PARIS- Finally, after two decades of absence, French carrier, Air France (AF) resumes the Paris to Manila, Philippines flight today (December 8, 2024).
The flight AF802 took off from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) at 11:48 PM local time and is expected to land at Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) at 6:53 PM local time, after almost 13 hours of journey.
Air France Paris to Manila Flight
The carrier announced in September 2024 that they will launch direct 3x weekly flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays between Paris and Manila.
The airline operates this route with Airbus A350-900 featuring 34 Business class seats, 24 Premium Economy seats, and 266 Economy seats.
Today’s inaugural flight is operated by A350, registered as F-HTYJ. It is one of the newest planes with an age of 3.6 years and powered by Rolls Royce engines.
Here’s the detailed CDG-MNL flight schedule:
- Flight AF208 departs CDG at 11:20 PM, arriving in MNL at 7:30 PM the next day.
- The return flight, AF209, leaves MNL at 9:50 PM, landing in CDG at 5:50 AM the following day.
Air France partner carrier KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KL) already operates four weekly flights to Manila from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS).
Manila, the Pearl of the Orient Seas, seamlessly merges modern architecture with colonial charm, featuring iconic sites like Fort Santiago and San Agustin Church alongside sleek skyscrapers. Its cultural diversity has shaped a rich culinary tradition.
Beyond Manila, the Philippines’ 7,000 islands offer breathtaking attractions, from pristine beaches and limestone cliffs to emerald rice terraces. The new route is expected to enhance tourism and business travel between Europe and the Philippines, fostering stronger economic ties and cultural exchange.
Market Overview
Air France’s strategic expansion into the Paris-Manila route reveals a promising market opportunity, backed by comprehensive route network analysis from Behramjee Ghadially, CAMAIR-CO’s Senior Manager of Route Network Planning.
Market Insights:
- Total passengers in 2023: 98,000
- Average one-way fare: $750 (including fuel surcharges)
- Ranking: Third largest European market segment for Manila
Route Yield Landscape:
- Barcelona-Manila: Highest yield at $815
- Zurich-Manila: $803
- Amsterdam-Manila: $794
Target Markets by Passenger Volume:
- London: 247,000 passengers
- Amsterdam: 101,000 passengers
- Milan: 89,000 passengers
- Rome: 78,000 passengers
- Madrid: 52,000 passengers
- Frankfurt: 50,000 passengers
Additional Significant Markets from Manila:
- Barcelona
- Vienna
- Zurich
- Brussels
- Manchester
- Oslo
- Athens
- Dublin
- Copenhagen
- Hamburg
- Munich
Air France anticipates stimulating the Paris-Manila segment by at least 30%, with the potential for substantial belly cargo revenue. The route’s performance will be critically observed from February to May, leveraging European winter travel patterns to Asia.
The new route is strategically positioned to capture market share from Gulf carriers on EU-Manila routes. While these carriers might offset potential losses through high-yield GCC market operations, Air France projects an operating profit with potential long-term profitability challenges.
Air France’s route offers French travelers a compelling destination at pricing comparable to established Asian markets like Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia. The carrier’s approach targets UK and Western European traffic, with strong directional load expectations during December and January.
Winter 2024-25 Asian Routes
Comprehensive Asian Network Expansion:
- Tokyo Haneda (HND): Up to 15 weekly flights
- Osaka (KIX): Up to 3 weekly flights
- Beijing (BEY): Up to 7 weekly flights
- Shanghai (PVG): Up to 7 weekly flights
- Hong Kong (HKG): Up to 7 weekly flights
- Seoul (ICN): Up to 7 weekly flights
- Bangkok (BKK): Up to 13 weekly flights
- Singapore (SIN): Up to 10 weekly flights
- Ho Chi Minh City (SGN): 3 weekly flights
Additional Global Destinations for Winter 2024-2025:
- Salvador de Bahia, Brazil: 3 weekly flights starting October 28, 2024
- Kilimanjaro, Tanzania: 3 weekly flights from November 18 (extension from Zanzibar)
- Malé, Maldives: Up to 2 weekly flights from December 20
- Kiruna, Sweden: 1 weekly flight from December 21
Feature Image by Eurospot | X
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