Air France business to take off this year

After having slightly exceeded its 15% growth estimates for the Romanian market last year, Air France is counting on at least double growth in 2004. Bigger airplanes, a partnership with national airline Tarom and the possibility to introduce new flights are the main plans disclosed by Air France’s country manager for Romania, Rodolphe Lenoir.

“The budget year 2003 (April 2003 – March 2004, i.e.) brought a 25% increase in traffic for Air France Romania, namely 10,000 passengers and a 40% revenue growth in dollars (the US dollar was the benchmark currency for the sale of flight tickets in Romania until last year, i.e.),” Lenoir added.

In euros, the revenue growth slightly exceeded the forecasts made in the early fiscal year 2003 by the Air France officials, which had pointed to a 15% growth from the 14 million euros logged in the previous fiscal year. “The growth may surge to 30-40% this year, and will spring both from the leisure segment and from the corporate component,” Lenoir stated.

According to the Air France manager, the company has set its sights on the SMEs, besides the multinationals. “We shall launch a package aimed at the small and medium-sized companies that have a budget for trips abroad ranging between 5,000 and 20,000 euros. These packages are successful anywhere in the world and I believe the same thing will happen in Romania, as the market grows,” Lenoir feels.

With a market share of 10% according to its own estimates, the French airline is also considering new flights between Romania and France.

“We are looking at the possibility to introduce new flights between Bucharest and Lyon, since some of the French companies operating in Romania – Salomon or Carrefour – are headquartered in the neighbouring areas. Moreover, we are also planning an expansion to Romania’s western area, most likely by dedicating a Timisoara-Paris route. At any rate, starting this summer, we may also get to other Romanian cities such as Iasi, Timisoara and Cluj, through the Tarom flights,” Lenoir stated.
ionut.bonoiu@zf.ro