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France is in the Air

A visit to Paris, the cultural capital of Europe, is a mix of fun and history

Air France has modelled its new Business class seat down to the last detail, giving it a unique design. With its eloquent curves, it envelopes you in the seat instantly…The cocoon, best suited for long-haul, pro-vides an ideal level of comfort and offers a perfect sleep on board…

Visiting the land of Napoleon Bonaparte was a thrilling experience. It was not only nostalgic as far as history is concerned, it is real life when it comes to fashion, sight-seeing and the aura that makes it the undisputed cultural capital of Europe.

Bon voyage! Flying Air France Boeing 777-300ER, it was pleasure classified par-excellence in the renovated and upgraded business class. It is, indeed, true value for money, with state-of-art facilities on board and a personal touch of oneness from the staff. From Dubai to Paris-Charles de Gaulle, the long haul distance of 5,234km begins with a pleasant smile of Bienvenu… (welcome)… and from then on you are taken care of… The ambition of Air France as it resurrects its market image is to take on the ‘Best & Beyond’. That is why its ambitious upgradation programme will see long-haul products and services meet internationally acclaimed standards and, of course, with a special touch of French hospitality. The iconic project, which is part of Transform 2015, includes an investment of €500 million. The salient features are: new seats to be installed on 44 Boeing 777, the heart of Air France’s long-haul fleet. It, moreover, constitutes 76 La Premiere suites; 2,102 new business class seats; more than 1,100 premium economy seats and around 10,000 economy seats. Last but not the least of superb facilities on tips for Sky Priority passengers is the exclusive — and one of its best-ever aviation offer — is the Air France Salon, where you are simply at home and ready to go ahead for a day of hectic business schedule fresh and kicking.

Flying Air France made all the difference, and that is more exclusively felt than described in words. As the airline rightly says, ‘France is in the Air’: it is romanticism on board if you are flying the French carrier.

Walking aside the Seine River, it is breathtaking beauty and the metropolitan that is one of the largely populated in Europe, is second to none with its cools and comforts. Its hazy and unruly traffic, nonetheless, gives a tough time and there is surely no dearth of jaywalkers! The beauty of the society is in the plethora of fine-dining restaurants and the rich cuisine that Paris inevitably offers. It is a mix of French and Italian delights, along with the best of the collection of drinks makes it a remarkable stroll, dine and chill-out experience. The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre museum, Champs-Elysées, Arc de Triomphe and Notre Dame de Paris are few of the attractions that one can’t miss — even if it a hopping whirlpool visit to Paris.

Air France’s exhibition at the historic Grand Palais de Champs-Elysées just furthered the envelope as to how artistic and articulate the organisers could be as they brandish their new brand with an investment of €1 billion!The building that reflects the history’s taste for ornate decoration through its stone facades was more than enough to push back the visitors into the golden past of France, and let all feel like the disciples of Louis the XIV — too majestic and workaholic at the same time.

Last but not the least, dining at the historic Fouquet’s restaurant — at a stone’s throw distance from the legendary Champs-Elysées — sealed the trip to Paris as worthwhile. It isa must to go place not only due to its mythical location with ties to the film industry, but also has been a quintessential part of Parisian life since 1899.

As I leaned back on the relishing business suite of Air France — a startling and unique experience in the air after having flown several other top-notch carriers — I must say the fragrance of France — along with the personal touch of generous welcome — was felt deep in the heart.

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We wish to make our carrier a preferred choice for all around the world

An exclusive interview with Air France executive vice-president for commercial, sales and marketing Patrick Alexandre in Paris

One year down the line since Air France-KLM marked a new phase in its developmental and business strategy, how do you see its outcome?

It’s indeed a great success story. Both the airlines cater to a growing number of passengers and across-the-board destinations — in fact more than 250. The Air France-KLM alliance is not only meant for regional specifications, but we also take care of global, as well as leisure destinations in the Caribbean and Africa. It is profitable and it is at the same time an investment for the growing market of entrepreneurs. Similarly, we have landmark collaboration with Delta Airlines across the Atlantic, and it gets us going in a big way. The volume of business and interaction is unprecedented. Our 822 flights per week between the US and Europe represent 26 per cent of all transatlantic passengers. So is the case with Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways.

In an era of mergers and acquisitions, where do you see Air France five years from now, and how specifically can it retain French identity?

We do uphold our cultural identity and at the same time we are trans-regional and endeavour for a global connectivity. As a matter of fact we were born in Africa, and are flying before Air France was born. Air France has been through a robust and epoch-making era from small jets to Concorde and now the best of its kind. And with this new upgradation, we are certain to leave behind a staggering remark.

We assume that Air France is striving for more cabin space, leisure and the best of service on board. But in an era when airlines are generally going budget-friendly, how do you see big business and lucrative flyers boarding Air France-KLM?

Yes, it is an interesting question… and I wish to say that we are looking after the ends and needs of passengers on both the sides. There are frequent and club-class flyers and we have to come up to their expectations, and make our brand unique enough for them to choose. That is why we are here today. Around 70 per cent [of our] business class [seats] will be flat-bed. Our investment to the tune of €1 billion will see the entire fleet redesigned and restructured and, moreover, we will ensure that the best of comfort and cuisine is there on board for our valuable clients. As far as budget flying is concerned, we have answers to that in the form of Transavia, which is more leisure bound and meant to fly people at a competitive cost. The Transavia fleet would increase to more than 100 planes from about 50 now, with a goal of carrying 20 million passengers a year.

What is the volume of traffic and business with Dubai?Which region is performing very well for Air France?

Our future market is the Middle East. We love and value our clients there, and we wish to make our carrier a preferred choice for them. Indeed, the competition also lies there. Emirates, Etihad Airways, Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airways are some of the upbeat ones in the region, and that is why we are perfecting ourselves more closely to compete in a fair and positive manner. Another focus is on India; it is a huge market. In fact, we fight on to get there. And we will continue to work closely with the aviation brands in that part of the world and make Air France-KLM a must choice for our clients there.

How successful is the three-year restructuring plan, which was launched in 2012?

It’s has been very successful. The costs have gone down by around 10 per cent, and we are working to make it more profitable. At the same time, we have to be more careful as we reform and restructure. We are cautious of employees and clients needs and aspirations.

What long-term impact will the restructuring of the short- and medium-haul network have in the long run?

We understand their concerns and are talking to them. But we cannot offer the new Transavia the same package and perks and privileges as Air France staff enjoy.

How can you redefine ‘Perform 2020’ and ‘low-cost strategy’?

That is our future. It is a balance between growth and demand. It is a game of taste and perfection. We want to become profitable and we are on that path. Through our 2015 plan, we are aggressively competing and delivering to the best of our standards. Transform 2015 is aimed to regain competitiveness and ensure its products and customer services are in a leading position worldwide. In the last two years, Air France-KLM increased its turnover by 2.3 per cent and achieved a 1.8-point increase in operating margin with constant costs.

— mehkri@khaleejtimes.com