2018 marked a major turning point for Aigle Azur, perhaps the most important since its creation: how has this transformation been experienced internally?
Tiago Martins - Since the arrival of our Chairman Frantz Yvelin at 2017We have worked with the shareholders and all the teams at Aigle Azur to achieve unprecedented growth for the company. For more than 70 years, our entrepreneurial culture and pioneering spirit have been the strength of our company, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our employees, who are as proud and happy as I am to continue reinventing Aigle Azur.
What is your assessment of the two networks on which the company has ventured: domestic and long-haul?
T. M. - First of all, I would like to reaffirm Aigle Azur's position as the leader in services around the Mediterranean and its undisputed loyalty to its historic markets of Algeria, Mali, Portugal and Senegal. L'successful expansion into long-haulAlthough it was a first, it laid the foundations for an even more ambitious medium- and long-term development strategy. Less than a year after the launch of our flight to Sao PauloWe are already increasing flight frequencies. We have suspended the Lyon-Nantes due to a economic and competitive which has evolved considerably since we announced our arrival. But the company's other major area of development remains Europe, and we are continuing to expand. in particular by increasing our frequency from Paris to Moscowand opening the Marseille-Moscow routesMarseille-Beirut and Paris-Kiev from early spring.
In Sao Paulo in particular, what is the 'typical' customer profile?
T. M. - On the Sao Paulo route, we benefit from an influx of customers from both sides of the Atlantic, thanks in particular to our advantageous fare policy and the development of our network and partnerships with French and European carriers, including TAP Air Portugal. Last but not least, we benefit from the largest network of air connections in South America, thanks to our partnership with AzulThis naturally implies a mix of leisure and business customers. We are also offering an exclusive business product, with a private cabin with 18 seat-beds, a state-of-the-art entertainment system and Michelin-starred dishes on departure from Paris.
The new long-haul flights are aimed at business destinations: is the business travel segment Aigle Azur's new priority?
T. M. - La business customers has been part of the airline's strategy for many years, both in its traditional markets and in its new destinations. Aigle Azur's strength lies in the fact that it has adapted to this segment through a highly competitive pricing policy and a product that meets international quality standards, with long-haul seat-beds, exclusive services on medium-haul flights and flexibility on short-haul flights.
Do you plan to adapt your offering to this business clientele, by developing specific services and corporate contracts with French companies?
Tiago Martins - We already have a complete Business offer that we offer to our customers, partners and companies, similar to all other airlines, but we want to go further. We are in the process of complete overhaul of our loyalty programmeDetails will be announced later this year.
What proportion of Aigle Azur's business customers are currently business travellers, and how far could this increase?
T. M. - It represents 1.5% of passengers but 4.5% of revenue. Our objective is to double these figures.
When do you think you'll be able to offer in-flight Wi-Fi, and how will it be marketed?
T. M. - Our two A330s are equipped with the Panasonic wifi system, which we expect to activate very soon. We're looking at the best deal at the best price.
What are the next steps in the company's development?
T. M. - We're in the middle of a growth phase, so we're looking at all opportunities for development in the short, medium and long term. After the recently announced line openings, other announcements will follow in the course of the year.
When and how will Aigle Azur's short and medium-haul network be adapted to interface with long-haul routes?
T. M. - We are already seizing every opportunity to synergise our network to offer our customers an end-to-end Aigle Azur flying experience, as we connect Africa and Europe with Asia and South America. We have also signed partnership agreements with Hainan Airlines, Azul, TAP Air Portugal, Corsair, Air Caraïbes and S7. we will soon be announcing other partnerships of this type.
Aigle Azur doesn't fit into the usual air transport boxes (long or short-haul low-cost, traditional airline, business airline...): is this just an intermediate state, until the airline has globalised and densified its network?
T. M. - We take full responsibility for the diversity of our offering, which is clearly understood by our customers and is totally consistent with the markets we serve. There is also a real network coherence which combines a historic base of destinations with an opening up to long-haul routes in line with strategic partnerships and a desire to strengthen its position in Europe.
How do you see Aigle Azur in five years' time? In terms of fleet, network, positioning?
T. M. - Since the arrival of our new CEO less than two years ago, the company has made unprecedented progress. We are the France's second-largest airline in terms of the number of passengers carried, and we have no intention of stopping there. This is just the start of a new adventure.
