Air: Paris - New York: the line of sight

If it was not until the 70s that a Paris-New York - so nicely called " star ribbon line - is non-stop, there has never been as much choice as there is today. New York is the busiest destination from Paris, with 2.2 million passengers in 2017. Given this attractiveness, new niche airlines have emerged in recent years to compete with market leaders Air France, American Airlines, Delta and United Airlines. In 2013, for example, OpenSkies, the British Airways subsidiary, launched the principle of "all business in flight", offering only business or premium seats, a principle taken up the following year by La Compagnie.

As carriers' offerings continue to evolve, it can be hard to keep track. For example, at the end of summer 2018, OpenSkies will disappear from the skies to be replaced by Level, the new brand. long-haul low-cost of the IAG Group. " Since the launch of its operations from Barcelona, Level has enjoyed incredible success".said Willie Walsh, IAG's Chief Executive Officer, when announcing the carrier's arrival at Paris Orly.

At the same time, the offer continues to grow. Since May 2018, there are still a new company which has now established itself on the French market. It's called Primera Air, it's Danish and, like its Scandinavian counterpart Norwegian, it now offers direct flights at competitive prices between Paris and New York.

If passengers are spoilt for choice, what are the options specifically for business travellers? " The range of airlines offering flights between Paris and New York is immensesays Thibault Barat, General Delegate of the French Association of Travel Managers (AFTM). The choice ranges from low-cost to the traditional scheduled flights of our national airline. But today, when we talk about business tripsYou have to think in terms of 'TCO'. (Editor's note: total cost of ownership) In other words, full cost. That's why all the new offers from low-cost airlines seem to us to be generally disqualified. Admittedly, the introductory prices are attractive, but all the additional costs - baggage in the hold, meals on board, entertainment or even cover, which can be charged for on some airlines - add to the final bill. With a little forethought, it is possible to find 'restricted' tickets - i.e. tickets that cannot be exchanged or refunded - at very attractive prices. "

According to Thibault Barat, today's business travellers need two essential things: flexibility and a certain level of services. " It is not uncommon to make round trips over two days, just as it is not uncommon for travellers to have changed their ticket two or three times before boarding the plane. These parameters cannot be reconciled with low-cost offers".he points out. Could it be that, contrary to appearances, the golden age of the "best buy" in business travel is over? One thing is certain: values such as quality of service, passenger comfort, safety and loyalty still have a bright future ahead of them.