Air France budget routes take shape
Low-cost domestic flights plan will start with Marseille, Nice and Toulouse, subject to a vote by pilots this week
MARSEILLE, Nice and Toulouse will become the first bases for a new budget regional service due to be launched by Air France within the next year.
The airline has unveiled further details about its plan to offer lower-cost domestic flights between French cities, competing with low-cost rivals.
The biggest pilots' union at Air France, SNPL, is said to support the initiative. It will be put to a vote by pilots this week.
Air France hopes to open its first budget regional base at Marseille by the end of October, followed by Nice and Toulouse in time for the summer 2012 season.
Bordeaux had initially featured in the company's plans, but appears to have been shelved, in the face of strong competition from low-cost airlines and high-speed rail links.
Each base will have 10 dedicated aircraft and staff, who will carry out a maximum number of return flights each day to Paris and other cities.
The aim is to cut turnaround times and increase productivity, with each plane operating for up to 12 hours a day, instead of eight at present.
Air France says this will allow it to be more competitive and to eventually open up new routes.
Pilots who agree to join the new project will be awarded a 12% pay rise and given the opportunity to concentrate their shifts over a two-week period in each month.
Financial newspaper Les Echos says that while the plan has the support of pilots, no agreement has yet been reached with other cabin crew, who are represented by three different unions.
Other staff are said to be concerned about what effect the plan will have on their jobs on existing domestic routes operated by subsidiaires such as Air France Régional.
Meanwhile, Air France is expected to use next week's Le Bourget air show to announce the purchase of more than 100 new craft for long-haul flights.
The €20bn order was initially planned for 2008 but delayed because of the economic crisis.
More than 100 MPs have signed a petition calling on Air France to choose the French aircraft manufacturer Airbus over its rival Boeing.
