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.
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