air france: new destinations and frequencies to the african continent

Air France: new destinations and
frequencies to the African continent
Over 75 years’ presence in Africa
Air France Press Office - January 2010 - http://corporate.airfrance.com/en
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introduction
Air France’s history in Africa has been closely linked to the development of civil
aviation to and from the African continent since the beginning of the 1920s. On
the strength of over 75 years’ presence in Africa, Air France played a key role
in the aeronautical exploits – from Mermoz to St Exupéry’s performances - that
marked the beginning of air transport relations between Europe and Africa.
Having constantly developed its network from the 1940s through to the modern
day, the Air France-KLM Group currently links 43 destinations of the African
continent to Europe and the rest of the world.
Beyond its experience in Africa, the Air France-KLM Group pays particular attention
to the changing expectations of customers travelling on its African routes:
• 500,000 in-flight surveys to gauge customer satisfaction and study their changing expectations
and behaviour vis-à-vis air travel.
• A panel of 12,000 permanent contacts with web users and regular surveys about specific
subjects.
• Over 1,000 mystery customers who audit our entire service chain every year.
• Specific surveys: in April and May 2009, a survey conducted among our African route customers
using the Paris-Charles de Gaulle Hub, or in February and March 2010, 1,000 customers departing
from 11 African stations were asked for their opinion about Air France and KLM products and
services.
Who are the Air France and KLM passengers travelling to and from Africa?
• The average age of passengers is 44.
• 70% of passengers are men, 30% are women
• 38% of customers are French, 29% African, 22% European, 9% American and 2% Asian.
• 60% of customers travel on business, irrespective of their travel class
• The customers residing in Africa are mainly business people, entrepreneurs or working for SMEs.
• 75% of customers departing from African destinations are travelling to France or Europe.
In 2010 - 2011, the Air France-KLM group continuously aims to meet its customers’ expectations,
by opening new destinations, improving frequencies and flight times, and introducing the latestgeneration products.
Air France Press Office - January 2010 - http://corporate.airfrance.com/en
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An increasing number of flights to the African
continent for Air France and KLM customers
Present in Africa for close to 75 years, Air France and KLM continue to improve their offer in this
region of the world. By combining their strengths with those of their African partners, Air France and
KLM are in a position to offer its customers an increasingly expanded network with new destinations,
additional frequencies and even more direct flights to and from the Paris-Charles de Gaulle and
Amsterdam-Schiphol hubs.
A constantly improved flight offer and frequencies
2010 winter season: Two new destinations
Combined capacity (measured in ASK – available seat kilometres) is up by + 3.5% compared with
winter 2009, thanks to the addition of two new destinations to the Air France and KLM network. Air
France and KLM thus operate 210 frequencies to 36 African destinations:
- Kigali since 31 October 2010, served five times weekly by KLM
- Bata (winter 2010/summer 2011), served twice weekly by Air France
Air France and KLM will also be increasing their number of flights to:
- Pointe Noire
- Libreville
- Malabo
- Dar Es Salaam
- Kilimandjaro
D’ici l’été 2011
- Freetown (été 2011), en Sierra Leone, desservie par Air France, deux fois par semaine.
- Monrovia (été 2011), au Liberia, desservie par Air France, trois fois par semaine.
- Tripoli (été 2011), en Libye, desservie par Air France, cinq fois par semaine en plus des vols quotidiens
opérés par KLM.
Air France et KLM renforceront également leurs services vers :
- Pointe Noire en République du Congo : cinq vols Air France par semaine,
- Libreville : cinq vols Air France par semaine, sous réserve de l’obtention des droits de trafic auprès
des autorités gabonaises
- Dar Es Salaam et Kilimandjaro en Tanzanie desservies quotidiennement par KLM.
KLM prévoit également d’augmenter ses fréquences pour desservir Tripoli quotidiennement, Abuja/
Kano quatre fois par semaine, et Entebbe/Kigali six fois par semaine.
Air France Press Office - January 2010 - http://corporate.airfrance.com/en
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Partnership agreements with African carriers to further enhance the flight offer
Thanks to its African partners, Air France and KLM offer 43 African destinations to their customers
during the 2010/11 winter season.
• Since 1996, KLM has been offering flights out of Kenya via a joint venture partnership with Kenya
Airways, notably connecting Mombassa to the rest of the world via Amsterdam.
This cooperation was extended to include Air France via a code-share agreement between Nairobi
and Paris and subsequently by the extension of the joint venture in 2009.
5 destinations complete the offer:
- Bujumbura (Burundi),
- Kisumu (Kenya),
- Lilongwe (Malawi),
- Lusaka (Zambia),
- Mombassa (Kenya).
• Since 2008, Air France has been offering flights out of Luanda (Angola) on a code-share basis with
TAAG Angola Airlines. In 2010, within the framework of these agreements, 2 weekly flights connect
Luanda to Paris.
• KLM, in cooperation with Comair, operates flights out of Durban and Port Elizabeth (South Africa)
to Amsterdam via Johannesburg.
AIR FRANCE KLM Key Figures in Africa (winter 2010-11)
• +3.5 % increase in capacity in winter 2010
• 36 destinations served by Air France and KLM, 210 weekly frequencies
• An even more extended network of 43 destinations in 31 countries, thanks to 3 African partners
• 14 % AIR FRANCE KLM passenger turnover
Air France Press Office - January 2010 - http://corporate.airfrance.com/en
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Map of the AIR FRANCE-KLM Africa & Middle East network
from Paris and Amsterdam Hubs
Air France Press Office - January 2010 - http://corporate.airfrance.com/en
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