How long has La Compagnie been attending IFTM Top Resa?
Jean-Charles Perino - It's been three years now. We were already there in 2014, just a few weeks after our first flight, to introduce the product. We were also there in 2015 to 'drive the point home', and this time to present the launch of our second daily frequency on the Paris New York route.
When will you be launching this second flight?
J.-C. P. - Operations are due to start at the end of October. Initially, two days a week will be doubled, and we will gradually ramp up, depending on the seasonality of demand.
Why choose Newark?
J.-C. P. - We are absolute fans of this airport. It is the most convenient access point for our New York customers, due to its proximity to Manhattan and its location at the heart of the chemical corridor. The hub's infrastructure also makes it easier to pass through security and immigration checks, which speeds up passenger flows, unlike JFK airport. Newark offers a real plus for our business travellers.
Are you considering a service from Paris Orly, an airport that is also popular with business customers?
J.-C. P. - There are already a lot of people at Orly... It's a very popular airport, especially for business travellers. There's obviously a market there. When we started out, there was an opportunity at Charles de Gaulle that we seized. We're very happy with it.
a real appetite for a "French touch" product
Aren't you worried about traffic jams on the Paris-New York route, where there are both traditional airlines and the "new kids on the block" like La Compagnie, and now the "new kids on the block"? low-cost carriers ?
J.-C. P. - The positioning is not the same, but the arrival of these different airlines testifies to the dynamism of this route for all categories of traveller, from low-cost leisure to the corporate segment. We are the business class specialists at the best priceThis is a niche market for both business and leisure travellers who are able to treat themselves to a radically different level of comfort for a few hundred extra euros. So we're lucky to be in this niche.
What is the share of American customers?
J.-C. P. - Half of our customers are in New York. There's a real appetite for a 'French touch' product, and for Paris as a destination.
How full are your aircraft?
J.-C. P. - It is over 80%. We're obviously very pleased with this, especially as it includes both periods of high business activity, but also months like July and August, when the clientele is more leisure-oriented. During the summer, fares tend to soar on this Paris-New York route by direct flight, and our prices mean that we remain attractive, particularly for those passengers who are used to travelling all year round in business class, and who don't necessarily want to move backwards in the aircraft during their holidays. We offer them the possibility of not having a load break, of continue to travel as usual for their professional needs.
"a risk we do not wish to take".
The Company is leaving London at the end of the month: how do you explain this sudden departure?
J.-C. P. - We have made two fairly simple observations: we have only been present on this London-New York route for a short time, and even though we have improved our performance, we are still in a fragile commercial situation. The type of traffic on this route is different to that on flights from Paris: there are more leisure traffic than businessSo it's not the same thing in terms of contribution. The other issue is the British people's vote to leave the European Union. This is creating a great deal of uncertainty in many economic sectors, and all the more so in air transport. What currently allows us to fly between London and New York as a French airline is the "open skies" agreement between Europe and the United States. With the new situation, there is now a degree of uncertainty. a risk we do not wish to take. Other major players have also adjusted their capacity on routes to and from the UK.
Can we talk about a faux-pas?
J.-C. P. - No, I wouldn't call it a faux-pas. We are convinced thatthere's a market in London. The regulatory framework is a major risk factor, and until everything is clear, we don't want to invest and then suddenly withdraw our flights. So we preferred to anticipate this uncertain situation.
Are the departure from London and the new Paris frequency linked?
J.-C. P. - In view of the demand on the Paris-New York route, we have indeed decided toaccelerate the development of this lineby bringing forward the launch of this new frequency to 2016 rather than 2017, as initially planned.
We are thinking about products that offer our business customers greater flexibility
Has your experience in London given you the urge to go elsewhere?
J.-C. P. - We don't want to go anywhere else. We want to concentrate on what we do. New routes will come up in the future, and we're constantly studying how the market is evolving, but for the moment that's not on the agenda. We have a small team, which makes us agile in adjusting our routes and seizing opportunities when they arise.
Are you planning any new services, on board or on the ground?
J.-C. P. - Our positioning remains the same: business class at the best price. So we're not going to promise the moon, we just have to remain consistent. For a few weeks now, a partnership has opened up a access to the Icare exhibition at CDGA brand new infrastructure, with a terrace, which offers a real plus over the old product. We're now thinking about products that offer greater flexibility for our business customers. Comfort and economy are our alpha and our omegaAnd we want to add flexibility, with the possibility of switching from one flight to another as and when required.
