Air France launches Dedicate in Kuwait, Doha, Kish Island

Scheduled to fly from the Paris-Charles de Gaulle hub, Dedicate-branded routes will connect these destinations to the global Air France and SkyTeam alliance network. The timetables, frequencies, service levels and comfort on Dedicate flights match all the usual Air France long-haul standards. The flights are operated using 82-seat Airbus A319s offering l'Espace Affaires (business) and Tempo (economy) cabins.

In the Middle East, over the coming months, Air France will be offering three Dedicate destinations: Kuwait, Kish Island and Doha. Each destination is the gateway to regions where a whole array of French and international companies operate, due to the proximity of oil production sites or to large-scale infrastructure requirements.

The schedule offered to customers in 2004 is as follows:

• Kuwait-Paris on Tuesdays & Saturdays
Paris - Kuwait on Thursdays & Sundays

• Kish Island- Paris (Islamic Republic of Iran) on Wednesdays and Saturdays
Paris- Kish Island (Islamic Republic of Iran) on Tuesdays & Fridays

• Doha (Qatar) -Paris on Thursdays & Sundays
Paris- Doha (Qatar) on Wednesdays & Saturdays

With Dedicate, Air France customers will benefit not only from the complete array of Company services but also from the Fréquence Plus or Petroleum Club frequent flyer programmes. Dedicate flights are designed to meet the needs of companies but are accessible to all Air France customers. Fares are comparable to those offered on the Company's long-haul routes.

For Bruno Matheu, Senior Vice-President, Marketing and Networks, «Dedicate demonstrates Air France's dedication to innovation. Because it consistently seeks to win over new customers and retain its corporate customers, Air France is constantly exploring changing needs and seeking to provide a tailored response to them. This is the rationale behind Dedicate, which will enable a niche market of professionals to gain in travelling efficiency, speed and comfort. Dedicate, which combines the benefits of an airline major with those of business aviation, is destined to become one of Air France's flagship products in its policy of building corporate customer loyalty.»