Looking to use their A380 fleet more efficiently and crank up revenues, Air France is reportedly planning to add a London-Paris commuter route with one of the world's largest passenger jets.
Air France currently has three double-decker A380 jets seating over 500 passengers and flying regularly to New York City and Johannesburg. According to Bloomberg, the idea would be to add revenue by using the jets during gaps between long-haul flights. First-class would not be available for the London-Paris route, and economy round-trip tickets could run as low as $115, the wire service said.
While the high-speed Eurostar train service has fallen far short of reliable in recent months, I personally don't see any major benefit to an A380 service between Paris and London. The flight is roughly an hour, so you'd scarcely get to enjoy the relative luxury of the jumbo jet before descending into London or Paris, and the extra time required by airport security and transportation also weighs in favor of the train, in my book. I'm curious to see if travelers will bite.
Weigh In:
Related:
- Travel From London to Paris
- How to Get to Paris: A Complete Guide
- All About the Eurostar
- How to Get to Paris From the Airport
Image: One of Air France's A380 jets landing. Courtesy of Air France.
One word: Competition!
I sincerely hope that the monopol Eurostar prices will fall thanks to Air France.