For the first time since it stopped flying to Cape Town in 1999, Air France has relaunched a seasonal non-stop service between Paris-Charles de Gaulle and the Mother City, promising to expand the service if it proves successful.

Speaking at media briefing in Cape Town after the arrival of the inaugural flight on November 3, Air France KLM Senior VP Africa & the Middle East, Pierre Descazeaux, said the first flights were full and forward bookings for November and December were very good.  The airline would re-evaluate the service next year to determine whether to increase the number of flights or use larger aircraft. He said 80-85% load factors were needed to extend the service year-round. “We currently achieve it on the Johannesburg route with Air France KLM and we think we can do it here as well year-round.”

For the time being, the three weekly services will run from the end of October to the end of March next year to cater for the seasonal summer upturn in traffic.  Flight AF3014 arrives in Cape Town at 11h35 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.  The return flight, AF3017, departs on Tuesdays, Thursday and Sundays at 19h35. Descazeaux said the overnight flights would suit leisure and business travellers alike and facilitate good connections at CDG to and from the rest of Europe. Point-to-point traffic between CDG and Cape Town is expected to make up 50% of traffic on the route, the rest coming from connecting passengers in Europe.

The services are operated by a 309-seat B777-200, with 35 seats in business class (featuring a new seat); 24 in premium economy; and 250 in economy. The launch of Premium Voyageur will followed on the Johannesburg route in two weeks. Fares will start from €500 in economy.

Descazeaux said KLM’s high load factors on the route and availability of aircraft at Air France during the European winter had motivated the airline to return to Cape Town.  He said the service would not detract from but rather complement KLM’s existing daily flights between Amsterdam-Schiphol and Cape Town. Together the airlines would now operate 24 flights a week to South Africa (10 to Cape Town and 14 to Johannesburg). The new non-stop service, Descazeaux said, symbolised Air France KLM’s commitment to ongoing investment and growth in South Africa and Africa.

Western Cape Tourism Minister, Alan Winde, welcomed the direct link with France, saying he was looking forward to a good summer season in the Cape. “International airlift is a critical factor for the growth of our tourism industry. Increased direct flights open further opportunities for business and leisure tourism, and stimulate competition between airlines, which results in lower fares.”

Welcoming Air France, Cape Town International Airport GM, Deon Cloete, said it was the second additional international airline to serve Cape Town this year after Edelweiss Air recently launched direct flights from Zürich. He also welcomed back seasonal operations by Lufthansa and Virgin Atlantic and British Airways’ upped schedule of two daily flights.