What will be JOON's first [last] routes?
 

Since Europe is short-haul and Americas/Asia is long-haul, what are medium-haul destinations that scream for "millennials"? Where are la joonesse of France dying to visit? Cairo? Moscow? Abidjan?

When first announced, loss-making Asian routes were the first to be mentioned, with an indication that the airline may eventually get to operate across the Atlantic. My guess is that places like Bangkok and Dubaiwill eventually be Joon destinations. Though it seems they may start on "medium haul" rather than "long haul" so could be places like CAI and TLV first...

In AF lingo, "short haul" means domestic French flights, and "medium haul" means most European flights.

Hop! already covers multiple medium-haul routes, so we would be looking at routes not covered by Hop.

I think they should have called this new airline "Long HOP!" :D

- I doubt DXB will be Joon (DXB has P. Of course the presence of P doesn't mean necessarily high yield, but I don't think DXB will qualify for Joon).
- BKK : indeed 99,9% sure. But a coouple of months ago, AF announced that they would change the config to BKK, moving from a COI B77W to a config with more J seats ("loisirs config"). Of course they may change their plans
- SGN : no idea about the results of this long-established route, but probably not too high yield, so might be a candidate for Joon
- I think several COI routes, particularly HAV, SDQ/Punta Cana and SXM will move to Joon. For SXM, keep in mind that it is a 343 destination and one of the rare destination that have a real benefit being served by a quad and Joon will get the A343. For RUN/PTP/FDF, I think AF will need the capacity of the COI B77W, unless there is really a super overcapacity and a fare blood bath, which is likely with French Blue entering the market and very likely DY soon.
- USA : not sure that Joon will reach the US because not part of the transatlantic JV. Or Joon could be used to open new secondary seasonal destinations like MSY or MCO, FLL.

Then AF will have a hard time convincing the EU that Emirates is unfair competition :D

I was going to say ORY-KEF, but I see that's already taken by Transavia. What's the point of JOON again?

Educated guess: all COI routes will dissolve in Joon. To market COI routes as a cheaper version of Air France along with Joon as a cheaper version of Air France would be absurd.

I doubt it. AF needs some high-capacity planes on some of the COI routes. High-density A350 will have much fewer seats than 777 COI.

I also wonder what J seat will be installed on these A350.
Bloggers have mentioned that AF ordered Zodiac OPtima seat (a brother of United Polaris) and that the first ten ac will go to JOON:
https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2017/0...s-class-seats/

But these are not 2x2x2 as announced by AF. Maybe AF still intends to retrofit its A340 for JOON and use the same seats as planed for A330 (bad Equinox seats). Apparently, the first A350 will not be delivered before 2019.

I agree.

I missed the queue that it would be A350...makes me agree with this. Also makes me wonder why they have to add concept to concept to concept endlessly. Not exactly efficient IMHO. And also mind boggling, because you never know for sure what kind of product you'll get.

Indeed. Can't they figure out that some frequent J flyers avoid them for that reason?

http://bfmbusiness.bfmtv.com/entrepr...n-1225779.html

"Probably", but still.

do we know if Joon will replace completely AF mainline on the selected medium-haul routes ? If yes, I find this list quite surprising apart OPO.
Indeed, TXL, BCN and LIS are state or regional capitals, and so I believe it's important to keep the mainline AF on such destinations. You send Joon to second tier cities (beloved by millenials of course ;) )