Air traffic controllers in France are set to strike on Thursday 19 March in a national day of strike action.
Consequently the French Civil Aviation Authority, Direction Générale de l’Aviation Civile (DGAC) is limiting the number flights handled for each airline during that day.
Air France has confirmed it will operate all of of its long-haul flights.
On its short and medium haul network, Air France will operate nearly all its flights at Paris-Charles de Gaulle and 70 per cent of its flights at Paris-Orly, but warns that some flights may have to be cancelled during the day, and other delays may occur.
Air France is re-assuring its passengers that it will ensure that all its passengers travel.
Air France ground and sales staff will do their utmost to inform passengers if a flight is cancelled and, if necessary, offer an alternative flight either on Air France, on KLM via Amsterdam or one of the SkyTeam partner airlines.
Passengers are requested to log on to www.airfrance.com for all the latest information in the flight status tab or contact their travel operator.
Passengers in France may also call Air France on 3654, or, send a text message on their cell phones to 6 3654 indicating their flight number (e.g. AF2062).
Air France flight schedules will be updated on March 19th at noon.
Passengers on other airlines should check with their respective airlines. It will be a tough day to fly in France.
If you liked this article please share it with your friends
Due to the approaching storm Quinten, French authorities have decided to suspend all commercial traffic all all Paris airports. Charles De Gaulle, Orly, and Le Bourget, from 20:00 local 9 February to 10:00 local 10 February.
Over 500 flights are estimated to be cancelled as a result of the closures.
Storms with winds of up to 120 km/h are expected in the Paris region overnight.
So please check with your airline.
If you liked this article please share it with your friends
From the Summer 2009 schedule which commences end March, Air France will suspend its thrice weekly flight between Paris Charles De Gaulle and Chennai Anna International, and withdraw from Chennai.
I strongly suspect this move is partly as a result of the relentless capacity expansion by Emirates Airlines across India.
With its non-stop connectivity to both the coasts of the United States, and Europe from Dubai, Emirates has been steadily poaching passengers from all other airlines across India. At Chennai, Emirates, will be increasing to 19 flights a week in February, and to thrice daily by end of the year.
In the recent past British Airways has withdrawn from Kolkata, KLM from Hyderabad, and Austrian Airlines from Mumbai. Alitalia completely withdrew, but then, those are due to its bankruptcy.
If you liked this article please share it with your friends
Lufthansa has opened its new design, super lounge for its premium passengers, in Terminal 1 at New York's John F. Kennedy airport. The new lounge is spread across 3 levels and has a total area of 1,500 square meters (about 16,000 square feet).
The highlight of the new lounge is the First Class area for HON Circle members and First Class passengers, located on the third level. The first outside the Lufthansa and SWISS hubs at Frankfurt, Munich and Zurich, it features an exclusive atmosphere, where First Class passengers and HON Circle members will find all the amenities they need in order to refresh themselves and unwind; or they can simply sit back and be spoilt by the attentive staff. The area has its own large reception desk, where guests are welcomed, and 27 comfortable chairs. In a separate pre-flight dinner area, guests can have a meal before their flight departs so that they can then sleep or relax on a night flight without any interruption. Generously proportioned shower rooms are also provided so that guests can freshen up before their flight.
The Senator Lounge on the second floor, which also reflects the elegant new lounge design, has 124 seats. Comfortable relaxing armchairs invite guests to unwind and recharge their batteries. In the bistro area, snacks, a choice selection of German wines, beers and spirits are served. The Senator Lounge also has comfortable bathrooms with bathtubs and showers.
On the lower floor, the completely renovated, spacious Business Lounge will accommodate up to 171 guests. It has a bistro and bar area offering a choice of snacks and drinks, a lounge area with groups of comfortable leather easy chairs and televisions and a separate work area with workstations for business travellers.
Oliver Wagner, Vice President Global Airport Products and Services at Lufthansa said
“The lounge at John F. Kennedy Airport is a walk-in advertisement for Lufthansa on the American continent and is an important component of our 150-million-euro investment programme to upgrade our lounges worldwide,” “In the first three months of this year alone, we will open seven lounges, including in Mumbai and Paris.”Access to the Lufthansa lounge at JFK is directly behind the security checkpoints to minimise the distance lounge guests have to walk to the departure gates.
Lufthansa currently operates about 60 lounges worldwide with a total floor space of over 22,000 square metres. One entirely new facility is the first Lufthansa Welcome Lounge at Frankfurt, Lufthansa’s largest hub.
Until 2013, Lufthansa will be investing about 150 million euros in constructing new lounges and refurbishing existing ones in order to further expand and enhance its airport lounge facilities for customers.
If you liked this article please share it with your friends
Singapore Airlines will introduce the the Airbus A380 super-jumbo, on its Singapore-Paris route from June 1, 2009 .
Using the A380 in precisely the manner Airbus intended, i.e. lower frequency with a ultra-large aircraft, Singapore Airlines will cut down the frequency from the current 10 a week Boeing 777-300ER flights to a daily Airbus A380 flight.
Paris will be Singapore Airline's fourth A380 destination, its first in Continental Europe. Singapore Airlines already flies the A380 daily to Sydney and Tokyo, and twice daily to London.
The Singapore A380 is configured with 471 seats, in a three class configuration, and is considered to have one of the finest cabins in the world, especially its award winning Singapore Airline Suites, not to mention the world famous in-flight service.
The ergonomically designed new Economy Class seats maximises knee and legroom, and boast intelligent features such as a non-intrusive reading light and height adjustable leather headrests with side panels.
The Business Class seats are even amongst the widest in the sky. Measuring 86 centimetres (34 inches), each seat has direct access to the aisle, and converts into a fully flat bed within seconds.
The A380 also features the revolutionary Singapore Airlines Suites, a new and luxurious class of travel. Each Suite, enclosed by sliding doors for privacy, is fitted with a leather-upholstered seat, a 23-inch LCD screen for inflight entertainment, and a full-sized flat bed that is separate from the seat.
Across all three classes, KrisWorld, the world’s most comprehensive inflight entertainment system, offers more than 1,000 on-demand options in every seat.
Singapore Airlines currently has six A380s in service, a further 13 on firm order, and options on six more. The introduction of the A380 on the Paris route will follow the delivery of the seventh and eighth A380s in the first half of 2009. By this time, Air France, the European launch customer of the A380, too will receive its first A380.
Till that time, London Heathrow will remain the only airport in the world to have A380 services from all the A380 operators, Singapore Airlines, Emirates, and QANTAS.
SQ334 will depart Singapore Changi T3 from June 1, 2009, at 2340 and arrive Paris CDG next morning 0655.
SQ333 depart Paris CDG from June 2, 2009, at 1225 and arrive Singapore Changi T3 next morning 0655.
If you liked this article please share it with your friends
As per a press release Air France and KLM will operate "rescue" flights to Phuket on 1 and 2 December from Amsterdam and Paris-CDG respectively.
Due to the closure of Bankok's Suvarnabhumi international airport, Air France and KLM will operate one flight on 1st December and one flight on 2 December 2008 from Phuket Airport.
Departure from Phuket on 1 December:
Boeing 747-400 flight operated by KLM to Amsterdam
Departure from Phuket: 7pm
Arrival in Amsterdam: 4am on the next day.
Departure from Phuket on 2 December:
Boeing 747-400 flight operated by Air France to Paris-Charles de Gaulle
Departure from Phuket: 11:30pm on 2 December.
Arrival in Paris: 5:50am on the next day.
All passengers holding an Air France or KLM ticket may take one or other flight. For passengers booked on one of these flights, Air France and KLM will arrange for a bus transfer from Bangkok to Phuket (please contact Air France/KLM Agency in Bangkok).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
- IN THAILAND: CONTACT THE AIR FRANCE/KLM AGENCY IN BANGKOK: Vorawat Building 20th floor 849 Silom Road or the Call Center: 66 (0)2635 11 91
- IN FRANCE: 3654
LOG ON TO THE AIRFRANCE WEBSITE
Air France is keeping a close watch on the situation and will keep customers informed of any changes to the flight schedule in the next few days.
If you liked this article please share it with your friends