2023-10-01 05:30:00
Dater the creation of an airline is not a simple thing, especially if its family tree has many branches, not all of which are dead. Born from the merger of Air Orient, Air Union, the Société Générale de Transports Aéroliers, the Compagnie Internationale de Navigation Aire and Aéropostale, Air France, joined by Aéropostale, was officially inaugurated on October 7, 1933 when of a ceremony at Le Bourget during which the brand’s “seahorse” emblem (nicknamed shrimp) was sacred. On August 30, the statutes of Air France were officially filed with the registry of the commercial court and its creation was sanctioned by a constitutive general meeting.
For comparison, KLM was founded in 1919 in Amsterdam. It is the oldest airline in the world. The first flight was made in 1920 between London and Amsterdam.
1938 : The Air France company already has a fleet of 100 aircraft (Bloch MB220, Dewoitine 338, etc.) and a vast network centered on Le Bourget where a “modern” terminal has been built.
1948 : After its nationalization, on June 26, 1945, Air France became the national company. It operates 140,000 kilometers of line – the longest network in the world – from the Orly terminal, opened in 1946. Transatlantic flights, carried out in Super Constellation, become the company’s flagship product. The luxurious services aim to compete with the comfort of liners and soon to differentiate the company from its competitors.
1960 : Jet planes – Caravelle medium-haul twinjet in Europe and Boeing 707 quadjet in intercontinental – are entering service, allowing faster connections. It is the end of the supremacy of maritime connections.
September 20, 1966: Air France becomes the first Western company to serve mainland China by opening a route to Shanghai airport.
1974 : Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle airport opens its runways. Air France leaves Le Bourget. The company is putting into service the A300 wide-body jet, the first aircraft in the Airbus range, a very efficient medium-haul service on Paris-Nice, Paris-London, Paris-Istanbul, etc.
And thus Concorde was born
1976 : The first commercial supersonic connection was provided by the Concorde. Paris-New York will be served daily until 2003. At the same time, the Boeing 747 Jumbo with two decks and carrying up to 400 passengers entered service. It allows for the democratization of air transport. Thus Air France created holiday flights to the Antilles. A low cost concept where to compensate for the drop in prices, the company then served a meal box available at the foot of the boarding bridge.
1990 : It was once morest the backdrop of the Gulf War and economic crisis that the airlines Air France, Air Inter, Air Charter and UTA were united within the Air France Group. The group was officially created by decree on July 25, 1994. UTA’s aeronautical activities were integrated into Air France on 1is January 1992, then the company and the UTA brand disappeared at the end of the same year. Christian Blanc, who had taken over the presidency of the almost bankrupt company in 1993, announced on May 30, 1997 the first positive results of Air France since 1989. Listed on the stock market, the now private company can consider external growth as well as taking control of KLM.
2000 : Birth of SkyTeam, an alliance founded by Air France, Delta Airlines, Aeromexico and Korean Air.
2004 : Air France merges with KLM, becoming one of the largest European airlines. In 2005, the Flying Blue loyalty program, common to both companies, was created. It brings together nearly 20 million members and is therefore one of the largest on the European continent.
October 30, 2009: After several delays, Air France received its first Airbus A380 and, on November 20, the company made the inaugural flight of the A380 between Paris and New York with 538 passengers on board. After confinement, the nine Super Jumbos will no longer be used.
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