- Initial operational results very satisfactory
- Three new destinations and increased frequencies starting March 25, 2012
Air France’s new service to Marseille, introduced October 2, 2011, is already proving to be a success in the early days of operation, with an excellent 95% on-time performance record for the first month.
Traffic from Marseille Provence airport is in line with objectives and has been growing steadily throughout the month, providing evidence of its economic potential. These good results reflect intensive efforts and involvement of all ground-based and in-flight teams to ensure the initiative’s success.
Based on this early success, Air France will open three new routes from Marseille, beginning March 25, 2012. In addition to the 30 destinations already served directly from Marseille Provence, Air France will offer:
5 weekly flights to Venice
4 weekly flights to Hamburg
2 weekly flights to Barcelona
In addition to these three new routes, Air France will once again be operating two daily flights between Marseille and Rome.
Tickets for these flights will be on sale as of November 8, 2011.
In addition, the company is increasing the frequency of service to several destinations over the winter of 2011:
- Algiers will be served with 5 weekly flights (two additional winter flights)
- Biarritz with 3 weekly flights (1 additional flight)
- Copenhagen with 3 weekly flights (1 additional flight)
- Nantes with 24 weekly flights (2 additional flights)
- Prague with 3 weekly flights (1 additional flight).
In total, nearly 500 weekly flights to 33 destinations will be operated directly from Marseille to destinations in France, Europe and the Mediterranean in the summer of 2012.
Since the fall of 2011, Air France has been carrying out an offensive strategy with departures from the regions in order to regain market share in the short and medium haul market. In a highly competitive environment, the company has reorganized its network to increase use of aircraft and improve productivity. The strategy being implemented from major regional cities can initiate a virtuous cycle by boosting the network while offering attractive rates to customers – beginning at € 50 one-way. Deployment of the initiative will be expanded to Toulouse, Bordeaux and Nice in the spring of 2012.
Air France press release, Monday 7 November 2011