Air France expands SA service

ON January 7, Air France will increase its capacity by 50% on the Johannesburg/Paris route when it replaces its Airbus A340 aircraft on the service with Boeing 747-400 equipment, according to Michel Maury, the airline's Johannesburg-based gm for Eastern and Southern Africa. The B747-400 has 392 seats compared to the A340's 252 seats. Air France provides a daily service on the route. Apart from Africa, Air France is expanding its service to the Indian Ocean and Caribbean. Air France, a founder member of the Skyteam alliance, has formed a codeshare arrangement for Europe with the alliance's newest member Alitalia with the aim of extending it on international routes. And South African Airways' (SAA) ce Andre Viljoen has said the airline is negotiating a codeshare deal with Air France. There is at least one good reason why SAA would want to do this. It provides no direct service to Paris relying on Zurich as a hub with its partner Swissair. Considering Swissair's dodgy future, analysts say SAA would be wise to find a new friend and one that can provide a direct service. Also Alitalia's codeshare with Air France opens interesting possibilities for SA. While Italy's carrier has suspended services to SA, it is looking for an opportunity to re-enter the market. (Mark Gray)