Transports
Price war on the French overseas departments and territories between Air France, Air Caraïbes, Corsair and Air Tahiti Nui
As traffic in the Antilles and Reunion Island has withstood the health crisis rather well this summer, airlines are fighting a merciless price battle to win the winter season.
A round trip at 226 euros for the West Indies or 268 euros for Reunion Island: the prices of flights to the French overseas departments and territories have never been so low. Between Air France, Corsair, Air Caraïbes, French Bee but also Air Austral and Air Tahiti Nui, it is the race for discounted fares in the hope of encouraging passengers to go on vacation this winter. It is true that the French Antilles, Réunion and Polynesia are among the few long-haul tourist destinations still open which also attract an “affinity” clientele, those who go to visit family or friends.
“Demand remains 60% lower than last year at the same time,” points out Julien Houdebine, Network, Alliances and Revenue director of Corsair. In this context, an excess supply of seats inevitably leads to a price war ”, he regrets. The company specializing in flights between France, the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean has been able to adapt by operating smaller planes (thanks to the replacement of its three Boeing 747s by Airbus 330) without reducing its frequencies. But this strategy is undermined by the sharp increase in the capacities of its competitors.
Air France on the front line
Air France in particular is pursuing an aggressive policy in the region, where it deployed more capacity than last year at the same time with three daily flights between the
