Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) has welcomed Air France for the first time in over a decade. On December 12, Flight AF 62, operated by Boeing 777-200ER, touched down at EWR Airport at 14: 22 local time. The flight marked the return of the French flag carrier to Newark for the first time since 2012.
Air France returns to Newark.
On Monday, Air France launched a non-stop year-round service between Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Newark (EWR). The flag carrier deployed Boeing 777-200ER bearing tail number F-GSPK to operate the first flight from CDG Airport to Newark. The aircraft completed a 7-hour and 36 minutes journey before finally landing in New Jersey at 14: 22 local time.
The French flagship airline and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey celebrated the historic event at the EWR Terminal B. James Gill, General Manager of EWR Airport, expressed his excitement at the gate ceremony on Air France’s comeback to EWR. He thanked Air France for the investment and said that AF’s CDG service would provide flight options to their community to France and beyond.
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Air France axed its direct flights to Newark in 2012 and made the initial request to offer Newark services in 2021.
Air France’s Paris-Newark service
Air France is set to offer 40 flights on the CDG-EWR route in both directions this month. The French flag carrier will offer the CDG-EWR service onboard Boeing 777-200 and B777-200ER aircraft. AF’s 280-seat B777-200 aircraft has three cabin classes configured with 40 seats in business class and 24 in premium economy. The rest 216 seats belong to the standard economy class in a 3-4-3 layout.
The non-stop flight itinerary on the CDG-EWR route is published as follows:
AF 0062: Depart CDG at 12: 30 and arrive in EWR at 15:30 local time; total flight duration: 08 hours 30 minutes
AF0063: Depart EWR at 17: 00 and arrive in CDG at 06: 10 local time the next day, total time duration: 7 hours 10 minutes
In the first month of 2023, Air France will operate the new route using B777s and B787-9 Dreamliner. It will bolster its flight frequency in the peak summer season, beginning April through September 2022. As such, the carrier will fly 60-62 times a month between Paris CDG and Newark.
Bolstering presence in New York
Air France has increased its presence in the New York area by restarting the daily non-stop flights to Newark. The CDG-EWR service is in addition to six-daily flights operated by Air France on the Paris CDG-New York JFK route. The airline avails ‘ shuttle’ services between CDG and JFK with six flights per day alongside twice-daily flights operated by its Skyteam partner Delta Air Lines.
Air France serves John. F Kennedy Airport uses a mixed fleet of Boeing 777-200, B777-300Er, and Airbus A350-900 jets. In pursuit of expanding its footprint in the New York metropolitan area, the carrier resumed Paris Orly-JFK service in late March. But, it suspended its six-weekly flights between Orly and JFK from October 30, 2022, till March 2023.
The Tremblay-en-France-headquartered carrier has the largest passenger share in the Paris-New York market. Air France encompasses around 50% of the seats between Paris and New York. The resumption of Air France to its historic destination Newark further boosts its capacity share of seats in this sector.
Airlines flying between Paris and New York
Currently, a handful of carriers serve the routes connecting the French capital to New York. Competing against Air France, United Airlines also operates flights between Paris CDG and Newark EWR. The Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines operates two daily flights linking JFK Airport to CDG Airport.
Likewise, the other carrier serving the Paris-New York market is an all-business airline La Compagnie, flying between Orly and Newark.
From the home turf, low-cost long-haul French Bee flies between Paris and New York with direct flights on the Orly-Newark route. Moreover, Norway-based Norse Atlantic Airways is also gearing up to serve the CDG-JFK route from March 2023.
Air France serves US destinations.
The US is a prolific market for Air France and instrumental to its transatlantic route map. Air France has spread its wings to over 15 US destinations. They include Austin, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, JFK, Newark, Orland, Philadelphia, Dallas, etc. As a leading foreign carrier in the US, Air France is assessing new US destinations to expand its transatlantic network.
