Similarly the installation of the new business seats is also scheduled

On the Caribbean - Indian Ocean network, as elsewhere, the time is in the counter-offensive in Air France. Severely tested by the Caribbean February 2009 crisis, the IOC of the French company network was also involved in a plan of reconquest, to respond to competition increasing regional companies, Air Austral on the meeting and Air Caribbean on the West Indies, Corsairfly, subsidiary of the Group new frontiers, on the two destinations.

Appointed under the code name "Domino" - a game popular in the West Indies - internally, this plan aims both to improve the responsiveness of the company initiatives of competition and to address the weaknesses of its offer. It is expected to also contribute to remobilise the personal of the concerned DOM of the contraction of the shares market of Air France on these lines, the reductions of staff and many internal reorganizations and a possible transfer to Orly to Roissy to the workstations, referred to these days, with rumours of a possible alliance with Corsairfly.

Unwarranted concerns

Unjustified subjects of concern, according to Alain Malka, Director General of the network Caribbean - Indian Ocean of Air France who saw "a mixture of genres. "Downsizing arise out of the plan of voluntary departures, requires us to adapt our Organization." "But this has nothing to do with Domino, which is a development plan," he said in an interview with the "echoes".

Regarding the idea of a refocusing of the DOM on Roissy workstations, "the idea was advanced by some regional politicians, who want to develop European tourism." "But as for us, we continue to consider that the heart of our activity is at Orly, where flights to the French overseas departments can benefit from better nutrition by the domestic bonds to Roissy", considers the leader.

As the rumor of an alliance with Corsairfly, "it has probably been fuelled by the arrival headed to a former of Air France (Pascal de Izaguirre, Editor's note)." "But is only a rumour and the number of competitors is not close to be reduced," he says. To weaken competition in the West Indies and the meeting has indeed significantly strengthened in recent years, with the arrival of Air Caribbean on Paris-Cayenne, in December 2008, and implementing online by Air Austral to a second Boeing 777, between Paris and the meeting, in May. Once in a situation of monopoly on Guyana, Air France saw its traffic melt by 35, while, on the meeting, its market share fell 30 against 40 for Air Austral, supported by local communities. The West Indies, Air France has managed to maintain a market share of 50, but in a context of declining generalized traffic, which oscillates between 1 and 1 per year, after having plunged 19 in March 2009, in the aftermath of the Caribbean social crisis.

Hence the desire to take advantage of the General recovery in an attempt to relaunch the dynamics, without any question to spectacular innovations. "The Domino project was first designed to improve our internal operations, in order to respond more quickly to changes in the market, explains Alain Malka.". It also aims to strengthen the quality of our offer, on the basis of a diagnosis, which allowed us to identify 80 points for improvement. In practical terms, this already translated by a better tariff responsiveness to competition or even adaptations of the offer, as the passage from 5 to 7 flights at night on the meeting, preferred flights day by customer.

Better tariff reactivity

This effort also resulted a prudent increase in supply, an increase of 1.5 on a year in late August, with including the launch of a Boeing 777 from 472 seats on Cayenne, in lieu of a 291-seat A340. The trend is expected to continue this winter and next summer, recognizes Alain Malka, however refuses to move the lower figure.

Same thing relating to the installation of the new Premium class, which made its appearance on the utility of Saint-Martin. "The A340 are be equipped with". "After Saint-Martin, this will be the turn of Antananarivo", explains Alain Malka. Cayenne should follow next summer. On the other hand, B777 serving the Caribbean and the meeting will probably have to wait until 2012. Similarly, the installation of the new business seats is also scheduled... to a date not specified.

This will suffice to halt the progress of the competition Corsairfly announced, meanwhile, a plan of massive investment to upgrade its fleet and Air Austral provides two A380 to 2014 horizon online For the time being, the priority of Air France seems to more modest: restore financial balance of a network that was once among the most profitable company.