Air France Resumes Direct Flights to Manila After 20 Years

Air France has marked a significant return to the Philippines with its inaugural non-stop flight landing at Manila International Airport (MNL) on December 8, 2024. This event marks the resumption of service after a two-decade hiatus, underscoring a renewed commitment to connect France and the Philippines more closely.

Flight AF 208, operated by an Airbus A350-941 with the registration F-HTYJ, took off from Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) in Paris at 23:30 local time on December 7, 2024. The flight spanned less than 13 hours, arriving in Manila at 19:26 local time the next day. The arrival of the flight was celebrated by a welcoming committee that included Marie Fontanel, the French Ambassador to the Philippines and Micronesia, and Jaime Bautista, the Philippines’ Secretary of Transportation.

The service, set to run three times a week, features the A350-900 aircraft configured with 34 business class seats, 24 premium economy seats, and 266 economy seats. This route reintroduction comes after Air France ceased operations to Manila in 2004 following its merger with KLM. Since then, Air France has maintained its presence in the region through a codeshare agreement with KLM.

The resumption of direct flights is seen as a pivotal development for both countries, fostering enhanced connections not just in travel but also in transport, science, tourism, and cultural exchanges. According to a social media post by the Embassy of France, these renewed flights are set to pave the way for strengthened ties between France and the Philippines.

This strategic move by Air France is part of a broader trend in the aviation industry where airlines are re-establishing routes and enhancing their networks to accommodate the growing demand for international travel post-pandemic. The direct flight not only simplifies travel between the two nations but also enhances economic and diplomatic relations, providing a direct link that facilitates business, leisure, and cultural exchanges more efficiently than ever before.

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