Ben Smith was quick to announce the colour of his appointment: his presidency would be marked by a move upmarket of the offer Air FranceThis is particularly true of the image of luxury and elegance conveyed by the French flag. This is the logic behind the deploying Business on the home network which was made official on Friday and took effect on 4 February, and which also applies to short-haul flights operated by Air France.
In concrete terms, business travellers will now have access to three pricing structures on the domestic network : Business LeisureThis is a non-refundable, changeable ticket with a €70 fee; Business Flexwith a ticket that is refundable and can be changed free of charge; and Business SubscriberWith a refundable ticket that can be changed free of charge, including the option of taking an earlier or later flight.
By positioning its business offer on the short-haul network, Air France is particularly targeting business customers by correspondence at the Paris CDG hub, giving passengers access to a uniform product, including the SkyPriority. Business ticket holders will be able to access the lounges airportThey will benefit from dedicated check-in and baggage drop-off areas, priority passage through security and police checkpoints and then on to boarding, priority at ticket counters when making connections and, finally, priority baggage delivery.
La "premiumisation of the short-haul network will also be played out in flight, despite the reduced journey time. In the Business cabin, separated from Economy by a mobile curtain, the middle seat will be neutralised. Passengers will be offered a catering service comprising sweet and savoury snacks and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, including wine and champagne.
