Greater comfort and competitive fares in Premium Economy on long-haul flights. December 2012

Transcription

1 Greater comfort and competitive fares in Premium Economy on long-haul flights December 202

2 Introduced in autumn 2009, the Premium Economy cabin (formerly Premium Voyageur) is now available throughout the Air France long-haul fleet, serving 77 destinations 2. Three years after its launch, the product is popular among customers and has received satisfactory results throughout the network. Premium Economy perfectly complements the Air France range of services by offering a tailored solution to small and medium-sized companies and to leisure customers seeking enhanced travelling comfort on long-haul flights at very competitive fares. Customers appreciate the comfort and calm of this intermediate cabin class, situated between the Business and Economy cabins, as well as the privacy of the fixed-shell seat offering 40% more room than a seat in the Economy cabin. The quality of service on the ground and on board with special attentions inspired by Business class, contribute to the success of this cabin class. Over.5 million customers are satisfied. except on Boeing 747s 2 winter season The Premium Economy cabin available throughout the Air France long-haul fleet 3

3 40% more room than a seat in Economy class On board: comfort first 40% more room than a seat in Economy class What distinguishes the Air France Premium Economy class is the comfort of a private space with a fixed-shell seat offering 40% more room than the seats in Economy class. Close to 00 aircraft have been equipped with this cabin: Airbus A330, A340 and A380, Boeing and The Premium Economy cabin comprises between 2 and 38 seats according to aircraft type: : 24 seats : 28 seats J: 32 seats. A330/A340: 2 seats. A380: 38 seats on the upper deck A fixed-shell seat for optimum privacy The choice of a fixed-shell seat, generally reserved for the best Business class cabins, makes Air France the first European airline to offer this type of seat in an intermediate cabin. Air France especially asked B/E Aerospace to develop this seat. The seatback slides down inside the shell without intruding on the space of the passenger behind. Each passenger s personal space is totally protected. Inside the fixed shell, the seat reclines to 23, allowing the passenger to relax comfortably with their legs extended. The seat is also equipped with a leg rest whose height can be adjusted, an adjustable footrest and a headrest that can be raised with movable wings. The roomy seat is 9 inches (48 cm) wide with 0-cm wide leather armrests. The pitch between seats is close to one metre (38 inches or 97 cm). In order to free up space for the legs, Air France has incorporated the video control box into the seat, rather than beneath it. Air France has filled in the space between individual seatbacks so that passengers are not disturbed by the light from other video screens while sleeping or watching a film. Each seat features: an electric socket for a laptop, a wide tray that can easily accommodate a laptop along with papers and a glass, lit by an individual directional reading light, a cocktail tray prolonging the armrest, a noise-reducing headset for optimum enjoyment of the exclusive Air France audio and video programmes. 5

4 An in-flight meal combining gourmet pleasure and balanced menus An in-flight meal combining gourmet pleasure and balanced menus Specially designed for the Premium Economy cabin, the meal and beverage service agreeably punctuates the flight while preparing passengers on arrival to continue their day in top form. The service begins with an aperitif: champagne, wine or non-alcoholic beverage. It is followed by a choice of two balanced hot dishes designed by Michel Nugues, a member of Servair s Toques du ciel sky chefs. Starters and desserts, created especially for Premium Economy customers, are inspired by meals served in the Business cabin. A selection of fine chocolates will be served to customers in their seat at the end of the meal. A selection of wines chosen for Air France by Olivier Poussier, named the world s best sommelier in 2000, and a choice of after-dinner drinks are offered to customers. On longer flights, a self-service buffet offers passengers a large choice of sweet and savoury biscuits, fresh products, mini-sandwiches and ice-cream. Depending on the flight duration, a light snack or breakfast is served according to the departure and arrival time. Flights to or from the French Overseas Departments Customers travelling to and from Pointe-à-Pitre, Fort-de-France, Cayenne or Réunion can enjoy a gourmet meal served in fine China tableware. After a welcome punch, a savoury appetizer is served. Customers can then choose from two hot dishes (Creole or traditional) with bread served from a basket. On longer flights, a self-service buffet is available. Depending on the flight duration, the departure and arrival time, a light snack or breakfast is served. service available on selected destinations Treat yourself to an «A la Carte» menu offering a delectable gourmet experience Since summer 202, on board most long-haul flights departing Paris, Air France has been offering Premium Economy customers the possibility of ordering one of the five A la Carte menus available as an alternative to the free menu served. Customers can now personalize their trip by choosing the menu that suits them: a genuine French fine dining experience with the Tradition menu, Une Sélection Lenôtre specially designed for Air France by the famous Maison Lenôtre culinary institute, Fresh from the sea with Ocean, a green touch to complement the blue sky with Organic, or A taste of Dolce Vita with Italia. The five menus can be ordered at the time of booking and up to 24 hours before departure. Reservations are made in the «Manage my bookings» section on the website, with an Air France ticket office or by calling the Air France call centres, and available at prices varying between 2 and 28 euros, 7

5 A 26-cm wide video screen for an eyeful of great entertainment! Special attentions inspired by Business class On each seat in the cabin passengers will find a pure wool blanket, a feather pillow and a bottle of mineral water, as in Business class. Before take-off, cabin crews will hand out to each passenger an amenities kit containing a relaxation mask, ear plugs, earphone covers, a pair of travel socks and a toothbrush and toothpaste kit. These new kits, coming in a variety of fabrics and colours, are renewed every six months. A 26-cm wide video screen for an eyeful of great entertainment! The large individual Premium Economy video screen is 0.4 inches (26 cm) wide for comfortable viewing of up to 00 films, some of which are available in up to 9 language versions. Air France is Europe s largest cinema in number of films. The new Air France long-haul Premium Economy cabin lets passengers make the most of this outstanding programme which also includes some fifteen films screened in their original version 2, honouring the many different tastes and cultures of our customers, over half of whom are international passengers. Each month, close to 600 hours of programming are available in Premium Economy as in Business and Economy cabins: cinema, TV series, French and international newscasts, games, language lessons, etc. German, English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese 2 African, Arabic, Brazilian, Chinese, Korean, Hindi, Japanese, South-American, Tamil A wide choiceof newspapers and magazines The leading French and international daily newspapers and magazines together with the Air France Magazine and Air France Madame magazine are available for Premium Economy and Economy customers. Privileged access to in-flight sales at airfrance.com The in-flight sales boutique can be accessed from the Air France websites, allowing passengers to select purchases before their flight and benefit from discounts. 9

6 At the airport: priority treatment Simplified and more efficient services with SkyPriority Premium Economy customers have access to SkyPriority worldwide, a range of standardized ground services offering fast, priority access throughout the airport, available at all airports where harmonized signage has been implemented. Customers naturally follow the SkyPriority signs which guide them through the airport: - priority check-in and baggage drop-off counters - exclusive lines for security and customs clearance (at certain airports) - dedicated line at sales counters and transfer desks - priority boarding -priority baggage delivery. Thanks to the implementation of priority channels at the airport, customers benefit from a range of more easily identifiable services on the ground that guarantee a quick and easy airport experience, from check-in to baggage delivery. Premium services at every step of your journey In addition to the priority channels at the airport, Premium Economy customers can also board at their convenience and be among the first passengers to disembark on arrival at their destination. Premium Economy customers benefit from a higher cabin baggage allowance than in Economy class: beyond the allowance of two pieces of checked baggage each weighing up to 23kg, each Premium Economy customer benefits from the same cabin bag allowance as Business class customers and can take two bags as well as an accessory (handbag, garment cover, etc.) all weighing no more than 8kg, in the cabin. Before boarding the aircraft, customers can purchase access to the lounge, subject to availability, and pay using miles or by credit card. Access to the lounge is free for all Flying Blue Elite Plus members. 25% more Flying Blue miles Customers travelling in Premium Economy class who are members of Flying Blue, the Air France and KM frequent flyer programme, earn miles more quickly: a full-fare ticket in Premium Economy cabin (modifiable, refundable, etc.) earns 25% more miles than a full-fare ticket in Economy cabin. After purchasing two Paris-New York round-trip tickets in Premium Economy, a Flying Blue Gold or Platinum member will be able to obtain a one-way ticket to New York or a round-trip ticket to Nice, Amsterdam or London. Premium services at every step of your journey

7 Air France Press Office - December