ATW Daily News

Air France to abandon LHR-LAX, cites economic downturn

Thursday October 9, 2008

Air France will abandon its daily London Heathrow-Los Angeles International service launched when the EU-US open skies agreement came into force on March 30 and opened LHR to flights to/from the US to all EU and US carriers.

Until then, Europe's busiest transatlantic airport was the exclusive preserve of British Airways, Virgin Atlantic Airways, American Airlines and United Airlines (ATW, March 2008). AF was the first EU carrier to take advantage of open skies and launch operations to the US from outside its home base. Results were positive initially, but it has decided to remove LHR-LAX from the 2008-09 winter schedule citing "the present economic and financial crisis." The 777 used on the route will return to Paris Charles de Gaulle and the slot will used for a daily LHR-CDG, an AF spokesperson confirmed to ATWOnline.

AF will return to LHR in the summer 2009 schedule with a daily flight to New York JFK that will complement a twice-daily LHR-JFK operated by SkyTeam partner Delta Air Lines. "The assignment of an Air France aircraft to this route will give SkyTeam passengers the benefit of a first class cabin. At the same time, Delta will offer its new full-flat seats in business class on London Heathrow-New York JFK flights," the carrier noted.

by Cathy Buyck

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