Air France marks 80 years of Manchester flights

Air France has marked 80 years of flights between Manchester Airport and Paris.

The airline’s first post-war flight to Manchester took place on June, 16, 1946, when a Dakota aircraft arrived from Paris Le Bourget Airport.

The service dropped off one passenger that day and picked up a VIP party of 18 for the return journey.

Air France then began operating the route three times a week.

Up to four daily flights now run between Manchester and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport providing access to the airline’s global network of almost 170 destinations across 83 countries.

The route is currently operated by Airbus A220-300 aircraft offering a 20% reduction in CO₂ emissions compared with previous-generation aircraft, while its noise footprint is reduced by 34%.

Aside from France, the most popular countries booked by passengers travelling from Manchester include Canada, Mauritius, Nigeria, Peru and the US.

Those flying inbound to the northwest hub come from France as well Brazil, Canada, China, Nigeria and the US.

Air France-KLM UK & Ireland general manager Jerome Salemi said: “Manchester has been part of Air France’s story for eight decades and remains one of our most important regional gateways in the UK today.

“Over the years, the route has continuously evolved alongside customer demand be it for business trips, holidays or visits to friends and relatives. We are proud to continue connecting the northwest to our global network through Paris Charles de Gaulle.”