- The direct flights between Paris and the "oil destinations" Malabo (Equatorial Guinea) and Pointe Noire (Congo Brazzaville) that were set up in January this year have been such a great success that Air France today announced more departures. Also, the network of "oil and gas" destinations is to be increased.
The French airliner today announced its success in what it calls "the Air France network of 'oil and gas' destinations." In Africa, the oil centres with direct connection to Paris include Luanda (Angola), Lagos and Port Harcourt (both Nigeria). The Equatoguinean capital Malabo and Congo Brazzaville's oil capital Pointe Noire were added to the network in January this year.
- Pointe Noire is in high demand as the first non-stop flight out of Europe, Air France said in a statement today. Consequently, the company announced it was adding a third weekly flight on the Paris-Pointe Noire route, with effect from 14 June, according to the press release.
Demand for Malabo was steadily increasing as well, but more flights were still not announced. The French carrier is to continue to operate two weekly flights to Malabo, "but the schedule has been adjusted to better meet customers' needs," the company says, adding that "departure and arrival times in Malabo are designed to facilitate connections and allow time for teams to rotate and debrief on production sites."
Air France's oil and gas destinations is dubbed the "Dedicate Service" and features scheduled routes and non-stop flights to some of the world's more remote destinations, simplifying travel to construction and production sites and other major areas of economic activity.
The airliner announced it was now to expand its Dedicate program, with new service to Doha (Qatar), Kuwait and Tashkent (Uzbekistan), while ten new destinations are to follow next year.
- The rationale behind Dedicate is to enable a niche market of professionals to gain efficiency, speed and comfort in their trips to production sites, Air France's explained Bruno Matheu. "Dedicate customers can benefit from all the traditional services of a major airline combined with the standards of private business travel," Mr Matheu added.
Along with the "Dedicate" programme, Air France customers are also offers what the airliner calls the Petroleum Club, which was launched almost 10 years ago to offer "exclusive services for the specific needs of frequent travellers in the oil and gas industry."
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