In the wake of 2009, an extremely difficult year for the world economy and air transport in particular, tentative signs of recovery - depending on the country - have been perceived.

Against this background, the Air France KLM Group’s schedule for summer 2010 remains practically unchanged (ASK down 0.3%) compared with 2009 showing slight growth for the long-haul network (up 0.8%) with a reduction for the medium haul network (down 4.0%).

New destinations will be enhancing the Group’s network: Denpasar (Bali) and once again Aruba for KLM, Abu Dhabi and Bata for Air France as well as Bari in code-share with Alitalia.

The Air France schedule

In terms of Available Seat Kilometres, the Air France service offer for the summer season 2010 will be slightly lower compared with summer 2009: down 0.9%.

At the end of the season, the whole of the long-haul fleet (with the exception of Boeing 777s operating on the Caribbean-Indian Ocean network and the A380s in service) will be fitted with the new Premium Voyageur cabin class. An intermediary cabin between economy and business, Premium Voyageur is intended for customers looking for more comfort at a more affordable fare than business. This cabin is fitted with new seats offering 40% additional space compared with the Voyageur cabin (economy).

On the long-haul network available capacity remains stable (up 0.1%). It is worth noting that without the introduction of Premium Voyageur, capacity would have increased by 3.2%.

Available capacity has been reduced by 3.7% on the medium-haul network. This sector’s results have been in constant decline for several years and have been made worse by the economic crisis. Air France’s economic model has had to evolve in order to meet customer expectations better while at the same time reducing unit costs. In this context the adjustment plan launched in winter 2009 has resulted in a better balance between the number of frequencies and the average size of aircraft.

Fleet

Since 2009, Air France is the sole European airline to operate the A380. Initially introduced on services to New York, then Johannesburg in February, four aircraft of this type will eventually operate on the Air France network between now and the close of the summer season. Tokyo will be the next destination to operate the A380 at the end of the summer.

On medium-haul, these adjustments to the schedule have resulted in 16 aircraft being retired from service in the fleet of Air France and its subsidiaries. At the same time, Air France is gradually introducing a brand new, lighter seat offering more legroom on its short-haul flights (A319, A320 and A321).

Long-haul network (up 0.1%)

North America, Air France is adding three additional frequencies to San Francisco during the summer peak period (22 June – 4 September), totalling ten flights a week.

Delta is suspending its third daily flight to Atlanta, our partner’s main hub, which now has three flights a day flying from Paris including one operated by Air France in B747-400.

In Latin America, Air France will introduce an additional frequency to Santiago starting in September, bringing the total number of flights to the Chilean capital to six flights a week.

In Brazil, there will be 12 flights a week to Sao Paulo by B777, a thirteenth flight is scheduled for September.
Due to the crisis that has hit Venezuela and the devaluation of the Bolivar, flights to Caracas will be operated in a smaller capacity aircraft (A330-200).

In Asia, Tokyo will be welcoming the A380 at the end of the season when there will be a twice weekly service (an A380 and a B777-300). Until then, Air France will still operate 27 flights a week including 7 operated by JAL under a code-share agreement.

In India, services to Bangalore fall from 7 to 6 frequencies a week.

In Africa, capacity has grown by 2.9% thanks to additional frequencies to several destinations, namely Bangui in the Central African Republic (2 flights a week), Lomé in Togo (4 flights a week), Pointe Noire in Congo Brazzaville (4 flights a week), and Libreville on condition that traffic rights are obtained from the authorities in Gabon (5 flights a week).

Air France is opening a new destination in Bata, Equatorial Guinea (on condition that traffic rights are obtained). There will be a twice-weekly service to Bata via Malabo that will have a daily service from now on.
During the summer peak periods, flights to Ouagadougou (a daily flight) and Niamey (3 flights a week) will be disconnected.

Services to Johannesburg will be operated daily in A380 instead of 12 weekly frequencies in B777. During the five weeks the Football World Cup lasts, Air France will operate an additional 3 daily flights to this destination.

There is a strong growth in capacity on the Medium-Haul network (up 5.0%) thanks to an increase in the number of frequencies to Beirut (14 flights a week operated by Air France in addition to a further 14 operated by MEA on a code-share basis). Starting on 3 May, Air France reopens the Paris-Abu Dhabi service with five flights a week, however flights to Dubai are reduced from 12 (in summer 2009) to 7 a week.

Last but not least, the Caribbean, Havana has a daily service operated in B747-400 (an additional frequency) and the seating available on Cayenne services will be increased due to larger capacity aircraft brought into service (B777-300). In the Indian Ocean Air France has reduced services to the Reunion by one frequency (9 flights a week).

The international medium-haul schedule (down 4.7%)

Implemented this winter, the medium-haul adjustment plan for capacity on departure from Paris-Charles de Gaulle will continue this summer with an adjustment to the balance between the number of frequencies and the size of the aircraft. While maintaining the quality of connections, flights outside the connecting banks to destinations that have a large number of frequencies such as Amsterdam, Barcelona, Frankfurt, Geneva, and Madrid will be suspended.

Three services will be halted: Paris-CDG-Munster (in effect since December 2009) and Paris-CDG-Trieste as well as Paris- CDG-Shannon since last winter. In summer, Paris-CDG-Dublin will be increased from 6 to 7 daily flights while Athens drops from 5 to 4 flights daily.

On departure from Lyon, there will be an additional frequency to Barcelona (3 daily). Copenhagen now has a non-stop daily service without a stopover in Strasbourg. Frequencies to Amsterdam (3 a day) and Hamburg (2 a day) are being reduced.

Between France and the Netherlands, there are still 12 flights a day between Paris-CDG and Amsterdam Schiphol (6 Air France flights and 6 KLM flights) and an additional frequency has been added between Strasbourg and Amsterdam (3 daily) and between Nice and Amsterdam (4 daily).

Through our partnership with Alitalia, the flight schedule between France and Italy is being developed. Between Paris and Milan, for the same number of frequencies, Paris-CDG-Malpensa has 4 flights operated by Air France, Paris-CDG -Linate has 3 flights operated by Air France and 4 by Alitalia and Paris-Orly-Linate has two flights operated by Alitalia. There are twelve flights a day to Rome, 6 by Air France and 6 by Alitalia.
A new destination, Paris-CDG-Bari, will be operated once daily by Alitalia.

On departure from London City, after flights were halted to Strasbourg, Nice and Paris-CDG, a new service is opened to Paris-Orly (6 flights a day).

A commercial agreement was signed with Alitalia for service to Milan and with Baboo for services to Geneva.

A commercial agreement was also signed with Tarom for the Bucarest-Lyon and Bucarest-Nice.

Domestic Flight Schedule (down 2.2%)

Beyond the adjustments implemented this winter there are few changes on the domestic network. On departure from Paris-CDG, a frequency to Pau (3 daily) has been suspended and on departure from Paris-Orly, services to Lannion (since January 2010) and Limoges have been halted.

On departure from Lyon, services to Rouen have been halted together with a frequency to Le Havre (3 daily). Flights to Strasbourg have been reduced from 5 to 3 in the context of the suspension of services to Copenhagen.

Air France press release 3/03/2010

Air France and KLM extend their offer in Brazil thanks to their growing partnership with GOL

• Six Air France Brazilian destinations operated by GOL are now available beyond Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo with seven more to be added soon. These six destinations are Brasilia, Belo Horizonte, Florianópolis, Curitiba, Salvador and Vitória.
• KLM and GOL just signed a code-share agreement in order to add new KL flights in Brazil and South America.

GOL, Latin America’s largest low cost and low fare airline, Air France and KLM, as a global leader in air transport, extended on January 12th their joint offer in Brazil thanks to new code-share flights operated by GOL.

Air France customers have now access to flights operated by GOL departing from Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo international airports to six domestic destinations in Brazil: Brasília, Belo Horizonte, Curitiba, Florianópolis, Salvador and Vitória. Connecting flights are offered at the same airport. Seven other destinations will be added soon*. With this code-share agreement, Air France offers its passengers travelling from Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia more destinations and more connecting opportunities to Brazil.

KLM and GOL also signed a code-share agreement, aiming at offering the Dutch airline domestic and regional flights as well as flights to Buenos Aires, Argentina*, operated by GOL departing from Guarulhos international airport.

GOL will benefit from global Air France and KLM sales channels, improving the number of passengers and the load factor on flights operated by the Brazilian airline.

Brazil represents a key market for the Group, together Air France and KLM currently operate 31 flights per week from Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam-Schiphol to São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

Christian Herzog, Americas Senior Vice President Air France KLM says: "This growing partnership with GOL demonstrates once again our willingness to develop our position in Brazil. It offers our customers travelling to and from Brazil a larger choice of destinations and schedules, which reflects our group’s strategy: to ensure the best possible services between Europe and the rest of the world”.

Pieter Elbers, Senior Vice President Network and Alliances KLM says that Air France and KLM offer excellent services between Brazil, South America’s largest economic power and tourist destination, and Paris-Charles de Gaulle & Amsterdam-Schiphol, and the rest of Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia. "By developing our network and airline partnerships, we will also be able to cope better with the economic crisis.”

The three airlines have already implemented the integration agreement of their frequent flyer programmes. Thanks to this partnership, over 6.5 million members of the GOL frequent flyer programme SMILES and the 15 million AIR FRANCE-KLM Flying Blue members, are already earning miles and having access to award tickets on the networks of the three airlines. Together, the three airlines offer 3,300 daily flights to around 300 destinations in 114 countries, with complementary networks.

Air France KLM press release, Tuesday 26 January 2010