Airfrance – General Information
Based in Paris, the French Air France is one of the biggest airlines in the world. The company is a subdivision of Air-France-KLM group and it is one the members that had established the alliance SkyTeam, where it cooperates with Delta Air Lines, Aeroméxico, Korean Air, CSA Czech Airlines, Aeroflot, Alitalia, Northwest Airlines, China Southern Airlines and Continental Airlines
Air France was found on 7 October 1933 and has been a national carrier in France for 7 decades until its merger with Air France-KLM. However, both KLM and Air France continue to flight under their own trademarks.
Between April 2011 and March 2002 Air France transported 43.3 million passengers and has total annual revenue of 12.53 milliard euro. In November, 2004 the company was announced to be the biggest European airline with 25.5% market share, and the biggest airline in the world for its revenues. Air France is the official airline for the film festival in Cannes.
Main Headquarter and Flights
The main base is the Paris airport “Charles de Gaulle” where most of the international flights are performed. Secondary bases are the airports “Orly” also in Paris, “St Exupery “in Lyon and "Cote d'Azur" in Nice.
Air France performs regular passenger and cargo flights to 185 destinations in 83 countries in the world. Air France flights every day in the afternoon from Sofia to Paris, from where connections with the other destinations that are offered by the transporter can be made. From 30 March to 13 October the airline added a second flight (in the morning) for the line Sofia – Paris and back.
The union Air France-KLM has flights to 255 destinations in 115 countries on 4 continents. The alliance SkyTeam offers 841 destinations in 162 countries.
Fleet
Air France performs its flights on long destinations with a mixed fleet of big Airbus and Boeing. The machines of the Airbus A320 series are used for shorter destinations. The local subdivision of Air France, Régional, performs the bigger part of its regional domestic and European regular flights with regional jets or turboprop planes. Air France received accreditation from IATA for its security and safety measures. The fleet has 408 planes, including the used machines from Régional, Brit Air and the other regional subdivisions of Air France. For January, 2009 the average age of the fleet was 9.5 years.
Classes
Air France offers three main classes of its international flights - L'Espace Première (first), L'Espace Affaires (business) and Tempo (economy).
The European flights for short distances include the Tempo class. A premium economy class Alizé is offered for the flights to the Caribbean and the Indian ocean. Premium Tempo class is for chosen international flights.
First class offers flights with Boeing 777-300ER and Boeing 777-200ER for long destinations. When tilted, the seats turn into two-meter beds. Each seat has a 10.4 inch touchscreen display which offers games and audio/video entertainment, a bulkhead if one wants privacy, a reading lamp, massage appliances, drawer, personal telephone, and power sockets for charging your laptop. The menu includes dished prepared by a special cook.
The business class offers long flights with Airbus A330, Airbus A340, Boeing 747-400, Boeing 777-200ER and Boeing 777-300ER. The seats can also be turned into 2-meter bed, the 10.4 inch display, the reading lamp, the telephone and the power sockets are also offered. Three dishes are included in the menu – platters of cheese or express menu right after the departure.
Alizé class is offered on flights with Boeing 777-300ER and includes 36 seats. The offered facilities are slope of the seat to 123 degrees and a massage of the feet. A drink before departure, menu, pillows and blankets are also offered.
The seats in the economy class (Tempo) have a slope to 118 degrees. For long destinations with Boeing 777-300ER, the facilities include a special back for the head, personal telephone, touchscreen display for entertainment with movies and programs which are changing in every 15 minutes. The menu includes a choice between two main menus. For short flights with Airbus A320 the configuration of the seats is different and three cold meals are served. Air France is one of the few companies which offer special backs for the head for every class during short trips. For all flights there is a limit for free alcohol drinks.
Premium Tempo is a new class which was included for the flights with Boeing 777 for autumn/winter 2009/2010. Based on the concept of the premium, the economy class was expected to have the same facilities as the Tempo class, but with a wider cabin, 2-4-2 configuration of the seats and 32 seats.
Frequent Flyer Program
The Frequent flyer program of Air France-KLM is called Flying Blue. The membership is for free and the points are won based on the flown miles and class. The program is divided into two statuses – standard (Ivory) and elite (Silver, Gold and Platinum). Ivory is the basic level, which is acquired after joining the program. The elite status is acquired with a given number of miles traveled for one calendar year. The membership levels are three – Silver, Gold and Platinum. The members of the Flying Blue Silver are acknowledged from all airlines from the SkyTeam alliance as a SkyTeam customer. This gives an advantage during the whole trip and saves time. Also, the Silver card “wins” 50% more Flying Blue Award miles for a flight with KLM, Air France and any other airline of SkyTeam. Flying Blue Gold card also means that the owner is acknowledged as a SkyTeam Elite Plus customer. This guarantees access to the facilities in every airport lounges. The Golden membership allows the winning of 75% more Flying Blue Award miles with flights with the companies from SkyTeam. Every member of Flying Blue Platinum level is acknowledged as s SkyTeam Elite Plus customer. The won miles for flights are 100% more, and after a 10 year “experience” the card can be used for a lifetime.
VoyageurRewards is a program for collecting points and bonus tickets, specially created from Air France for small and medium-sized enterprises. Every time when an employee flies, his/her company wins points which can be replaced for tickets, raising the class or extra luggage, which practically reduces the company’s expenses. The employees, who are members of Flying Blue, receive the point on their own accounts.
With the Frequent flyer card of Air France-KLM the points can be collected also from the other airlines of the alliance.
