The European Commission has approved the French state’s €7 billion ($7.7 billion) package to help Air France-KLM withstand the COVID-19 crisis, saying the plans comply with EU state aid rules and praising the decision to link the funding to environmental targets.
France’s economy minister has told Air France to drastically reduce its emissions in return for the €7 billion ($7.6 billion) in loans the French state has promised the Air France-KLM group to help it survive the COVID-19 crisis.
France’s economy minister Bruno Le Maire has pledged to support big companies, including Air France, by any means necessary as the government unveiled an initial €45 billion ($49.6 billion) package of financial aid for struggling businesses hit by the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis.
Ryanair expects “the majority” of its fleet will be grounded while Finnair and SAS are among the latest airlines to stop almost all flights. Air France is also grounding its entire Airbus A380 fleet and KLM its entire Boeing 747 fleet.
Air France and its low-cost sister airline Transavia are expanding their services to and from Algeria, adding services from Paris and the French regions, taking advantage of the gap left by Aigle Azur, which collapsed in September.
Air France is adopting new methods to cut its environmental footprint, as part of a goal to cut CO2 emissions per passenger-kilometer by 50% by 2030, compared to 2005 levels.
Air France is extending its business-class service to its domestic network from Feb. 4, offering services such as priority boarding and luggage delivery, access to lounges and more space on board.
Routesonline provides an update on the operations of the Airbus A380. We also reveal the network size of each operator and the top destinations served by the aircraft type.
This week: VietJet is further expanding service to Seoul; Air France plans to resume flights to Monrovia in Liberia; and German leisure airline Condor is adding a sixth destination in Canada.
This week: Air France-KLM drops Virgin Atlantic deal plans; Ryanair to close two bases; Transavia to start Brussels service; codeshare agreed between Gulf Air and Middle East Airlines and more.
An expanded transatlantic joint venture between Delta Air Lines, Air France, KLM and Virgin Atlantic has been given final approval by the US Department of Transportation. The airlines claim the new partnership would offer “the most comprehensive route network, convenient flight schedules, competitive fares and reciprocal frequent flyer benefits”.
After being denied in its quest to form a joint venture with LATAM Airlines Group and American Airlines – and then seeing rival Delta Air Lines take a stake in LATAM – International Airlines Group is strengthening its position on transatlantic services to South America with the acquisition of Air Europa. Routesonline looks at the current state of play on Europe – Latin America routes.
Air France-KLM and China Eastern's joint venture is to be enlarged to include Virgin Atlantic. As well as the new partnership, it has also been confirmed that regional airline Flybe, which was acquired earlier this year by a consortium that includes Virgin Atlantic, will re-brand as Virgin Connect.
Air France-KLM has ordered 60 Airbus A220 aircraft to replace the A318s and A319s on Air France’s short- and medium-haul network. The group has also confirmed that its remaining A380s will leave the Air France fleet by 2022.
Air France is to reduce capacity on short-haul routes and trim its domestic network amid increasing competition from high-speed trains and low-cost carriers.
