Flybe is to codeshare with Air France this autumn as part of a strategy to get a stronger foothold in the European business market.
The move adds five more routes between the UK and France for Flybe passengers plus seven domestic French routes and 11 international routes.
All Flybe services into Paris Charles de Gaulle will connect to the Air France hub, easing transfer onto Air France’s international routes.
The deal means Air France customers will be able to access 45 new routes from France to the UK with easy connections through Birmingham, Manchester and Southampton onto 17 UK domestic routes.
Flybe chairman and chief executive offiver Jim French said: “This deal is a further milestone in Flybe’s growth. Having cemented our position as the UK’s number one domestic airline, we have sought to grow our position in our next most important market, which is the European business city market.
“The deal announced today with one of the world’s pre-eminent aviation groups allows us to extend our brand reach across Continental Europe within the framework of this strategic partnership.
“The codeshare brings benefits for passengers and the two airlines alike; it’s a real win-win agreement. For Flybe, it allows us to offer an even wider range of flights to our passengers, as well as provide superb levels of inter-connectivity that only an airline as big as Air France can offer.”
Air France chief commercial officer Bruno Matheu said: “Over the past few years we have watched with great interest Flybe’s growth and development and been impressed by its performance in becoming a respected leader within the sector.
“The future co-operation with Flybe is a major opportunity for Air France to strengthen its position in the UK, Europe’s biggest market.
The new deal, which should happen as soon as the end of October, means Flybe will market and add its BE code to these Air France flights, both ways:
– Aberdeen – Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG)
– Birmingham – Paris CDG; Lyons
– Edinburgh – Paris CDG;
– Manchester – Paris Charles De Gaulle;
– Newcastle – Paris CDG
– Orly – Bordeaux; Limoges; Nice; Perpignan; Toulouse
– Paris CDG – Brest; Budapest; Geneva; Istanbul; Lyons; Madrid; Munich; Nice; Nuremberg; Prague; Sofia; Vienna; Warsaw; Zagreb
Air France will do likewise with its AF code on the following Flybe flights to and from:
– Birmingham – Avignon; Bergerac; Bordeaux; Brest; Chambery; La Rochelle; Limoges; Paris CDG; Perpignan; Rennes; Toulouse; Belfast; Glasgow; Guernsey; Inverness; Isle Of Man; Jersey
– Exeter – Avignon; Bergerac; Chambery; Rennes
– Edinburgh – Bergerac; Limoges; Rennes
– Glasgow – La Rochelle
– Jersey – Nice
– London Gatwick – Bergerac; Limoges
– Manchester – Avignon; Bergerac; Brest; La Rochelle; Limoges; Paris CDG; Rennes; Belfast; Glasgow; Inverness; Isle of Man
– Newcastle – Limoges
– Paris CDG – Belfast, Cardiff, Exeter, Glasgow, Jersey
– Southampton – Avignon; Bergerac; Bordeaux; Brest; Chambery ; Limoges; La Rochelle; Nice; Orly; Perpignan; Rennes; Belfast; Glasgow; Guernsey; Jersey; Isle of Man; Inverness; Leeds Bradford
by Dinah Hatch
