On 30 April last, French bee inaugurated Orly the line Paris-Los Angeles at Airbus A350-900its new route to the United States after New York open in July 2021, San Francisco in 2018 (with a possible extension of the trip to Papeete) and Punta Cana at its creation in 2016. The opening of Miami will follow in December. At the same time, the airline will also receive its second A350-1000, with a larger capacity (480 passengers, including 40 in Premium), which will be positioned like the first on theReunion Island. After two difficult years marked by falls in activity of 50% in 2020 and 40% in 2021 (compared with 2019), the long-haul low-cost of the Vendée-based group Dubreuil is back in the air. " After two years of pandemics, the summer is a time of return from international travel for our customers. Lines to USA are in high demand because the French have not been able to travel there since 2020. Visit Papeetewhich we haven't operated since March 2020 via the USA [replaced by a stopover in Vancouver during the Pandemic], demand is higher than in 2019" says Sophie Hocquez, French bee's Commercial Director. While the clientele is almost exclusively leisure travellers in economy class, business passengers prefer the Premiummainly from SMESof independent firmsand liberal professions... French bee has Train + Air agreements with the SNCF up to Massy TGV station, as well as with the following airlines to facilitate their pre-flight arrangements Chalair, Amelia and Air Corsica with connections to Orly airport.
Its young fleet of five A350s is an advantage in the current period of soaring commodity prices. fuels. Thanks to the performance of its new Rolls-Royce engines (Trent XWBs, for those in the know), its aerodynamics and the shape of its wings, this aircraft offers a 25% reduction in consumption compared with previous-generation aircraft, but also in terms of operating costs and carbon emissions. However, this advantage will not be enough for the airline group that constitutes French bee with her big sister Air Caraïbes returns to profitability in 2022, with paraffin accounting for a quarter of its costs. " We have passed on part of the increase in fuel prices in our fares, but this does not represent the total increase in costs that we are experiencing." adds Sophie Hocquez. A difference linked to the competition between carriers on the destinations they serve.
A solo trip for now
With Air Caraïbes and French bee accounting for 25% of its business, the Dubreuil group has 17 aircraft making it a major player in the French sky. It intends to continue developing this business despite the failure of the merger with CGA-CGMthe Marseilles-based shipping company preferred to take 9% ofAir France-KLM as part of its new capital increase. " We can live without this agreement" However, Marc Rochet, CEO of Air Caraïbes/French bee, told us a few months ago that questions were already being raised about the outcome of this partnership.
Voyages d'Affaires has tested the A350-900 on the Paris-Los Angeles route
On the other hand, the offer is 100% à la carte in economy class, with a "Basic" fare from €301 one way, including cabin baggage only, to which passengers can add various items by opting for the Basic Plus ticket (meal included) or the Smart fare (hold baggage and meal). |
French bee dessert Los Angeles since Paris-Orly with an average of three weekly flights (up to six this summer). A recent device, theA350-900 has 411 seats of which 35 in Premium. These seats offer optimum comfort, with a 48 cm seat width, a 92 cm seat pitch (16 degrees), a foot and leg rest and an adjustable headrest. During the 11-hour flight, passengers in this class of travel receive attentive service including a welcome drink (with champagne), hot towels, a hot meal and a snack or breakfast depending on the direction of travel. To work, passengers have access to PC and USB sockets and a wifi network available via four packages: 4$ for 10Mb, 9$ for 50Mb, 17$ for 100Mb and 29$ for 200Mb. This works quite well, despite occasional connection interruptions during the journey. In addition to an entertainment portal (with recent films, series, music, games, etc.) usable via the 30 cm touch screen integrated into the front seat, a tablet is loaned at the beginning of the flight for reading the daily press, magazines and a selection of books. Premium tickets start at €704 one way, including thepriority check-in and boardingthe ticket-breaker for the passage of security at Orly, the choice of seatthe meal and two pieces of luggage of 23kg in the hold. Access before take-off to the terminal 4 lounge to Orly (+€30). Tickets can be changed free of charge (with a fare adjustment if the price of the new flight chosen is higher) and refunded subject to a penalty of €50 per flight.
