"HOP!" will be new name of merged AF regional airlines
Mar 11, 2013, 6:58 pm
#151
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Mar 12, 2013, 4:52 am
#152
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Mar 14, 2013, 5:09 pm
#153
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As an anecdote, I stumbled upon a French TV reportage talking about "HOP!" this evening. For the French speaking readers of this thread, it's called Complément d'enquête on France 2 which aired tonight. I guess you would find it on pluzz.fr sometime soon althought it was not available yet it when I checked a few minutes ago.
Very briefly the show lasted an hour with three major parts:
Very briefly the show lasted an hour with three major parts:
- 1st part about the rise of Emirates (did only see the last couple of minutes, so I can't really tell what it was all about). Interview with Alexandre de Juniac in the CDG 2E M-hall AF lounge where he talked about how this affects them and how they plan on answering (for instance by renewing AFs business class by mid 2014).
- 2nd part about "HOP!" showing how exicted Lionel Guérin, who's in charge of the program, is and how this will make AF more competitive on their regional market. Comparison with EasyJet regarding routes, aircrafts and on-ground efficiency along with an interview with François Bacchetta, the regional manager of EasyJet in France, saying clearly that there's no way "HOP!" will be low-cost with their fleet (pointing at a soon-to-be "HOP!" ATR-42 aircraft). Not sure the comparison between a EasyJet flight doing ORY-TLS with the A5 ORY-LAI is fair, but interesting nevertheless. Epic moment IMHO when Mr Guérin did a tour of airports to explain what "HOP!" is all about, asked one lady working at check-in what she thought and got as a reply "ehhh..".
- 3rd part on the debate on the Notre-Dame-des-Landes airport, which is rather off-topic in regards to "HOP!"
Mar 14, 2013, 7:52 pm
#154
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Many MERCI for this link, especially for those who live far away.
French TV programs are usually done by journalists who are "sponsored" by AF and lack objectivity. This one is quite balanced. I found the first part excellent and showing the serious problems faced by AF longhaul. Maybe they should lobby the socialist government to reduce taxes (although that is a slightly lesser issue for a company that systematically loses money).
The second part highlighted some contradictions of HOP.
French TV programs are usually done by journalists who are "sponsored" by AF and lack objectivity. This one is quite balanced. I found the first part excellent and showing the serious problems faced by AF longhaul. Maybe they should lobby the socialist government to reduce taxes (although that is a slightly lesser issue for a company that systematically loses money).
The second part highlighted some contradictions of HOP.
Mar 15, 2013, 2:04 am
#155
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On the second point I can only agree. I think only AF are convinced that Hop! and Mini will make them competitive on the 'low cost' segment. I actually don't think U2 are worried by AF right now.
Mar 15, 2013, 9:05 am
#156
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Mar 15, 2013, 9:09 am
#157
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Mar 15, 2013, 12:17 pm
#158
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- cabin/cockpit crew are paid less on U2, but get more flight hours ;
- U2 has a one family aircraft fleet, which makes it cheaper to maintain than the "abradabrantesque" Air France PRF's mix of aircrafts ;
- U2 has a crazy load factor and cheaper tickets.
I think regrouping Britair, Regional, etc under one banner was a good way to reduce the loss and maybe axe the airline in a few years, but I clearly don't see them as a U2 competitor.
Mar 15, 2013, 2:31 pm
#159
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very very good TV program reportage.
what do you think about the joke of the Easyjet manager when he says that it is impossible to reduce costs with these planes (Canadair, Embraer, Bombardier & ATR…) ?
what do you think about the joke of the Easyjet manager when he says that it is impossible to reduce costs with these planes (Canadair, Embraer, Bombardier & ATR…) ?
Mar 16, 2013, 7:21 am
#160
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flights are 1 month from today. I still have the original ticket receipts showing AF flight #s. I am sure Delta will give me a retrocredit, but I am curious if it credits automatically. Interestingly, HOP flights on a Delta issued ticket still show w/ AF flight #s.
Mar 16, 2013, 10:30 am
#161
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Mar 17, 2013, 2:36 am
#162
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However, I do not know the specific situation for La Rochelle...
Mar 20, 2013, 9:58 pm
#163
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As an anecdote, I stumbled upon a French TV reportage talking about "HOP!" this evening. For the French speaking readers of this thread, it's called Complément d'enquête on France 2 which aired tonight. I guess you would find it on pluzz.fr sometime soon althought it was not available yet it when I checked a few minutes ago.
Very briefly the show lasted an hour with three major parts:
Very briefly the show lasted an hour with three major parts:
- 1st part about the rise of Emirates (did only see the last couple of minutes, so I can't really tell what it was all about). Interview with Alexandre de Juniac in the CDG 2E M-hall AF lounge where he talked about how this affects them and how they plan on answering (for instance by renewing AFs business class by mid 2014).
- 2nd part about "HOP!" showing how exicted Lionel Guérin, who's in charge of the program, is and how this will make AF more competitive on their regional market. Comparison with EasyJet regarding routes, aircrafts and on-ground efficiency along with an interview with François Bacchetta, the regional manager of EasyJet in France, saying clearly that there's no way "HOP!" will be low-cost with their fleet (pointing at a soon-to-be "HOP!" ATR-42 aircraft). Not sure the comparison between a EasyJet flight doing ORY-TLS with the A5 ORY-LAI is fair, but interesting nevertheless. Epic moment IMHO when Mr Guérin did a tour of airports to explain what "HOP!" is all about, asked one lady working at check-in what she thought and got as a reply "ehhh..".
- 3rd part on the debate on the Notre-Dame-des-Landes airport, which is rather off-topic in regards to "HOP!"
I had a little smile on my face when I heard AdJ say that the lounge in which he sits (S4) is "currently the best in the world". I took a look around me at the lounge I was sitting in, at the space, the buffet, the spa - and thought "not yet"
Mar 22, 2013, 1:59 am
#164
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Just watched this on the francetv Pluzz app - ironically during a layover in the Emirates lounge in Dubai. So I could see the building in which I was sitting during the program when Thierry Antinori showed it from the rooftop.
I had a little smile on my face when I heard AdJ say that the lounge in which he sits (S4) is "currently the best in the world". I took a look around me at the lounge I was sitting in, at the space, the buffet, the spa - and thought "not yet"
I had a little smile on my face when I heard AdJ say that the lounge in which he sits (S4) is "currently the best in the world". I took a look around me at the lounge I was sitting in, at the space, the buffet, the spa - and thought "not yet"
Mar 22, 2013, 10:57 am
#165
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