Articles tagged “air france-klm”

A $60 fee to check a bag in one direction sounds extreme. But how many passengers will buy Basic Economy fares on transatlantic flights? It's one thing to give up perks on a two-hour domestic flight. It's another to give up the right to choose a seat on an eight- or 10-hour segment.

Those who book expensive airfares have much to look forward to with Flying Blue. Budget travelers, not so much.

Air France-KLM had hinted at adding a distribution surcharge as far back as 2015, so the announcement doesn’t come as a surprise. What it does tell us is that airlines are increasingly confident that the positives of introducing such a fee outweigh any negatives.

You may have seen Air France's new airline designed for millennials. But that's mostly a creation of marketers. Let's be honest. This is a lower-cost airline that needs to attract passengers of all ages if it's going to be successful.

It seems like there is a renewed appetite among Europe's big airline groups to reduce the number of players in the market. They may find it hard to do while fuel remains cheap, but when it starts to creep up, more deals will likely occur.

Investing in a range of new products to entice new and existing customers looks like it is paying off for American Airlines. Its upbeat outlook bodes well for the rest of the year.

Despite relinquishing his control, Richard Branson has been able to save face by negotiating the continuation of the Virgin Atlantic brand. At the same time a strengthened transatlantic joint venture means he'll have a better chance at competing with British Airways and its partners.

KLM may not be a perfect airline, but it's surprisingly spunky considering it's owned by a giant French company that also controls Air France. The two airlines couldn't be more different.

Giant legacy companies the size of Air France-KLM have trouble innovating regardless of the industry. We can give it some credit for trying, but it's not clear the strategies outlined this week will markedly change the company's fortunes.

You really can’t be an eagle in crow’s feathers. They don’t look very good and can fall off in-flight.