Transavia launches low-cost medium-haul service....

One of the very concrete impacts of COVID-19 at a time when air transport is slowly taking off again is the adaptation by airlines of their services to new health constraints.

This adaptation can take different forms and be very different in scope depending on the airline. While all of them take the health safety of their customers very seriously, some see these constraints as an excellent pretext for downgrading their level of service and introducing cost-cutting measures. Indeed, when we see the differences that can exist between the various airlines, even though they are faced with the same constraints, we can be surprised that they arrive at diametrically opposed solutions.

Air France has decided to eliminate all forms of service on its flights of less than 2.5 hours, including in business class. As for long-haul flights, if it is less obvious, certain choices remain difficult to explain, as explained by our colleagues from The Travelers Club. In contrast, an airline like Lufthansa has chosen not to downgrade its offer.

Reducing service to reduce interaction and thus protect crews and passengers? This can be understood if it is coherent.

At British Airways, an airline that is rarely expected to be generous, the ‘Buy On Board’ offer in medium-haul economy class has been replaced by a ‘normal’ service. The same objectives are pursued, but the two results are radically different, since in one case the service is abolished and the other improved.

Even more amusing is the comparison with Transavia, the low cost airline of the Air France-KLM group.

You read that correctly: Transavia is maintaining its Buy On Board offer where Air France is cutting all service. As far as coherence is concerned, we’ll have to wait and see, and they really have to have a poor opinion of their passengers to make them swallow that the reasons behind this decision are purely sanitary.

In the meantime, and until the service protocols are reviewed, Transavia has a little low-cost sister on the medium-haul route. It is called Air France and no doubt passengers will appreciate it.

If you want to compare :