AIR INTER PRESIDENT Michel Bernard resigned on 12 May, after an eighteen-month tenure. His move came shortly after the carrier's last, protected route was opened to competition and followed a series of strikes.
Restrictions on the last of the four, most profitable routes in France, were lifted by outgoing French transport minister, Bernard Bosson, following the nation's presidential election.
Flights between Paris/Orly and Bordeaux will now be operated by British Airways subsidiary TAT and Air Libert,. Bosson also authorised TAT to operate between Orly and Nice.
Air Inter now faces intense competition on all the major routes within France on which, until a year ago, it had a near-monopoly, and is under increasing pressure to exchange its four 412-seat Airbus A330s for smaller aircraft.
The airline would admit only that it was "considering" the use of A320s instead of A330s on the routes, and although it has denied reports that it was planning to sell or lease the wide-bodies, Aer Lingus sources have confirmed they are taking one aircraft on a long lease.
Source: Flight International
