Vietnam Airlines to change terminal in Paris

HCMC - Vietnam Airlines as a SkyTeam will land and take off at Terminal 2E at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris from October 31 to harmonize with the operations of other SkyTeam member carriers.

Vietnam Airlines’ forthcoming move to the new terminal from Terminal 2C of the airport is also aimed at providing passengers with the opportunity to use a better waiting hall and kiosks for completing check-in procedures.

Pham Viet Thanh, deputy general director of Vietnam Airlines, clarified the spacious and well-furbished Terminal 2E would offer passengers new levels of comfort and convenience when traveling to and from Charles de Gaulle or transiting at this European airport before heading to other destinations.

Vietnam Airlines’ holders of business-class tickets and members of its Golden Lotus program will be allowed to enjoy services at the business lounge of Air France at Terminal 2E from that day.

In addition to Air France and Vietnam Airlines, other members of SkyTeam having their flights at Terminal 2E are Royal Dutch Airlines, Delta Airlines, Aeroflot, Korean Air, China Southern Airlines and Aero Mexico.

Vietnam Airlines spent heavily improving its services and opening more domestic and international flights before it became a full member of the world’s second largest global airline network after Star Alliance on June 10 this year. The airline is expanding its aircraft fleet to 70 by the end of this year to 115 by 2015 and 165 by 2020.

Vietnam Airlines operates more than 290 daily flights to 20 domestic and 26 international destinations. At present, the national flag carrier uses wide-body Boeing 777 aircraft for eight flights weekly from Vietnam to Paris.

Air France will begin its three non-stop services between Paris and HCMC every week from November 2 instead of flying via Bangkok at the moment to meet rising demand for travel to and from Vietnam.

Air France’s 747-400 aircraft will leave Tan Son Nhat Airport for Charles de Gaulle Airport in the evening of Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. The opposite services will depart from the European airport on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and land on Tan Son Nhat at 4:55 p.m. the next days.

From November, Air France will also have two weekly code-share services from HCMC and five frequencies from Hanoi, and these non-stop flights will be operated by Vietnam Airlines under an agreement between the two carriers.

Vietnam Airlines’ non-stop services will depart from HCMC on Tuesday and Saturday nights and from Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi at 11:55 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for Charles de Gaulle.

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Air France unveils non-stop services to HCMC

Thierry Beragnes of Air France introduces the non-stop services between Paris and Vietnam at the press conference in HCMC on Wednesday - Photo: Mong Binh

HCMC - Air France on Wednesday announced it would operate non-stop services between Paris and HCMC and will increase frequencies from Vietnam from November this year, a time when demand for travel to and from Vietnam surges.

Thierry Beragnes, Air France’s country manager in Vietnam, told the Daily after a press conference held in HCMC on Wednesday to introduce the new services that the carrier would leave Tan Son Nhat Airport for Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris at 10:45 p.m. on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays from November 2.

The services from Charles de Gaulle Airport will be at 11:25 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and land on Tan Son Nhat at 4:55 p.m. the next days.

Air France will use its Boeing 747-400 equipped with 40 business and 396 economy seats for the three weekly non-stop services, which Beragnes said would mark a new step in its development in the Vietnamese market.

Air France showed confidence in the Vietnamese market, which he said had changed for the better compared to six years ago when it suspended a code-share pact with Vietnam Airlines for non-stop flights from Paris, leaving the Vietnamese airline the sole operator of direct flights on this route.

“The economic context has changed and Vietnam on Thursday is quite different from six years ago in terms of development. An airline like Air France is really confident in the development of Vietnam,” Beragnes told reporters.

Air France will start to operate the new generation Boeing 777-300ER on the Paris-HCMC route in January to offer a full range of Air France in-flight products, including the new Premium Voyageur seat, which is positioned between the business and economy cabins.

Beragnes said passengers aboard the non-stop services would be served a choice of Vietnamese meals in all cabins in addition to the traditional French cuisine and wines.

From November, Air France will also join two weekly code-share services from HCMC and five frequencies from Hanoi, and these non-stop flights will be operated by Vietnam Airlines under an agreement between the two carriers.

Vietnam Airlines’ non-stop services will depart from HCMC at 11:10 p.m. on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and arrive in Paris at 6:30 a.m. the next days. The flights from Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi will take off at 11:55 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for Charles de Gaulle Airport.

Beragnes said the flight and route changes underlined stronger cooperation between the two members of SkyTeam. The flagship carrier of Vietnam became a full member of the world’s second largest airline alliance on June 10.

The changes mean Air France will stop flying between Paris and Vietnam via Bangkok as it does currently. However, passengers can board Air France’s flights to Paris and then to other destinations in Europe and the world.

Air France now sells return fares from US$777 excluding taxes and fees until October 24 for the non-stop services from either HCMC or Hanoi to Europe between November 1 and March 31, 2011. Beragnes said customers would be able to purchase these promotional fares on www.airfrance.com.vn, booking offices and agents.

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Air France unveils non-stop services to HCMC

Thierry Beragnes of Air France introduces the non-stop services between Paris and Vietnam at the press conference in HCMC on Wednesday - Photo: Mong Binh

HCMC - Air France on Wednesday announced it would operate non-stop services between Paris and HCMC and will increase frequencies from Vietnam from November this year, a time when demand for travel to and from Vietnam surges.

Thierry Beragnes, Air France’s country manager in Vietnam, told the Daily after a press conference held in HCMC on Wednesday to introduce the new services that the carrier would leave Tan Son Nhat Airport for Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris at 10:45 p.m. on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays from November 2.

The services from Charles de Gaulle Airport will be at 11:25 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and land on Tan Son Nhat at 4:55 p.m. the next days.

Air France will use its Boeing 747-400 equipped with 40 business and 396 economy seats for the three weekly non-stop services, which Beragnes said would mark a new step in its development in the Vietnamese market.

Air France showed confidence in the Vietnamese market, which he said had changed for the better compared to six years ago when it suspended a code-share pact with Vietnam Airlines for non-stop flights from Paris, leaving the Vietnamese airline the sole operator of direct flights on this route.

“The economic context has changed and Vietnam on Thursday is quite different from six years ago in terms of development. An airline like Air France is really confident in the development of Vietnam,” Beragnes told reporters.

Air France will start to operate the new generation Boeing 777-300ER on the Paris-HCMC route in January to offer a full range of Air France in-flight products, including the new Premium Voyageur seat, which is positioned between the business and economy cabins.

Beragnes said passengers aboard the non-stop services would be served a choice of Vietnamese meals in all cabins in addition to the traditional French cuisine and wines.

From November, Air France will also join two weekly code-share services from HCMC and five frequencies from Hanoi, and these non-stop flights will be operated by Vietnam Airlines under an agreement between the two carriers.

Vietnam Airlines’ non-stop services will depart from HCMC at 11:10 p.m. on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and arrive in Paris at 6:30 a.m. the next days. The flights from Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi will take off at 11:55 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for Charles de Gaulle Airport.

Beragnes said the flight and route changes underlined stronger cooperation between the two members of SkyTeam. The flagship carrier of Vietnam became a full member of the world’s second largest airline alliance on June 10.

The changes mean Air France will stop flying between Paris and Vietnam via Bangkok as it does currently. However, passengers can board Air France’s flights to Paris and then to other destinations in Europe and the world.

Air France now sells return fares from US$777 excluding taxes and fees until October 24 for the non-stop services from either HCMC or Hanoi to Europe between November 1 and March 31, 2011. Beragnes said customers would be able to purchase these promotional fares on www.airfrance.com.vn, booking offices and agents.

Related Articles

• Air France unveils non-stop services to HCMC
• Vietnam Air accepts web check-in for int’l flights
• Success against corruption, waste
• IFC: Vietnam needs to increase PPP to support economy
• HCMC urges efforts to save Dong Nai River