Loss-making Air France has confirmed plans to invest “several hundred million euros” in its products and services.
Announced at the IFTM Top Resa travel trade show in Paris, the airline revealed plans to revamp its first and business class cabins onboard its Boeing 777 aircraft, from 2014 onwards.
As of this winter, Air France will be offering a completely redesigned in-flight menu in the business class cabin on its long- and medium-haul flights. Then in 2013, the airline will offer all its customers all passengers the chance to download the day’s newspapers and magazines on their tablet or smartphone before their flight.
These investments complement the airline’s recent lounge and cabin upgrades.
“With this ambitious investment plan, we are illustrating our determination to place customer satisfaction at the heart of our strategy. Innovative initiatives will be introduced in the coming months to complement these projects. The entire Company is fully mobilised to reposition our offer at the best possible global level and regain our leadership position,” said Air France’s Chairman & CEO, Alexandre de Juniac.
Air France-KLM lost EUR809 million (US$1.1bn) in 2011, but is currently undertaking a turnaround plan, Transform 2015, with the aim of returning to profit. The plan includes the reduction of 5,000 jobs, but no redundancies.
