Strong demand with 19.7m passengers onboard, up 35% versus 2022
Group revenues at €6.3bn, an improvement of €1.9bn (+42%) compared to last yearthanks to continuous strong market demand
Group unit cost1 per ASK stable at +0.7% versus 2022
Operating result at –€0.3bn with operating margin at -4.8%, above 2022 level (-7.9%)
Positive Adjusted operating free cash flow at €0.7bn and solid cash at hand at €9.7bn
Net debt down by €0.9bn euros, compared to end of 2022
Continued deleveraging: Net debt/EBITDA ratio at 1.5x versus 1.8x end of 2022
Commenting on the results, Mr. Benjamin Smith, Group CEO, said:” In the first quarter, Air France-KLM further capitalized on the recovery momentum in the airline industry. I’d like to thank all my colleagues who have worked tirelessly throughout the quarter to ensure we continue on our path to sustained profitability. The Group continued to show strong revenue growth as well as robust cash flow generation thanks to the very encouraging summer ticket sales. This is paving the way for a busy holiday season across our global network, which all of our teams are actively gearing up for. I am also pleased that we have now fully repaid all State aid, which releases us from the associated restrictions and gives us back our full strategic autonomy. We now stand on our own feet. Looking ahead, we remain focused on further strengthening our balance sheet and delivering the transformation efforts that will enable us to continue to improve our competitiveness while accelerating our decarbonization efforts.“
Air France Airbus A350-941 F-HTYS (msn 576) JFK (Fred Freketic). Image: 960301.
Air France announced highlights of its 2023 summer schedule:
191 flight destinations in 89 countries; network and schedule at 2019 levels
New routes to Dar Es Salaam (Tanzania) and Ottawa (Canada) from Paris-Charles de Gaulle, and to Belém (Brazil) from Cayenne (French Guiana)
Daily flights resuming to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong effective July 1, 2023
66 seasonal routes in France and Europe
Rollout of new long-haul cabins continues
Air France is already getting set for the summer season. Strong travel demand combined with the lifting of the last remaining travel restrictions means the airline will be operating at 2019 levels. For the 2023 summer season (April – October), Air France will be flying up to 835 times a day, to 191 destinations in 89 countries.
Photo: AIr france
Long-haul: Reopening of flights to China and more flights to North America and East Africa
The summer season of 2023 will mark a turning point in Air France’s long-haul flight schedule. The resumption of service to China will spark a return to more flights in Asia. Flying to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong will gradually increase throughout spring to reach one daily flight per destination by July 1, or 21 flights a week (1).
Still in Asia, Air France will continue boosting capacity to Tokyo (Japan), where the airline serves both airports. Up to 11 weekly flights to Tokyo Haneda and 3 to Tokyo Narita.
More flights are also being added to North America in response to dynamic demand in the region. This summer, Air France will operate up to 180 flights a week from/to 14 US destinations (2) (including two airports in New York: John F. Kennedy and Newark Liberty), as well as 50 flights to 5 Canadian cities (3). The airline will introduce a new Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle-Ottawa flight on May 27. Five direct flights every week, on Airbus A330-200. Air France will be the only airline operating direct flights between Ottawa and Europe.
Very active in Africa throughout the pandemic, Air France will continue to maintain seat capacities there at above 2019 levels. As of June 12, 2023, the airline will begin flying to Dar Es Salaam (Tanzania). Three flights a week on Boeing 787-9 as a continuation of the service to Zanzibar, also a recent Tanzanian destination, inaugurated in 2021. On the same date, the Boeing 787-9 daily departure to Nairobi (Kenya) will become a direct flight.
Finally, in the Caribbean, Air France will inaugurate a new flight on May 5, 2023, linking Cayenne (French Guiana) and Belém (Brazil), once a week on Airbus A320.
These additions to the schedule will raise Air France’s number of long-haul destinations to 85.
Photo: Air France
France and Europe: 106 destinations and 66 seasonal routes across France and Europe
This summer, Air France will fly up to 650 times a day to 106 French and European destinations to further facilitate short- and medium-haul travel for its customers.
Over and above its regular schedule, the airline will operate 66 seasonal routes in France and Europe, taking off from Paris and regional French airports. These flights will make it possible to reach Corsica (from Paris, Bordeaux, Caen, Rennes, Lille, Lyon and Nantes), Greece (from Paris, Marseille, Nice and Toulouse), Algeria (from Paris, Marseille, Nice and Toulouse), Morocco (from Paris and Nice), and Tunisia as well (from Paris, Marseille and Nice).
Meanwhile, the Air France-KLM Group’s low-cost affiliate, Transavia France, will operate close to 200 short- and medium-haul routes to 120 destinations this summer, including 100 from/to Paris-Orly. This will make it the top low-cost airline operating out of Paris’ airports.
Johannesburg: Next on list of destinations for Air France’s new long-haul cabins
Air France is continuing its rollout of its latest long-haul cabins, gradually being installed on 12 Boeing 777 300 ERs. Already available from/to New York JFK, Dakar and Rio de Janeiro, they will be introduced on flights between Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Johannesburg (South Africa) as of March 27, 2023.
Part of Air France’s move upmarket, this new product, available in Business, Premium Economy and Economy models, forms the cornerstone of the airline’s new travel experience. The Business cabin features a new sliding door that allows for a totally private space, and the seat transforms into a real bed almost 2 metres long. For passengers travelling together, the seats located in the middle of the cabin are now equipped with a central panel that lowers easily, to make flying together even more enjoyable.
In summer 2023, Air France will operate up to 50 weekly flights to 5 destinations in Canada: Ottawa (new service in 2023), Quebec City (new service in 2022), Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver (destinations served year-round by Air France).
The service between Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier (YOW) will be inaugurated on June 27, 2023, and will be operated five times weekly – Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays – on Air France’s 224-seater Airbus A330-200 (36 in Business, 21 in Premium Economy, and 167 in Economy).
Ottawa-Paris, June 2023. (CNW Group/Air France)
Flight schedules (local times):
AF328: Leaves Paris-Charles de Gaulle at 13:10, arrives in Ottawa at 15:05 AF327: Leaves Ottawa at 17:05, arrives at Paris-Charles de Gaulle the following day at 06:15
The Air France bus service currently available to customers free of charge between Montreal-Trudeau Airport and Ottawa will continue to offer two daily shuttles. The bus times are specifically scheduled to facilitate connections with Air France flights to and from Paris. Two daily bus services also link Montreal-Trudeau and Quebec City.
Resumption of the Paris-Charles de Gaulle – Quebec City service and increased capacity to other destinations in Canada
Inaugurated in summer 2022, the seasonal Paris-Charles de Gaulle-Quebec City service will resume this year starting on May 2, 2023. There will be three weekly flights on Boeing 787-9 on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
Flight schedules (local times):
AF352: Leaves Paris-Charles de Gaulle at 20:50, arrives in Quebec City at 22:05 AF353: Leaves Quebec City at 23:55, arrives at Paris-Charles de Gaulle at 12:40
Flights to destinations served year-round by Air France will also be increased, boosting the overall flight capacity to Canada by more than 25% compared to 2019. Consequently, Air France will be connecting travellers between its Paris-Charles de Gaulle hub and:
Montreal (the company’s second leading international long-haul destination) with up to three daily flights,
Toronto with two daily flights,
Vancouver with one daily flight.
In addition, KLM, part of Air France-KLM Group, will connect Amsterdam-Schiphol airport to the following destinations in Canada this summer:
Toronto with up to 13 vols flights weekly
Calgary with 7 flights weekly
Vancouver with up to 7 flights weekly
Montreal with up to 5 flights weekly
Edmonton with up to 4 flights weekly
A KLM bus service also runs between Montreal-Trudeau and Ottawa.
Air France-KLM Board of Directors has approved a firm order for 4 Airbus A350F full freighter aircraft, to be operated by Martinair on behalf of KLM Cargo.
These Airbus A350Fs will replace the fleet of 4 Boeing 747Fs currently operated by KLM Cargo and Martinair. They will be based at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.
In December 2021, Air France-KLM had placed an order for 4 Airbus A350F full freighter aircraft for Air France.
Deliveries to Martinair and Air France are expected as of the second half of 2026, meaning both airlines will be among the launch operators of the A350F full freighter.
Benefiting from the latest technological innovations and powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines, the Airbus A350F delivers significantly improved environmental performance with an over 40% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to the Boeing 747F. Its noise footprint is also 50% lower.
A firm order for 3 additional Airbus A350-900 passenger aircraft for Air France, bringing the total number of A350-900 expected by Air France to 41.
These Airbus A350s will replace previous-generation aircraft and be based at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport.
Air France is continuing to expand its Caribbean Regional Network that links overseas French territories, to facilitate travel and exchanges between the countries’ inhabitants.
Two Air France Airbus A320s based in Pointe-à-Pitre fly year round between Pointe-à-Pitre, Fort-de-France, Cayenne and Miami, for up to 23 weekly flights.
On May 5, 2023, the airline will introduce a weekly direct flight between Cayenne (French Guiana) and Belém (Brazil). The flight will take off from Pointe-à-Pitre and fly to Fort-de-France, Cayenne and then Belem, allowing customers from Guadeloupe and Martinique to also travel to Brazil without having to make a connection. The flight will be on an Airbus A320 with a capacity of 168 seats (12 in Business, 156 in Economy) and equipped with Wi-Fi.
Flight schedules (local times):
AF602: Leaves Cayenne at 15:40, arrives in Belém at 17:15, on Fridays AF603: Leaves Belém at 09:35, arrives in Cayenne at 11:10, on Saturdays
Bookings will open on Monday January 23, 2023 at airfrance.fr or through a travel agent.
Belém, the city of mango trees
Capital city of the state of Pará, Belém is strategically located at the mouth of the Amazon and near the Atlantic Ocean. It is the second most populous city in northern Brazil and is renowned for its mango trees and the Mercado Ver-o-Peso, one of the largest open-air markets in Latin America since 1625. Large 19th century villas dating back to Brazil’s Belle Époque and rubber boom give the city its unique charm.
Scheduling changes to the Pointe-à-Pitre – Miami route
As of March 30, 2023, Air France will also adapt the schedule of its Pointe-à-Pitre – Miami route to allow customers from Fort-de-France and Cayenne to travel to Florida. There will be two weekly flights, also on an Airbus A320 168-seater.
Flight schedules (in local times):
AF616: Leaves Pointe-à-Pitre at 16:30, arrives in Miami at 19:55, on Thursday and Saturdays AF617: Leaves Miami at 09:55, arrives in Pointe-à-Pitre at 13:10, on Fridays and Sundays
In other news,
On 20 January 2023, the first Boeing 777-300 ER equipped with Air France’s latest long-haul cabins took off from Paris-Charles de Gaulle to New York-JFK. Named “Fontainebleau”, this aircraft will then serve Rio de Janeiro airport in Brazil from January 21 and Dakar in Senegal from January 22.
The continued refurbishment of the 12 Boeing 777-300 ERs in Air France’s long-haul fleet will enable the airline to gradually offer more flights equipped with these new cabins to these first three destinations during the winter season, and then to expand this network during the year.
Thanks to this new major step in Air France’s move upmarket, all of the company’s long-haul Business cabins will be equipped with seats that transform into full-flat beds by the end of 2023, compared to 90% today. By this date, the entire fleet* will also be equipped with in-flight Wi-Fi, compared to 97% today.
A new travel experience
In the Business cabin (48 seats), the airline’s completely redesigned iconic seat features even more enveloping curves and extra comfort. This seat’s design is based on the 3 “F”s – Full Flat, meaning that the seat transforms into a real bed almost two metres long, Full Access, providing all passengers direct access to the aisle, and Full Privacy, ensuring optimal privacy. A new sliding door allows passengers to create a totally private space, out of sight from the other passengers in the cabin. To create a greater sense of privacy for passengers travelling together, the seats located in the centre of the cabin are now equipped with a central panel that can be lowered by pressing it down, thus creating a convivial space in which to make the most of the flight together. The seat also features a wide 17.3-inch 4K High-Definition anti-glare screen with a noise-reducing headset, a new Bluetooth connection allowing passengers to use their own headphones and several electric sockets.
As customers board the aircraft, they are greeted by a backlit winged seahorse, embodying the company’s founding myth and rich history. The seat’s padding adds softness and a feeling of cosiness. Wool, brushed aluminium, full-grain French leather are the noble, soft and natural materials chosen by Air France for the manufacture of its seats. Each seat is also embroidered with the company’s trademark red accent.
In the Premium Economy cabin (48 seats), Air France is introducing its latest recliner-type seat model already available on its Airbus A350, while further improving its comfort. Each seat offers 96 cm legroom. The seat cushions have been redesigned and the navy blue herringbone fabric adds further softness. The seat back reclines to 124 degrees and has been widened to provide greater privacy. A new noise-reducing audio headset is integrated into the seat and is easy to use at any time during the flight. The seat also features USB A and C ports.
In the Economy cabin (273 seats), the seats also meet the highest standards of comfort on the market. Each seat has a wide 43 cm seat pan, a 119 degree recline and 79 cm of legroom. The backrest is ergonomically designed, offering reinforced lateral support. It is also equipped with a USB A port.
The seats in these two cabins are equipped with a wide 13.3-inch 4K High-Definition screen with Bluetooth connection, ideal for enjoying over 1,500 hours of on-demand entertainment with personal headphones.
In all cabins, customers have access to the company’s connectivity offer, Air France Connect. The Air France Connect portal offers three passes, including a completely free pass allowing customers to send and receive messages and access information about flight connections.
Top Copyright Photo: Air France Boeing 777-328 ER F-GSQF (msn 32849) IAD (Brian McDonough). Image: 955501.
