When competition is tough, you need to develop a competitive product. And that goes for airlines.
According to the French newspaper La Tribune, Air France is planning to go head to head with Easyjet and Ryanair by inaugurating a low-cost network of domestic flights linking French cities. Air France has yet to comment. But its business model will make that Nice the base of operations and the airline won’t utilize Paris airports.
Air France will use 186-seat planes to improve efficiency by approximately 20 percent at regional airports, have faster flight turnarounds, fewer check-in staff and more outsourced work.
The airline has selected Nice as its base, because of the high numbers of leisure travelers, who utilize that airport to visit the Côte d’Azur. Easyjet already has a strong presence there, with flights to Paris, the UK and Geneva.
The airline hopes this will improve its profit and loss statement. Tourist officials hope it will give people another transportation option that will facilitate visitors coming to France. If passengers opt to book one of these flights, don’t count on being served champagne and caviar on this low-cost carrier. As if you thought there might be a chance!
Karen Fawcett is president of Bonjour Paris
Karen Fawcett loves to travel anywhere. Karen was a founder & president BonjourParis.com while living in Paris for more than 25 years. She has traveled across Europe and the rest of the world. She is now based in Washington, DC.
