Air France KLM cuts winter growth to 3.4%

Air France-KLM confirmed (29-Oct-2011) plans to reduce winter capacity (ASKs) growth to 3.4% year-on-year due to an "uncertain economic context, driven by reduced economic growth and high fuel prices". The Air France unit, however, will increase winter capacity (ASKs) by 5.2% year-on-year in the winter. The long haul network will growth 2.6%, while the medium haul network will grow 6.2%, driven primarily by launch of new French bases and the continued roll-out of the new schedule structure at Amsterdam Schiphol hub. Air France's growth will be concentrated on Latin America, Africa, the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean.

Long-haul highlights of the schedule include:

• North American capacity will be largely unchanged (+1.6%);
  • Air France will maintain three times weekly services to Orlando, but Miami service will be reduced to six from seven times weekly;
  • Air France is adjusting New York capacity, by reducing Newark frequency to five from seven times weekly, and suspending one daily New York JFK service, which will reduce weekly frequency to 28 from 35, during the winter season;
• The strongest growth in capacity is on routes to Latin America (+17.1%);
  • Air France will launch three times weekly winter seasonal services to Cancun on 21-Oct-2011;
  • Mexico capacity will be rationalised, with the 12 frequencies operated using B777-200s in winter 2010/11 to be replaced by seven weekly frequencies suing by B747-400s;
  • Five times weekly Lima service will be maintained;
  • Seat capacity is increasing significantly to Caracas and Santiago de Chile;
• In Asia, growth in capacity is moderate (+2.4%);
  • Air France will operate three times weekly to Phnom Penh via Bangkok service;
  • Air France will increase Ho Chi Ming City frequency to five from three times weekly;
  • Air France will increase Guangzhoufrequency to four from three times weekly;
  • Due to Japan's economic slowdown following the Mar-2011 earthquake, Air France will maintaining the current (summer) flight schedule to Tokyo Narita, and will to operate 14 weekly services using B777-300s.
• In Africa, Air France is increasing capacity by 6.2%;
  • Lome frequency will be increased to four from three times weekly;
  • Air France will launch twice weekly services to Bata, Equatorial Guinea,via Malabo, Equatorial Guinea,and launch four times weekly sercvice to Port Gentil. Both services will use A319 equipment.
  • Air France will launch seasonal three times weekly Cape Town service using B777-200 equipment;
  • In the Middle East, Air France will significantly reducing seat capacity (-6.6%)due to weak demand;
  • Cairo frequency will be reduced to seven from ten times weekly;
  • Beirut frequency will be reduced to seven from ten times weekly;
  • Amman frequency will be reduced to six from seven times weekly;
  • Damascus frequency will be reduced to three from four times weekly;
• Air France will increase Caribbean and Indian Ocean capacity by 6.1%;
  • Reunion service will continue to operate 12 times weekly;
  • Antananarivo service will continue to operate five times weekly;
  • Mauritius service will continue to operate seven times weekly
  • Air France will add an additional weekly frequency to Havana;
  • Air France will operate one weekly Pointe-à-Pitre and Fort-de-France, service from Paris CDG and Paris Orly.
• Highlights from Air France's medium-haul schedule (+6.7% capacity) include:
  • Growth is achieved both by the launch of new routes and by the addition of frequencies on existing routes;
  • Paris-Billund service will continue to operate three times daily;
  • Paris-Moscow service will continue to operate five times daily;
  • Paris-Bilbao service will operate five times daily;
  • Paris-Tunis service will be reduce to three times daily from four;
  • Paris-Verona service will be reduce to three times daily from four;
  • In cooperation with Alitalia, Air France is shift all Milan services to Linate from Malpensa. The airline will operate six times daily Paris CDG-Milan Linate service, AIitalia will operate three times daily on the route and AIitalia will operate three times daily Milan Linate-Paris Orly service;
  • From Nantes, Air France will maintain three times daily Amsterdam service and launch daily service to Dusseldorf and twice daily service to Brussels;
  • Air France will increase London City-Amsterdam service to eight times daily from seven;
• Highlights from the domestic schedule (+5.0% capacity) include:
  • From Nantes, Air France will opeate an extra daily service to Lyon and Bordeaux, with service to Clermont-Ferrand reduced to once daily from twice;
  • Air France will reduce Lyon and Basel-Mulhouse frequency to twice daily from three.
• Highlights from the new Marseille base, which launches on 02-Oct-2011:
  • Air France will launch services to ten new international destinations, including Athens (four times weekly), Beirut (three times weekly), Casablanca (four times weekly), Copenhagen (twice weekly), Düsseldorf (seven times weekly), Eindhoven (three times weekly), Istanbul (four times weekly), Milan (12 times weekly), Moscow (four times weekly) and Prague (twice weekly).
  • Tunis service will be increased with an additional weekly frequency;
  • Domestically, Air France will launch service to Biarritz (twice weekly), Brest (once daily) and Basel-Mulhouse (once daily);
  • Airbus A319/320s will replace smaller aircraft on routes to Lille, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Nantesand Rennes;
  • Air France will increase Paris CDG service to seven times daily and Paris Orly to 18 times daily.