The Air France A380 Takes Off For Shanghai

As from 2 September, Air France will offer its customers three weekly services to Shanghai-Pudong by Airbus A380. Air France will therefore become the first European airline to serve the Chinese economic capital by A380.

On board its Airbus A380, Air France offers customers four cabin classes (La Première, Business, Premium Economy and Economy) as well as several exclusive new features for a unique travel experience and even more comfort:

• 6 bars for a friendly atmosphere during the flight,
• 5 decibels less noise in the cabin compared with industry standards,
• A gallery dedicated to art and culture.

“Serving Shanghai by Airbus A380 is a perfect example of our aim to expand on growth markets. On board, we aim to provide all our customers with the levels of comfort, serenity and French-style service excellence that distinguishes Air France worldwide. This new route by A380 demonstrates the excellent cooperation between the French and Chinese aviation authorities, which have made this agreement possible.” underlined Alexandre de Juniac, Chairman and CEO of Air France.

Dedicated services for Chinese customers

Air France has created a range of services specifically tailored to accommodate its Chinese passengers. Announcements are made in Mandarin on flights to and from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Wuhan and in Cantonese for Hong Kong flights. Chinese interpreters are present on board all Air France flights to and from China.

To welcome and provide assistance to passengers who do not speak English or French, Air France has a team of multilingual agents at Paris-Charles de Gaulle who speak Mandarin and Cantonese.

The chefs of Air France subsidiary, Servair, the on-board foodservices specialist, develop a range of fine Chinese dishes served in Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy. In addition, jasmine tea is offered in all cabins.

Air France also offers a frequently renewed selection of international films subtitled in Chinese. A Chinese film is also routinely offered.

Air France offers a selection of Chinese newspapers and magazines on board.

Furthermore, Air France has developed a dedicated corporate website for its Chinese customers, http://corporate.airfrance.cn. Available in Simplified and Traditional Chinese, this website provides all the main Air France news from Greater China and around the world.

European leader between China and Europe

The Air France-KLM Group is European leader between Europe and China. Air France and KLM operate 93 weekly flights from their hubs at Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam-Schiphol to 9 destinations in Greater China: Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Chengdu,Hangzhou, Wuhan, Xiamen and Taipei.

With its partners China Southern and China Eastern, Air France-KLM offers up to 126 weekly flights to China.

Flight schedules

In summer 2013, Air France serves Shanghai-Pudong from Paris-Charles de Gaulle with 27 weekly flights, thirteen of which are operated on a code-share basis with China Eastern Airlines, a member of SkyTeam.

The Air France A380 in brief

6 destinations in September 2013

• In September 2013, Air France’s eight Airbus A380 will serve six destinations:
• in North America: New York JFK (one daily flight), Washington DC (one daily flight) and Los Angeles (one daily flight),
• in Africa: Johannesburg (one daily flight),
• in Asia: Tokyo-Narita (one daily flight) and Shanghai (3 weekly flights).

516 seats in four cabins

• All Air France’s A380 are equipped with 516 seats in four cabin classes on two decks:
• 9 seats in La Première,
• 80 seats in Business,
• 38 seats in Premium Eco,
• and 389 seats in Economy.

Comfort on board

• 6 bars for a friendly atmosphere during the flight
• 200 windows: abundant natural light in the cabin
• 5 decibels less noise in the cabin compared with industry standards
• A gallery dedicated to art and culture

The latest technology at the service of in-flight entertainment and comfort
External live images with three cameras housed at the front, underneath and at the rear of the aircraft, whose images are broadcast live throughout the flight.
Mood lighting; changing lighting moods to cross time zones without feeling tired.

One of the most environmentally friendly aircraft

With less than 75 grams of CO2 produced per passenger per kilometre, the A380 is one of the most environmentally friendly aircraft.

Special attention for Chinese passengers

CREWS TRAINED IN CHINESE CULTURE

Air France has created a service specifically tailored to accommodate its Chinese passengers. The company has established an outreach program on Chinese culture for its 15,000 flight attendants. This program reflects Air France’s constant search for excellence, hospitality and service as do the languages spoken aboard flights: announcements are broadcast in Mandarin on the flights to and from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Wuhan and in Cantonese for Hong Kong flights. In addition, for more than 10 years, Chinese interpreters have been on board all Air France flights from and to China.

GROUND STAFF WHO SPEAK MANDARIN

To welcome and provide assistance to passengers who do not speak English or French, Air France has a team of multilingual agents at Paris-Charles de Gaulle, speaking Mandarin and Cantonese. The team welcomes daily passengers, assisting them with checking-in and facilitates their connections between flights. Knowledge of the travellers’ languages and cultures makes it easier to exchange and establish immediate and natural contact.

MOBILE SERVICES IN CHINESE

Air France customers benefit from an exclusive, free service, requiring no registration or subscription, informing them of changes or any disruptions in their journey. The “Air France Connect” service is also now available in Chinese.

With a mobile phone number and e-mail address indicated by the customer when purchasing their ticket, Air France can provide information up to 14 days prior to departure, by telephone, SMS or e-mail, regarding flight cancellations or delays, gate changes or delays in delivery of luggage following the flight. Air France and KLM are the first airlines providing such large-scale proactive information services to all passengers throughout their network. To be notified personally in case of emergency on a flight, customers only need to ensure that they have provided the company with the maximum contact information for the communications modes (telephone, mobile or e-mail) the customer will use during the trip.

CHINESE CUISINE ON BOARD

Air France places particular emphasis on openness to other cultures, taking into account the tastes of its passengers. While providing a French dining experience, Air France pays attention to adapting its menus to the culture or dietary needs of its customers. For Chinese customers, the chefs of Air France subsidiary, Servair, the on-board foodservices specialist, develop a range of fine Chinese dishes served in Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy. In addition, jasmine tea is offered in all cabins.

FILMS AND INFORMATION IN MANDARIN

For its Chinese passengers, Air France offers a frequently renewed selection of international films subtitled in Chinese. A Chinese film also is routinely offered. The selection changes every three months with the language of the films alternating between Mandarin and Cantonese.

CHINESE NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES ON BOARD

A Chinese version of the Air France flight magazine is available to passengers and a regular selection of Chinese newspapers and magazines is also available on each flight.

A DEDICATED CORPORATE WEBSITE FOR CHINESE CUSTOMERS

Air France has developed a dedicated corporate website for its Chinese customers, http://corporate.airfrance.cn. Available in Simplified and Traditional Chinese, this website provides all the main Air France news from Greater China and around the world, including regular updates on company strategy, a map of the Air France, KLM and their Chinese partners’ networks, the art of travel with Air France, the ambitions of the company in terms of sustainable development and the latest press releases and press kits.