Air France subsidiary Air France Europe, reports a "successful" first month's operations with its new high-frequency shuttle service between Paris/Orly and Marseille, Nice and Toulouse.
The airline introduced the services in October in response to increased competition from independent carriers, even though one, Air Liberté, has since gone bankrupt, and British Airways subsidiary TAT European Airlines, has withdrawn from the Marseille route.
On all three routes, Air France Europe recorded a total of 90,700 passengers carried in the first week of operations, falling to 75,250 the following week when there was an unexpected strike by pilots.
Air France Europe was disrupted further on 27 and 28 November when less than 50% of its flights operated following a pilots strike across all of the Air France Group.
On Orly-Marseille, the two first weeks saw an increase of 30% compared to the same period the previous year, with load factors of 70.6%. This took account of the 11% market share previously occupied by TAT. On the Nice service, Air France Europe saw a 70% load factor, a growth of about 10%. On Toulouse, where, as with Marseille, it operates a half-hourly service, there was a 16% increase in traffic. The airline says that it is suffering some air-traffic-control delays.
TAT president Marc Rochet says that the move out of Marseille was necessary "-as we were losing money on the route". It has entered a code sharing deal with Air Liberté - under judicial review pending its take-over by British Airways and the Groupe Rivaud - to operate to Toulouse with 18 daily flights.
Source: Flight International
