Air France Plans to Abandon Orly Airport
- ‘Structural’ drop in domestic air travel prompts Orly rethink
- Shift to Charles de Gaulle will come into effect in 2026
An Air France passenger jet at Orly Airport in Paris.
Photographer: Nathan Laine/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Air France’s decision to dramatically thin out its domestic network highlights a trend set in motion even before the pandemic upended travel behavior: aircraft are increasingly losing their competitive edge on shorter routes.
The French carrier will pull out of the Paris Orly airport by 2026, from where it served secondary French cities including Toulouse, Marseille and Nice. The move follows what Air France said has been a 40% drop in domestic air travel, and even by 60% for one-day return trips.