Jean Noel Rault, general manager, Air France-KLM (Indian Sub Continent)
Air France has already started flying to some destinations in India. How has the response to these flights been so far?
In the current Covid-19 context, Air France is operating flights to India under the “bilateral air bubble” from three gateways Bengaluru, Delhi & Mumbai.
The situation is complex with travel restrictions across countries leading to limited demand. In these unprecedented times, our commitment is to help our customers across India to fly to their destination safely and as seamlessly as possible.
Who are the flyers today? Business or leisure travellers or people who had been stranded due to stoppage of flights?
Under the air bubble agreement, Air France is flying passengers eligible to travel and that are compliant with the exit & entry guidelines at origin and destination countries. This restricts travel to foreign nationals, seamen and Indian nationals to Europe, as per eligibility guidelines issued by the competent authorities in India.
How has the experience of flying internationally changed due to the pandemic? What are the key measures taken by Air France to ensure safety and hygiene not just aboard its aircraft, but also in the entire chain from the time the passenger leaves her home to reaching her place at the destination?
The health and well-being of Air France customers and staff are at the heart of the company’s concerns. In line with the current regulations, it is compulsory to wear a surgical mask upon arrival at the airport, where a number of measures have been implemented to guarantee a customer travel experience in optimum conditions of health and safety – application of physical distancing measures, counters equipped with Plexiglass protection screens, regularly disinfected self-service kiosks, hand sanitiser available throughout the airport and the reorganisation of customer channels at check-in and boarding to limit contact.
Temperature checks are performed before boarding on international flights. The air in the cabin is renewed every three minutes. The air recycling system on board Air France aircraft is equipped with HEPA – High Efficiency Particulate Air – filters identical to those used in hospital operating theatres. Air France has also reinforced aircraft cleaning procedures, notably with the disinfection of all surfaces in contact with customers such as armrests, tables and screens before each flight. A specific procedure for disinfecting aircraft by spraying an approved virucidal product has also been introduced.
In addition, to limit interaction, the in-flight service has been simplified – the meal and beverage service has been completely adapted and duty-free sales have been temporarily suspended. The newspapers and magazines offer is now fully-digital, accessible in the Air France Play app. Grouped under the Air France Protect label, the measures implemented by the company are regularly adapted to changes in the current health context.
Have you been in touch with Indian government for resumption of normal flights to India? When do you expect to be able to fly to the country again?
The resumption of commercial international flight operations from and to India is a decision by the competent authorities in India.
What is your expectation of the Indian market for 2020 and 2021? What kind of traffic do you expect ex-India by the end of this year and in the first quarter next year?
With the current state of the pandemic all over the world, we don’t expect regular travel this year. Resumption in 2021 will depend on many factors such as the state of the pandemic of course, and the lifting of border and travel restrictions.
Air France was one of the first foreign airlines to start flying to India under the bilateral bubble agreements with India
When do you see the outbound market from India to come back to normalcy?
Too early to comment on this now. The intended recovery for international travel has been slower than expected. The challenges will remain as long as the Covid-19 cases in India are not under control. There is currently apprehension of a potential second wave of Coronavirus in Europe & North America. A lot depends on the break through with rapid testing before departure and a successful vaccination for Covid-19 to regain trust and travel with confidence.
As per IATA surveys global passenger traffic will not return to pre-Covid-19 levels until 2024, a year later than previously projected at the beginning of pandemic. In India we have a very strong VFR market, this in my opinion, should help to recover a bit quicker than the other markets.
What are the new services that you are launching vis-à-vis Covid-19 to facilitate travellers?
In the context of the current health crisis and given the very gradual lifting of travel restrictions worldwide, Air France is introducing exceptional measures to assist and reassure its customers for them to book with confidence. If customers wish to cancel their trip, their ticket can now be changed at no extra cost and without proof, on the date and to the destination of their choice. If they prefer, they can request a refundable credit voucher.
These measures, which provide optimal flexibility, apply to all trips until March 31, 2021. If their flight is cancelled by the airline, customers can choose to postpone their trip to the date and destination of their choice, request a full ticket refund or receive a credit voucher, which is also refundable if not used. In case of change of destination results in a change in price, only the fare difference will be applied.
For all trips until the end of the year, customers who are members of the Flying Blue loyalty programme will have their Miles and Experience points (XP) doubled. Globally Air France has introduced a new travel insurance cover for epidemic-related risks in partnership with Allianz Travel. At present this is available for customers residing in select European countries.
