In a triumphant statement, Transavia announced this summer the opening on November 8 of the Montpellier - Paris-Orly line, with "
up to four flights per day
".
Good news, apparently.
In appearance only, because the advertisement omitted to say that the Air France shuttle stopped the same day.
Which operated up to ten flights per day on the same route and carried 500,000 passengers per year.
We are thus reviewing in Montpellier exactly what we witnessed in Biarritz a few months ago: the transfer of this line to Paris-Orly to Transavia, accompanied by a drastic drop in the number of daily frequencies.
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Could it be otherwise? Transavia has 149-seat Boeing 737s, while Air France can, depending on demand, use planes with 100 to 212 seats. If Biarritz is an essentially leisure destination, Montpellier on the other hand was elevated 5 years ago to the rank of "shuttle" like Nice and Toulouse, because of its significant business traffic. On this occasion, Air France had demanded from Montpellier airport a certain number of arrangements, such as a fast line for security checks - the "Sky priority" - a lounge and a priority counter for its frequent passengers, as it does. is customary with companies that are members of Skyteam. This rapid ground run had made it possible to increase the number of passengers by 20%. But, with Transavia, no more fast lines, no more priority check-in,the show is over ... With three flights a day, Transavia will therefore devote itself exclusively to leisure traffic, abandoning a business clientele that is nevertheless the most profitable, in favor of the TGV, which can operate up to ten daily frequencies.
Compatibility issue
Located in the immediate vicinity of boarding gates 16 and 17 dedicated to Air France flights, and the smoking patio, the Salon by Promeo at Montpellier airport.
Montpellier Airport / DR
At the same time, Air France will continue to provide the connection between Montpellier and Paris-Charles de Gaulle, at the rate of four or five daily connections. If we add the Transavia flights at Orly to those of Air France at Charles de Gaulle, the offer could be very correct for “
business
”
passengers
. But there is a major downside: tickets from both companies cannot be combined. Thus, if you depart from Orly to Montpellier with Transavia and return to Charles de Gaulle with Air France, your trip will be considered as two one-way trips. However, the most interesting tickets with Air France are always round trips ...
Likewise, subscribers with Gold or Platinum status on Air France will have the right to go from Charles de Gaulle, to Sky Priority, to the lounge and to the choice of free seat, but not for the return trip to Orly. .
Another pitfall, if the size of cabin baggage has been standardized between the two companies, the weight limits still differ: 10 kg at Transavia against 12 kg at Air France in the cabin, and 20 kg for Transavia against 23 kg for Air France in hold.
Finally, Subscriber, Weekend, Senior or Youth reduction cards are obviously not accepted on Transavia.
Read alsoPassenger transfer between Air France and Transavia: are customers the big losers?
Such dissonances between two companies belonging to the same group are no longer appropriate these days. If we look at the train side, the SNCF has, for example, set up a working group which will study, from next year, ways of making Ouigo and TGV tickets compatible. This is all the more absurd as Transavia is the only company to offer miles and XP to its users, without recognizing them the Flying Blue status of the Skyteam alliance.
This also marks the gradual end of connections at Orly to the French overseas departments and territories, New York and other towns in the regions.
Transavia, like any low cost airline, does not provide connections.
Neither between its flights nor with those of Air France.
For example, a passenger who makes a Toulon-Brest via Orly with two Transavia flights will be forced to fend for himself, to re-register his luggage and to redo the security route.
The same goes for a passenger leaving Biarritz for a flight to the Antilles or Reunion with a first Transavia flight followed by a long-haul flight on Air France.
You said complicated ?
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