Air France unveiled on Thursday the name of its new lower-cost airline “Joon”.
AIR FRANCE
Air France unveils ‘Joon’: Its new lower-cost airline for ‘millenials’
Air France has announced the name of its new lower-cost airline after securing the backing of its pilots.
Published: 20 July 2017 13:30 CEST
Photo: AFP
The name was announced after the creation of the airline was agreed to by pilots earlier this week in a move that saw the Air France CEO praise their “spirit of responsibility”.
Joon is “especially aimed at a young working clientele, the millennials (18 to 35 year-olds), whose lifestyles revolve around digital technology”, Air France said in a statement, without elaborating on what new technology would be deployed.
The name was chosen “to illustrate a positive state of mind”, it added.
Joon is aimed at helping Air France compete with the increasingly intense competition from budget European carriers such as Easyjet and Gulf airlines such as Emirates.
However, the airline said: “Joon will not be a low-cost airline as it will offer original products and services that reflect those of Air France.”
The airline said that Joon will start out providing medium-haul services before breaking into the long-haul market in 2018.
With its list of destinations and prices set to be revealed in September, Joon will welcome aboard its first passengers in the autumn.
The pilots agreed to the launch of the new airline on Monday on the condition they would receive the same pay and conditions.
The pilots were initially hostile to the plan, fearing they would be forced to accept lower wages but with Monday's agreement came the end of seven months of negotiations on a new cost-cutting deal.
Air France-KLM CEO Jean-Marc Janaillac said the agreement was a “balanced compromise that serves the interest of the company and all its employees.”
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