Air France has simply revealed its latest vacation spot in the USA, and it’s a reasonably thrilling new route, as flagged by @JS_Cassady by way of @IshrionA.
Air France provides Paris to Phoenix route
As of Could 23, 2024, Air France will launch a brand new year-round flight between Paris (CDG) and Phoenix (PHX). The flight will function 3x weekly with the next schedule:
AF68 Paris to Phoenix departing 10:10AM arriving 12:10PM
AF69 Phoenix to Paris departing 2:10PM arriving 9:15AM (+1 day)
The 5,481-mile flight is blocked at 11hr westbound and 10hr5min eastbound. The flight will function on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays in each course. I ought to acknowledge that some individuals received’t like that eastbound schedule, given the very early departure. Personally I don’t thoughts it, because it’s not that lengthy earlier than my bedtime. 😉
Air France will use a Boeing 787-9 for the service, that includes 276 seats. This contains 30 enterprise class seats, 21 premium economic system seats, and 225 economic system class seats.
How this route suits in Air France’s community
Phoenix shall be Air France’s seventeenth vacation spot in the USA, and it’s a reasonably cool new addition. Phoenix is in fact an airport that’s dominated by American. At the moment the airport’s solely year-round transatlantic service is on each American and British Airways to London, on condition that the 2 airways have a transatlantic three way partnership.
On prime of that, German leisure airline Condor operates seasonal flights from there to Frankfurt. Lufthansa subsidiary Eurowings Uncover was additionally supposed so as to add a seasonal Frankfurt to Phoenix route in April 2020, although that was canceled as a result of pandemic, and was by no means pursued once more.
So it’s cool to see some transatlantic competitors in the end from one of many “huge three” transatlantic joint ventures. Air France has a partnership with Delta, KLM, and Virgin Atlantic. At the moment none of these airways have transatlantic flights from Phoenix, and Delta doesn’t have that a lot connectivity from Phoenix.
I think about that Air France figures there’s sufficient room for an additional participant, particularly with simply three weekly flights. I’m curious to see how Air France performs in Arizona. I’m certain the airline could have no points filling flights in summer time, given the quantity of seasonal transatlantic demand there may be. I feel winter shall be a bit trickier, although, particularly since Air France can’t compete with the frequencies supplied by American and British Airways between the USA and Europe.
Admittedly Air France has an enormous international community, so this is also helpful for these touring to Africa, India, and past. That is the second 3x weekly service that Air France has added prior to now 12 months to a brand new US market, because the airline additionally launched a path to Raleigh-Durham as of October 2023. Nonetheless, that changed service of three way partnership accomplice Delta.
Backside line
As of Could 2024, Air France will launch a brand new 3x weekly flight between Paris and Phoenix utilizing a Boeing 787. Phoenix presently solely has year-round transatlantic service from American and British Airways, so extra competitors is nice for customers. Hopefully this route proves successful.
What do you make of Air France including service to Phoenix?
