Air France and Lufthansa crew rescued from Oberoi Hotel

A group of about 20 airline crew members have been evacuated from Mumbai's Oberoi hotel. Most of the rescued airline staff were in Lufthansa and Air France uniforms.

A bus immediately took the guests away from the hotel. One crew member in a Lufthansa uniform who wore a name tag identifying her as L. Laurence said things inside the hotel "were definitely not good" and "we're just very glad we're out."

The 15 Air France crew members will all be flown back to France very soon.

The flights on Friday 28 November will operate as usual:

AF134 Paris CDG/Mumbai, departure initially planned at 10h30 Local time.
AF135 Mumbai/Paris CDG, departure initially planned at 02h40 Local time.

Then, AF135 on 29 November Mumbai/Paris CDG is postponed on 30 November at 00h55. (Flight number AF135A).

Air France crew trapped in Mumbai hotel; EN, FR, BR

ENGLISH

A French official says 15 Air France crew members are among those trapped inside a hotel in Mumbai, India, after militants launched attacks in India's financial capital on Wednesday.

The official at the French consulate in Mumbai says the personnel were not being held hostage but remained holed up in their hotel, the five-star Oberoi Trident Hotel.

The official was not authorized to be publicly named because of diplomatic policy.

The hotel was among those targeted by gunmen in Wednesday's attacks.

Air France says in a statement that the airline canceled a flight meant to leave Mumbai on Thursday morning because of the attacks. It says the crew is "waiting to be sent back to Paris."

FRANÇAIS

Air France a confirmé jeudi que 15 de ses membres d'équipage se trouvaient dans un hôtel de Mumbai dans l'attente d'un rapatriement à Paris.

L'équipage, avec lequel la compagnie précise être 'en contact permanent', devait assurer le vol AF135 Mumbai/Paris CDG de ce matin, annulé du fait des événements survenus dans la capitale économique de l'Inde.

Pour des raisons de sécurité évidentes et par égard pour les familles, la compagnie ne fait aucun autre commentaire.

PORTUGUÊS

A companhia aérea francesa Air France confirmou hoje que 15 membros da tripulação de um de seus aviões estão presos em um hotel da cidade indiana de Mumbai, cenário nas últimas horas de uma série de atentados, esperando para ser repatriados.

Esta tripulação, com a qual a Air France está em contato permanente, deveria ter viajado no vôo AF135 que cobre o trajeto entre Mumbai e o aeroporto Charles de Gaulle, em Paris, previsto para as 2h40 (local), e que foi cancelado por causa dos eventos.

A empresa aérea se limitou a dizer que, por razões evidentes de segurança e por respeito às famílias, não faria mais comentários sobre a situação.

Air France Flying Blue Newsletter

Received newsletter from Air France. Nice visual..

2 Free Stopovers in Paris

Discover + Paris, an offer you will not want to miss: stop over in Paris on your way to any other Air France destination, at no extra cost ! You can even opt a second Paris stopover on your return flight. That's right, Air France now allows you up to 2 free stopovers per round trip.

Think of the savings and the fun. Visit the world's most romantic city for zero additional airfare and all the time you need to see such Paris attractions as the Louvre, Notre Dame, and the Eiffel Tower.

Air France celebrates 25 years in Korea

Air France KLM has positioned itself as the first European carrier in the Korean market for the last 25 years of its operation in Korea, and sees more potential in the market despite the current worldwide economic slowdown.

Herve Moulin, Air France KLM's general manager for Korea, recognized Korea as a growing and quickly maturing market, having evaluated more than two decades of change.

"When we came 25 years ago, the market was not at all the same size as now. There has been quite a strong escalation since the Olympic Games in 1988 and the number of travelers has grown,'' Moulin said.

 

Change in Korean Market

Air France KLM was the first European carrier to operate in Korea. Air France began cargo service in 1973 and passenger service in 1983, marking the 25th year of passenger operations this year. KLM was formed in 1984.

"When we came 25 years ago, the market was not at all the same size as now. There has been quite a strong escalation since the Olympic Games in 1988 and the number of travelers has grown,'' Moulin said.

"It has gone from a regulated market to a more liberal one. We make business in Korea like anywhere in the world. The maturity of the market has also come from that of a growing country we needed to explore to that of a matured one,'' the 45-year-old said.

The number of French corporations investing in Korea has also increased, and is now almost 180.

"The main evolution is Korean people's way of traveling. In the past it was mostly group travelers, making quick tours. Now the tours are on a more and more individual basis. People also have e-tickets now,'' said the aviation expert with a 19 year career.

No. 1 European Carrier in Korea

Back in 1983, the airline operated two weekly flights via Tokyo. Now it runs three daily flights one between Seoul and Paris by Air France; one on the same route via Korean Air with a code-sharing operation and one between Seoul and Amsterdam via KLM.

In terms of market share, Air France KLM is the first in Korea among European carriers. The number of passengers using Air France and KLM flights between Seoul and Europe is 200,000 per year, 45-50 percent of them Korean.

"We enjoyed a sustainable growth during the past years, two-digit growth. Today, in the economic difficulty, we succeeded to continue a small growth until October. It's very specific because in Korea the outbound travel has been negative since May. But for Europe, the growth continues,'' the general manager said.

"We also have good brand awareness, with the name Air 'France.' These are the ways that we manage this economic situation at the moment,'' he said.

The strong partnership with Korean Air also helps the carrier's business here, Moulin said. Air France and Korean Air were two of four founding members of the airline alliance Sky Team in 2000, and the alliance allows them to cooperate in service, frequent flyer programs, assistance at airports and access to lounges.

Code-sharing is an agreement through which an airline sells seats on another carrier's flights under its own name. "We connect two powerful hubs, Incheon and Charles de Gaulle, with all connecting flights by Korean Air on one side and by Air France on the other,'' Moulin said, adding the French airport is the busiest in Europe in terms of connections.

For Korean customers, KLM has Korean cabin crew and Air France has interpreters aboard. Moulin said it is important to provide something Korean because it is a frequent request from customers. To meet the request, the airline offers a Web site in Korean, Korean-language assistance at foreign airports and a Korean-style in-flight meal menu. KLM provides dishes of Yongsusan, one of the most renowned traditional Korean-style dishes, while Air France serves kimchi, "bibimbap'' and noodles.

Today, Air Franc KLM is the leading European carrier in the Korean market and aims to maintain its position.

"How? I take the motto of Air France by making Air France KLM the 'preferred European airline' of Korean customers. Behind the simple motto, it means a lot and there's much work to do.'' Moulin said.

Air France-KLM gives shareholders a Second Life

Air France-KLM invites its shareholders to discover a new space in Second Life dedicated to information and dialogue concerning the financial life of the Group.

Air France-KLM shareholders can visit An Island in the Sky, a website hosted by Second Life which the carrier is billing as "a new platform where shareholders can meet, share information and get updates on the latest financial news from the group".

Among the documents available to shareholders will be an interactive library containing the carrier's most recent financial publications, interactive 3D stock market information, a virtual auditorium for interactive meetings, a space dedicated to Corporate Social Responsibility, a “lounge” where they can consult a photo library and corporate videos, and The Air France Museum, with scale models and posters from Air France and KLM.

Air France-KLM chairman Jean-Cyril Spinetta says of the new website: "The Second Life universe gives our shareholders a place to learn about the Group and exchange information and ideas in a convivial, interactive environment. As they discover the different spaces, visitors understand the assets that have made Air France-KLM the leader in Europe and worldwide, and will enable it to emerge stronger from the current extremely difficult period".

The “Air France-KLM island” designed for the Group’s shareholders is unique in concept, and proposes an innovative channel for financial communication that allows them to dialogue “in world”, and to learn about the Group’s strategic orientations and plans as well as prospects for growth thanks to forums organized on a regular basis.

The space will take visitors, known as “Residents”, on a high-flying tour through the different structures that are open to them, powered by their special “jetpack”. The first users will benefit from a “freebie”. A “hub” system will let them navigate rapidly from one building to another.

The space which is above all designed for shareholders is also open to members of the general public wanting to learn more about the Air France-KLM Group.

All information provided on the island is in both French and English.

Air France Press Department KLM Corporate Communications
Brigitte Barrand/Marina Tymen
Tel: + 33 (0)1 41 56 56 00 Tel: +31 (0) 20 6494545
http://corporate.airfrance.com/
http://www.klm.com/


About The Build

Air France-KLM asked imarginal.com to design and build its island in Second Life.

On the dedicated Website at http://www.airfranceklm-sl.com/, you will find an introduction by

Jean-Cyril Spinetta, a video presentation of the island, and a slide show and documents that can be downloaded.

All this information can also be accessed at http://corporate.airfrance.com/

Delta Plans Flights to Vietnam

Delta Air Lines is planning to start daily services from the U.S. to Vietnam.

Starting June 1, 2009, passengers wishing to travel to Ho Chin Minh City can fly on Delta to Tokyo and take a connecting flight from there to Vietnam.

The services are subject to government approval and Delta, under the name of its merger partner Northwest Airlines, has applied to the Department of Transportation for permission.

Delta Air Lines, Alaska Air Group Announce Marketing Alliance

Delta Air Lines CEO Richard Anderson and Alaska Air Group Chairman and CEO Bill Ayer announced an agreement in principle to amend their marketing agreement to make the airlines preferred alliance partners on the West Coast.

The amended agreement will offer important benefits to customers including supporting the launch of new Delta long-haul trans-Pacific and Latin American routes from the West Coast, expanded connecting opportunities to and from Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air hubs and focus cities, and enhanced worldwide frequent flier and lounge reciprocity agreements between Delta and Alaska.

Airbus A320 repainted in 1946 livery

Air France Airbus A320 "Pays de Roissy" in special livery

To mark its 75th anniversary, Air France has repainted one of its Airbus A320s in the same livery as back in 1946. Ambassador of the Company’s 75th anniversary, this plane, the F-GFKJ, will join the medium-haul fleet for the next two years.

The aircraft has been baptised “Pays de Roissy”, as a reference to the association aiming to expand the economic develop of 110 communes situated around Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport. 

For its 75th anniversary, Air France has chosen to highlight its rich historic and cultural heritage. This livery corresponds to the era when the first jet planes were introduced into the Air France fleet, and the airline’s rebirth after the war, when it’s network already covered five continents”, declared François Brousse, Air France’s Head of Corporate Communications.

This livery features the seahorse, a symbol to which all Air France staff are strongly attached. The emblem of Air Orient, it combines the head of Pegasus, the horse of Greek mythology, and the tail of the dragon Annam to form the symbol of the relationship between Europe and the Far East. This story is told at www.airfrancelasaga.com through picture archives on the history of the Company since its inception.

A new-generation paint, more environmentally-friendly

The paint for the aircraft was made in five days at the “La Croix du Sud” maintenance site in Toulouse-Blagnac, as part of a major overhaul, consisting in taking apart all parts of the aircraft for inspection, repair, re-assembly and tests. It took 540 kilos of new-generation paint for this operation. The paint used needs very little solvent, which makes it more environmentally-friendly.

The Airbus A320 in the Air France fleet
Air France operates 65 Airbus A320s on its medium-haul network in France, Europe and the French Caribbean.

Pan Am 747 Over Florida

Pan Am 747 Flying Over Florida; A Lovely Video.

Précisions d'Air France

Suite à différents comptes-rendus des médias, Air France souhaite préciser:

 

1) Que l'appel à la grève lancé par les syndicats de pilotes des compagnies françaises ne concerne pas KLM. L’expression « grève des pilotes d’Air France-KLM » n’est donc pas correcte.

2) Que cet arrêt de travail ne concerne pas les personnels navigants commerciaux (hôtesses et stewards).

3) Que l’amendement parlementaire vise à repousser de 60 à 65 ans l’âge de cessation d’activité des pilotes français et non pas l’âge de la retraite. Chaque pilote décidera en effet, sur la base du seul volontariat, de continuer à exercer son activité après 60 ans ou d’interrompre son activité à 60 ans. Ceux qui décideront de cesser leur activité à 60 ans pourront le faire en bénéficiant de la même retraite qu’aujourd’hui.

Pour le dimanche 16 novembre 2008, Air France prévoit d’assurer au départ de Paris entre 65 % et 70% de ses vols long-courriers. La situation sur le moyen-courrier resterait inchangée, avec la programmation d'un vol sur deux environ. En ce qui concerne les compagnies partenaires régionales, au moins 90% des vols seront assurés.

Dans les aéroports, la situation est calme, les passagers ayant été largement informés et réorientés, lorsque cela était nécessaire, vers les vols d’Air France maintenus et vers ceux de KLM ou d’autres compagnies de l’alliance SkyTeam.

Quatre jours de grève, c’est 100 millions d’euros de cash soit 1 avion Boeing 777-300.

Dans le contexte actuel de crise du crédit, le plan de flotte pourrait alors être réduit.

La grève doit terminer lundi soir 17 novembre à 24h00.

Delta Air Lines Annonces Major International Expansion

Delta Air Lines announced it is adding 15 new international routes for summer 2009, including service to 12 destinations not flown by any other U.S. carrier. The addition of trans-Pacific, trans-Atlantic and African routes advances Delta’s strategy of taking customers to more unique destinations across the globe and investing in underserved markets.

Delta’s long-haul expansion for 2009 will be focused in three regions:

• Trans-Pacific: Delta plans to add three new nonstop trans-Pacific flights between the United States and Tokyo-Narita, Japan, including new nonstop flights from Salt Lake City and New York-JFK, a second daily flight from Atlanta, and daily service connecting customers beyond Tokyo to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

• Africa: Delta will expand its industry-leading position in Africa with new flights between Atlanta and Nairobi, Kenya and Cape Town, South Africa (via Dakar, Senegal); between Atlanta and Monrovia, Liberia; Abuja, Nigeria; Luanda, Angola; and Malabo, Equatorial Guinea (all via Sal Island, Cape Verde); and between New York-JFK and Lagos, Nigeria. Delta also will introduce its first daily nonstop service to South Africa with flights between Atlanta and Johannesburg.

• Europe/Middle East: Delta will expand its leading position across the Atlantic with the only nonstop flights operated to Gothenberg, Sweden and Valencia, Spain, both from New York-JFK. Delta also will expand its service at New York-JFK with nonstop service to Prague, Czech Republic and Zurich, Switzerland (seasonal); as well as the addition of a second nonstop flight between New York-JFK and Tel Aviv.

Taking advantage of new opportunities created by its recent merger with Northwest, Delta’s proposed new flights between Atlanta, Salt Lake City and New York and its hub at Tokyo-Narita open service to nine of Asia’s top 20 markets not served by Delta prior to the combination, including a new flight to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

These flights are in addition to new trans-Pacific service previously announced by Northwest Airlines, including daily nonstop flights between Seattle and Beijing beginning March 1, 2009 and nonstop service connecting Detroit and Shanghai, effective March 28, 2009.

In 2009, Delta expects to remain the only U.S. carrier flying nonstop to Africa and is building on its success since inaugurating service there in 2006. For customers, more nonstop service to Africa from the United States eliminates lengthy connections through Europe, trimming several hours off average travel times.

Delta will launch a fully consolidated worldwide flight schedule in advance of summer 2009.

Delta’s new international service beginning summer 2009 includes:

Region	Route	Effective	Aircraft	Frequency
Trans-Pacific	New York-JFK to Tokyo-Narita, Japan	June 4, 2009	Boeing 777-200ER	daily
	Salt Lake City to Tokyo-Narita, Japan	June 3, 2009	Airbus 330-200	five times weekly
	Atlanta to Tokyo Narita, Japan (second frequency)	May 4, 2009	Boeing 747-400	daily
	Tokyo-Narita, Japan to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam	June 1, 2009	Boeing 757-200	daily
Africa	Atlanta to Johannesburg, South Africa	June 1, 2009	Boeing 777-200LR	daily
	Atlanta to Nairobi, Kenya	June 2, 2009	Boeing 767-300ER	four times weekly
	Atlanta to Monrovia, Liberia	June 8, 2009	Boeing 757-200ER	once weekly
	Atlanta to Abuja, Nigeria	June 10, 2009	Boeing 757-200ER	twice weekly
	Atlanta to Luanda, Angola	June 14, 2009	Boeing 757-200ER	twice weekly
	Atlanta to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea	June 16, 2009	Boeing 757-200ER	once weekly
	Atlanta to Cape Town, South Africa	June 1, 2009	Boeing 767-300ER	three times weekly
	New York-JFK to Lagos, Nigeria	June 9, 2009	Boeing 767-300ER	five times weekly
Europe/Middle East	New York-JFK to Gothenberg, Sweden	June 11, 2009	Boeing 757-200ER	four times weekly
	New York-JFK to Prague, Czech Republic	June 18, 2009	Boeing 767-300	three times weekly
	New York-JFK to Valencia, Spain	June 5, 2009	Boeing 757-200ER	four times weekly
	New York-JFK to Zurich, Switzerland	June 8, 2009	Boeing 757-200ER	daily (seasonal)
	New York-JFK to Tel Aviv (second frequency)	June 30, 2009	Boeing 767-300ER	four times weekly

To celebrate the new service Delta is offering special fares for travel on these new flights. Fares and details are available at delta.com.

Delta’s new Boeing 777-200 Long Range aircraft offer seating for up to 276 passengers, including 43 BusinessElite seats manufactured by Contour Premium Aircraft Seating that recline to fully horizontal. Seats are in a one-two-one configuration giving every BusinessElite customer direct aisle access.

The airline’s expanding global network also benefits Delta Cargo customers, opening up more opportunities to ship directly to more markets than any other carrier in the world.

Air Europa To Launch Miami - Canary Islands Flight

Spanish airline Air Europa will launch weekly non-stop service between Miami International Airport and the Tenerife, Canary Islands in March 2009, operated with an A330.

This will be the second European carrier to launch Miami services in March 2009, as CSA Czech is planning on launching weekly service to Prague the same month.

Delta Air Lines to add 15 international routes

Delta Air Lines said it will add 15 new international routes as it seeks to protect itself from a slowing U.S. economy.

Delta will introduce the new routes next summer between the United States and what it called the world's fastest growing economies in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East.

Delta will add the new flights between the United States and Japan, Kenya, South Africa, Liberia, Nigeria, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Sweden, Spain, Czech Republic and Switzerland.

 

A connecting service between Japan and Vietnam will also be offered by Delta, as well as a second nonstop flight between New York and Tel Aviv.

NWA To Cancel Two International Routes

Two of Northwest Airlines nonstop international routes from Detroit Airport will be dropped in 2009.

However, Delta Air Lines announced today a major expansion of international flights — 15 new routes, all of which are planned at airports other than Detroit.

Northwest’s daily flight from Detroit Airport to Paris will be discontinued in mid-January. Northwest’s nonstop flight from Detroit to Osaka, Japan, also will be dropped, as of Feb. 28. The airlines are still integrating their operations.

The Detroit plane to Paris often had as few as 30 to 40 people on it. Air France, a partner with Northwest, will continue to serve those customers.

Customers looking to travel to Osaka still will be able to do so by making a connection at Delta’s Tokyo Narita airport hub.
Delta still plans to add daily nonstop flights from Shanghai to Detroit beginning in March.

Air France is expected to increase its flights from Detroit to Paris to daily departures sometime in February, as well as make larger aircraft available for those flights. Last year at that time, Air France was flying to Paris from Detroit just three times a week.

Delta Launches New Flights

Delta Air Lines, the world’s largest airline, announced the start of two additional nonstop flights between France and the United States with the airline’s first-ever nonstop service between Paris-Charles de Gaulle International Airport and Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina and Pittsburgh.

Delta will make history in Pittsburgh and Raleigh-Durham with its new flights. The new trans-Atlantic route from Pittsburgh will be the only nonstop transatlantic service offered by any airline from the city. The new route from Raleigh-Durham will be Delta’s first-ever nonstop trans-Atlantic flight offered from North Carolina and will be operated from Raleigh’s terminal 2, the airport’s newest terminal, which opened Oct. 26.

The new nonstop service from both markets will be launched in June 2009. The routes will be operated by Boeing 757-200 aircraft, with seating for up to 174 passengers, including 16 seats in Delta’s BusinessElite and 158 in economy class.

Delta flights between France and both Raleigh-Durham and Pittsburgh are available for booking now online at delta.com. Flight schedules are as follows:

Delta's new service between Raleigh-Durham and Paris

Flight	Departs	Arrives	Effective	Frequency
204	Raleigh-Durham at 6:20 p.m.	Paris at 8:35 a.m. (next day)	June 2, 2009	Daily (except Monday and Thursday)
205	Paris at 10:30 a.m.	Raleigh-Durham at 2:15 p.m.	June 4, 2009	Daily (except Wednesday and Saturday)

Delta's new service between Pittsburgh and Paris

Flight	Departs	Arrives	Effective	Frequency
188	Pittsburgh at 6:15 p.m.	Paris at 8:20 a.m. (next day)	June 3, 2009	Daily (except Tuesday and Friday)
189	Paris at 10:40 a.m.	Pittsburgh at 1:55 p.m.	June 3, 2009	Daily (except Tuesday and Friday)

To celebrate the new service Delta is offering a one-way special fare of $599 from Raleigh-Durham to Paris and from Pittsburgh to Paris (based on a round-trip purchase) for travel through June 30, 2009. However, customers should act fast as availability is limited and tickets at these fares must be purchased by Nov. 21, 2008.

KLM and Air France launch Bluenity - their very own social network

Bluenity is the brand new social website launched by Air France-KLM. This social network is dedicated to airline users.

Here is the concept:

• Discover other travelers on your trip
• Take advantage of their travel tips
• Meet them at any point.

The website is available in three languages, French, English and Dutch. The goal of the website will try to leverage the portfolio of 75 millions customers of both Air France and KLM, to create a viable community as fast as possible.

I think this is a great example on how setting up an online community can bring some added value to customers and therefore generate business out of it.

 Now I think we should pay a close attention to this new website, because this is a great corporate social software initiative, and will give great indicators of how profitable such a project could be.

It is coming: First Boeing 747-400 in Delta's Livery

Delta will be swapping some Northwest and Delta planes to best fit its routes with passenger demand.

The biggest airplane in Northwest Airlines' fleet -- a Boeing 747-400 -- will be the first aircraft to be painted in the red-white-and-blue color scheme of Delta Air Lines, which acquired Northwest last week.

Getting the right airplane on the right route is one of the bedrock elements of the Delta-Northwest merger, which will create the world's largest airline.

Delta executives did not disclose the routes that will be affected by the fleet changes. But Glen Hauenstein, a Delta executive vice president, said the ability to move planes to where they are needed is the "key driver" in reaching the merger's financial goals.

The 747, which seats 403 passengers, is one of Northwest's wide-body planes and it is expected to be flown on some of Delta's routes next year. One possibility is operating 747s on an Atlanta-Tokyo route. Delta's largest hub is in Atlanta, while Northwest has a major hub in Tokyo.

It will take some time to migrate the brand. But Northwest customers will begin to see changes in the coming months, such as the addition of blue leather seats on Northwest planes and the appearance of Delta's food offerings on Northwest flights.