travellers - will concern the front seats in the Economy cabin. Business travellers will be able to benefit from tickets that can be refunded and changed free of charge, as well as the fluidity of the SkyPriority route. "Our ambition is to return to the global podium," says Frédéric Gagey, Chairman and CEO of Air France, adding: "Winning the preference of every customer departing from Europe is now a strategic priority of the Perform 2020 plan.
