Air France

Air France campaign promotes economy experience

Advertising, Food, ,

Air France (launching flights between Seattle and Paris this weekend) is rolling out a cute campaign focusing not on its business or first class amenities – but on what it gives to economy pass passengers.

And what other airlines don’t.

Noting that ‘budget’ carriers offer low prices but minimal amenities, the “Take a Chance or Fly Air France” campaign touts the fact that economy class passengers on Air France pay low prices but also get amenities such as in-flight entertainment, warm meals, and champagne.

To make the point, Air France has made up give-away boxes containing items that may be useful to passengers flying economy class on other airlines:

  • 5 foot scroll of Sudoku puzzles for flights without free entertainment
  • Scratch-and-sniff boeuf bourguignon meal patch for flights without free hot meals and;
  • Champagne gummies for flights without free champagne

The boxes will be given away via a vending machine at an event at The Grove shopping center in Los Angeles on March 24 (with a few golden tickets good for two round-trip tickets on Air France in the mix), but the rest of us can enter to win a box of goodies by entering an online sweepstakes.

 

Food, , , ,

 

Chewing gum is often prescribed for travelers who experience pain in their ears due to changes in cabin air pressure as the plane takes off or lands and, in the past, was handed regularly on flights.

That tradition has gone bye-bye, but Air France is doing its part to bring it back.

The airline has created its own, all-natural, made-in-France chewing gum – “La gomme à mâcher” – with two flavors: pistachio-macaroon and crème brûlée.

The airline says the gum is now available before take-off on flights AF066 from Paris-Charles de Gaulle to Los Angeles and AF084 from Paris-Charles de Gaulle to San Francisco and is being offered at various Air France lounges at Paris-Charles de Gaulle (Terminal 2E, hall M, K, L, and 2 F1, F2, G) and Paris-Orly (hall 3).

Air France isn’t the first to bring bag chewing gum as an in-flight amenity.

When Hawaiian Airlines celebrated the 85th anniversary of inter-island passenger service back in November 2015, the airline handed out packets of Wrigley’s gum to all passengers that day, because back in 1929, when the airline started flying the first amenity offered to passengers was a stick of gum to relieve ear pressure.

 

Air France buys 20,000 Charlie Hebdo papers for passengers

Politics, Terrorism, ,

Charlie Hebdo

French flag carrier Air France purchased 20,000 copies of the first edition of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo to be published since the January 7 terrorist attack on its offices.

The cover features a representation of Mohammed holding a placard that reads ‘Je Suis Charlie.’

The initial press run of five million copies sold out quickly, but Air France passengers at both Charles De Gaulle and Orly airports could pick up a copy of the issue in departure lounges.