On the eve of celebrating 70 years old presence in the Canadian sky, Air France has just sent out a strong signal in this strategic market. "Toulouse", the first Airbus A350 delivered a month earlier by the European aircraft manufacturernow serves Toronto daily from Paris CDG. The 27 Octoberpassengers on flight AF 356 to Pearson airport were able to discover the new travel experience embodied by this brand new aircraft, whose 28 copies have been ordered by the company.
When it came to designing the configuration of this new aircraft, Air France decided to combine performance and elegance. Indeed, the airline has placed its new work tool under the sign of the "French touch". Although it is not specific to the A350, the traditional glass of champagne offered to all passengers, whatever their class of travel, sets the tone for a certain French art de vivre, which the airline's management intends to capitalise on to outclass increasingly fierce competition, particularly on the transatlantic route. " Champagne in all the cabins, it's a strong marker, it's our signature, it's festive" explains Catherine Villar, Head of Customer Experience at Air France. " We are an ambassador for the best of France, including champagne and dishes by Michelin-starred chefs. One in two of our customers is not French, so we want them to discover the best of France." .
On board this new Airbus A350, the décor is neat and bright. The windows, 30% larger than on conventional aircraft, accentuate the feeling of space on board. And their original cladding - a two-layer curtain that descends accordion-style at the touch of a button - gives them a "haute-couture" look. The 34 seats offered in business class, "full flat", foreshadow what will be the norm by the end of the year. 2020 for the airline's long-haul fleet. Arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration, they all guarantee direct access to the aisle, with the two middle seats separated by a sliding wall, which is practical for two work colleagues wishing to discuss a few files before treating themselves to a bit of privacy for a siesta... Wi-Fi, accessible as soon as the aircraft door is closed, is available in every cabin, with the free version allowing you to use messaging tools (WhatsApp, Messenger...) to chat with friends and colleagues.
The Air France A350 in figures
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As for performance, it would be tempting to sum it up in one figure: the 25% in fuel savings and CO2 emissions guaranteed by the new aircraft. This is good news for Air France's carbon footprint, given the current economic crisis. "Flygskam - the "shame of flying" - as well as for the airline's balance sheet. For passengers, especially business travellers on express round trips, the A350's technological advances should also, and above all, reduce the impact of the flight in terms of fatigue. The A350 has therefore gone into silencerWith a noise footprint reduced by 40%, cabin air renewal - every two to three minutes - and lighting changes throughout the flight reduce the impact of this transatlantic flight on the body.
A game-changing device
Anne Rigail, who was in Toronto to welcome the new arrival, underlined the investments made by the company to build its future: " In five years' time, we will have renewed more than half our fleet with new-generation aircraft like this A350, with the 787s we already have and which will be ten next year, and we have just ordered 60 Airbus 220which will be produced here in Canada. We're investing heavily: over a billion euros a year.said the CEO of Air France. As for the impact of the A350 on the organisation of the Air France network, Anne Rigail sees two opportunities: " This aircraft can enable us to transform 'difficult' routes into viable ones, or to launch new routes. We have already seen this with the 787, whose fuel consumption has made some routes profitable. The A350 is built to go far. Initially, it will be used for fairly short flights such as Abidjan or Cairo, for training reasons, but we are also going to launch it on shorter routes. Seoul, Bangkok, Boston and many other destinations. We know that we can use this aircraft very effectively on the longest routes, and that it will enable us to expand our network, even though Air France-KLM's long-haul network is probably the largest from Europe. It really is a game-changer. "says Anne Rigail.
The history of the A350 in the Air France fleet has yet to be written, not only in terms of network, but also cabin configuration. For example, the flagship "La Première might also be able to board the new aircraft. " I have sometimes read that Première is going to disappear, but it is part of our brand DNA, and has its rightful place in the Air France fleet, on selected destinations: Première customers are not everywhere." says Catherine Villar. " This class is part of French elegance. We haven't made up our minds yet, but we're not stopping at anything.warns Air France's Customer Experience Director.
Manager Air France-KLM Canada, in Toronto
Supply on the rise, a market under pressure...In 2020, Air France will be celebrating 70 years of presence in the Canadian market, with a more ambitious offer than ever. For the first time, the airline will operate up to two daily flights between Paris CDG and Toronto next summer, from June to August. As for MontréalAir France's main gateway to Canada, frequency will increase to four flights a day in June. This ramp-up, combined with the A350's move upmarket, should enable the Air France KLM group to face up to increased competition. Indeed, Air Canada is steadily increasing its offer on the French market. And if the acquisition of Air Transat were to be validated by the competition authorities, the pressure would be all the greater... |
