Air France launches Hop!
Air France has merged three of its regional airlines to create a new short-haul carrier called Hop!
The combination of Brit Air, Regional and Airlinair marks the latest stage in the restructuring of the airline’s short- and medium-haul operations, with the eventual aim of returning the carrier to profit.
Under the new strategy, Air France will operate three separate carriers – Air France, Hop! and Transavia France. Air France’s own short- and medium-haul flights will act as feeder services to its long-haul network at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport. As from summer 2013, Hop! will operate point-to-point flights from Paris Orly airport and on the airline’s domestic network, as well as flights to Charles de Gaulle on behalf of Air France.
Transavia France meanwhile, will operate flights to destinations across Europe and the Mediterranean from Orly and regional French cities.
Air France said the name ‘Hop!’ was chosen as it “evokes rapidity and the ease with which travellers can get from point A to B”. The new brand logo is contained in a red square, along with the tagline ‘From Here to Here’.
Hop! will operate a schedule with 530 daily flights to 136 destinations with a fleet of 98 aircraft, with no more than 100 seats.