Air France will resume operations between Cork and Paris CDG from July 1st. The route initially launched two years ago, will recommence as a twice-weekly service initially and increase to four times a week for the peak summer period. The route will be operated by KLM Cityhopper using an Embraer 190, carrying 100 passengers.
Managing Director of Cork Airport, Niall MacCarthy said “The team at Cork Airport is thrilled to welcome the recommencement of operations by Air France at Cork from July 1. Both our team in the airport and the excellent Air France team look forward to making your journey a safe and comfortable one as you return to flying from Cork in the days, weeks and months ahead.”
Benedicte Duval, General Manager for UK & Ireland said, “As borders reopen and travel restrictions begin to ease, safety is a prerequisite for Air France as we gradually resume travel. After this challenging period, we are delighted to be in a position to return to our pre-COVID network in Ireland, connecting passengers from Cork with our worldwide network via Paris”.
“As we all adapt to this new environment, I can assure you that all Air France staff, both on the ground and on board, are committed to guaranteeing our passengers the highest levels of health and with safety. We look forward to welcoming our Irish passengers back on board”, she added.
In line with Irish Government guidelines, Cork Airport and Air France require customers to wear a face mask or face covering throughout their entire journey from arrival at Cork Airport, during the flight to exiting the Terminal at Paris CDG. Customers will be notified by Air France of this via all communication channels (e-mail, SMS, websites) before their departure and will be asked to ensure they possess one or more masks for their trip. Face masks are also available from vending machines at Cork Airport.
This is in addition to a range of health & safety measures implemented by both Cork Airport and Air France in response to the COVID-19 health crisis, which includes:
- The compulsory wearing of masks for all Air France crew members and airport handling agents in contact with customers
- The adherence to social and physical distancing throughout the passenger journey at Cork Airport and the installation of Plexiglas protection screens at customer service desks such as Check-In and Boarding Gates as well as sanitization procedures to the highest standards
- The implementation of social/physical distancing in the airport and on board where this is possible. Current low load factors make it possible to separate customers in most circumstances. In cases where this is not possible, compulsory face masks ensure adequate health protection
- The reinforcement of daily aircraft cleaning procedures, with the disinfection of all surfaces in contact with customers such as armrests, tables and screens
- The introduction of a specific procedure for the periodic disinfecting aircraft by spraying an approved virucidal product effective for 10 days
- Adapting in-flight service to limit interaction between customers and crew members. On domestic flights and short flights in Europe, meal and beverage services have been suspended.
In addition, the air in the cabin is renewed every 3 minutes. The air recycling system on board Air France aircraft is equipped with “High-Efficiency Particulate Air” or HEPA filters, identical to those used in hospital operating theatres. These filters extract more than 99.99% of the smallest viruses, including those no larger than 0.01 micrometres, thus ensuring that cabin air complies with quality standards. Coronavirus type viruses, ranging in size from 0.08 to 0.16 micrometres, are filtered through the HEPA filters.
Health Authorities in France have introduced temperature checks for passengers departing from Paris CDG. These systematic checks will be carried out with contactless infrared thermometers. Customers whose temperature is higher than 38°C may be denied boarding and their reservation will be changed by Air France at no extra charge to a flight at a later date.
In response to the current crisis and subsequent travel restrictions, for any bookings made since April 22, Air France allows date and destination changes up until June 30, 2021 free of charge.
Cork Airport and Air France remind passengers that the health and safety of their customers and staff is an absolute priority. Both teams are fully mobilized to ensure the highest levels of health and safety for their customers and to ensure they travel in complete confidence.
