Destination S4
a new approach to travel with Air France
at Paris-Charles de Gaulle
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Air France and Aéroports de Paris have joined forces to improve the quality of
service offered to passengers, attract more international traffic and strengthen
the leading European hub. These complementary ambitions gave rise to Hub
2012, a joint programme geared to meeting the needs of all our customers.
Among the new infrastructures implemented as part of « Hub 2012 », the first
and most important transformation is the completion of satellite S4, the new
boarding area at terminal 2E. This new area allows Air France to group its
operations to the east of the hub and to offer its passengers shorter and more
fluid connecting channels.
Fully dedicated to handling long-haul flights and wide-bodied aircraft, the S4
is a strategic location for setting up the largest Air France lounge. This 3,000
sq. m area dedicated to well-being embodies Air France’s ambition to offer its
customers the very best in French art of living and technological innovations.
Alongside these new infrastructures, Air France and its SkyTeam partners as well
as Aéroports de Paris have invested heavily to continue to meet passengers’
expectations at every stage of their trip.
Satellite S4: new boarding area at terminal 2E
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The new satellite S4, a key element
of the Air France hub’s transformation
at the service of customers
Concentrating
Air France’s operations
The anchor of the hub system implemented by Air France-KLM and its partners,
Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport is changing and expanding. By launching the
construction of satellite 4, Aéroports de Paris and Air France wanted to improve
the quality of service offered to customers and the competitiveness of ParisCharles de Gaulle airport in terms of international long-haul traffic.
With additional capacity provided by the new satellite at terminal 2E, it will be
possible to reconfigure terminal 2F to make it exclusively dedicated to European
traffic (Schengen area). Air France and SkyTeam operations will mostly be east of
the platform, between terminals 2E, 2F and 2G. Flight connections, at the heart
of Air France’s activity, will be simplified and shortened. At an operational level,
this new infrastructure will maximize the number of connections in the shortest
possible time.
The Air France hub at Paris-Charles de Gaulle in 2012
N
W
E
S
Boarding pier S4
Gates K
Gates
L
Gates
M
European traffic (Schengen*):
short and medium-haul
International traffic:
medium and long-haul
Connecting channels
single security checkpoint
Boarding pier at
terminal 2E
Boarding pier S3
(Galerie Parisienne)
*from the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Sweden.
The launch of this boarding satellite will shorten connection circuits, making
them more practical. In less than three minutes, passengers will be able to reach
satellite 4 from terminal 2E by an automatic train which operates between the
various parts of terminal E: gates K, located at terminal E’s boarding pier, gates
L, accessible from satellite 3 and gates M, the new boarding gates located at
satellite S4.
The new satellite 4 will be dedicated to long-haul flights and wide-bodied aircraft
and will be able to welcome up to 7.8 million passengers. It will simultaneously
have room for 16 long-haul aircraft, including 6 Airbus A380, increasing the
number of flights handled at gate parking stands directly at the terminal. The
new satellite will be used exclusively by Air France and its SkyTeam partners,
representing over 60% of passengers at Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport in
2011.
A satellite exclusively used by Air France
and its SkyTeam partners
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A walk through Paris
before flying off
to a new destination
Architects and engineers have designed satellite 4 with the aim of facilitating
passenger channels and making it as comfortable and pleasant as possible by
offering a walk through the city, through Paris: arriving by metro, a shopping mall
built on the model of the chic department stores with iconic French brands, then
the boarding lounge, a window of European technology.
Passengers will be able to enjoy more than 6,000 sq. m. of shops, bars and
restaurants, mainly arranged around a large central square. These areas reflect
the image of Paris and the art of French living. Aéroports de Paris has also
included a Museum area which will exhibit original works from Paris museums.
S4 key figures
. Passenger capacity of 7.8 million per year
. 16 gate parking stands including 6 Airbus A380
. 15 security checkpoints grouped together in one area
. 100,000 sq. m. surface area including 25,000 sq. m. of boarding lounge
. 6,000 sq. m. of shops, bars and restaurants
25,000 sq. m. of boarding lounge
A High Environmental Quality building
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A new nature-inspired
architectural concept
The largest Air France lounge
With the launch of satellite 4, Air France will be offering its customers the largest
lounge in its network, aiming to turn the airport experience into an occasion for
relaxing and experiencing a pure moment of well-being.
Whereas the areas leading to the boarding piers have been designed to recreate
the city, this new lounge area spanning over 3,000 sq. m adopts a new natureinspired architectural concept.
Designed by Brandimage in cooperation with the designer Noé DuchaufourLawrance, taking inspiration from a park, the lounge is designed to allow
guests to relax, enjoy a snack, work, read and enjoy entertainment in different
atmospheres. Built with the customer’s comfort and relaxation in mind, the
colours and organic lines are synonymous with the customer’s well-being.
Upon arrival in the lounge, located at the heart of the boarding satellite,
customers are welcomed by Air France staff who present them with the different
services available. This lounge area has been designed to meet the needs of all
passengers, whether they wish to relax, have something to eat, work or plan
their trip.
New features
. An area dedicated to customer service, within the lounge, to handle reservations
and flights from A to Z in a personalized way
. A hot meal service in addition to the cold snacks and drinks already available
at all Air France lounges
. Digital tablets offering a wide range of newspapers and magazines, renewed daily
. A separate, private VIP area
Take care of yourself
To relax and unwind, Clarins, the European leader for beauty products, offers
customers in the lounge a dedicated institute free of charge. In three specially
equipped cabins, beauticians provide face and body treatments for complete
relaxation. Ten shower cubicles, where Clarins products are available, enable
customers to freshen up before taking a flight.
Customers can also take a moment to relax in comfortable armchairs, with
variable seating positions and appropriate lighting. A relaxing area with loungers
is also available in this relaxation area.
Enjoy gourmet cuisine
Air France uses the essential components of fine French cuisine in its offering
of bread, cheese and pastries. Champagne, wine from the Air France cellar and
alcohols served on board are offered on a self-service basis.
Enjoy a drink and a hot or cold snack at the pasta and risotto bar or the salad
bar... Customers can enjoy a varied range of cuisine adapted to the time of day,
at a buffet celebrating French gastronomy. Special events on a gastronomic
theme are also organized.
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Work and stay online
Relaxation area
In a welcoming and harmonious space lit with natural light, especially designed
to work in peace while enjoying all the lounge has to offer, customers can better
organize their time available before a flight or between flights.
With wi-fi provided free by Orange, customers can work undisturbed on their
personal computers or use the computers available in the lounge which have
Internet access. Fax machines and printers are also available in the customer
service area.
To surf the internet, play or learn, Air France offers its customers digital tablets
that offer French and international press. Thanks to the solution developed by
Adaptive Channel, customers can switch from one newspaper or magazine to
another in just one click, watch the trailers of new movies available on board and
find information on Air France services. In the long-term, nearly 150 tablets will
equip all Air France lounges at Paris-Charles de Gaulle.
Thanks to Sharp and France 24, customers can also watch television comfortably
on sofas arranged around coffee tables. A varied selection of French and
international magazines and newspapers are also arranged in different parts of
the lounge.
Eating area
Personalized service
Commitment to service and quality is a key value of the Air France lounges. In
the new S4 lounge, located at the centre of the boarding satellite, customers are
recognized and welcomed in a personalized way. From the time they arrive in the
lounge until they leave to board their flight, Air France staff are available to show
them what is available in the lounge.
In a dedicated area, staff are attentive to customers to inform them and help
them organize their trip down to the smallest detail: to change seats, provide
information on their Flying Blue account, change a reservation or keep them
informed of any changes to their flight schedules.
A VIP area enables groups or delegations to have access to a separate, private
area, with a range of cuisine and specific customer relations.
The Air France lounge in figures
. an investment of 13 million euros
. 3,092 sq. m.
Relaxation area with loungers
. 620 seats
Privileged lounges worldwide
All over the world, Air France customers travelling in La Première or Business
class or have access to 500 lounges, including close to 50 Air France lounges,
offering them a wide range of services in a calm and subdued atmosphere, away
from the hustle and bustle of the airport.
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New passenger services
Rethinking customer-contact jobs
to offer new services
These new facilities represent a new environment for all staff working at the
hub and are the occasion to rethink certain jobs in an aim to make them more
customer-oriented.
Air France has rolled out a large-scale customer relations training programme for
all their staff via the Airport Operations Training Dept.
Greeting the customer, providing information and resolving problems in several
languages ensure that a passenger’s airport experience is a positive one. To
assist customers who do not speak English or French, Air France has set up a
multilingual team speaking Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese, Japanese, Korean,
Tamil, Hindi, Spanish, Portuguese and literary Arabic.
These multilingual agents welcome 5,000 passengers every day, assisting them
with their check-in formalities or a connecting flight. Their understanding of the
language and culture facilitate their exchanges with these populations, helping
them to establish a more spontaneous contact.
With the development of mobile services for flight reservations and modifications,
on-line check-in, seat selection and boarding, Air France staff have more time to
focus on the customer. To allow Air France staff to provide real-time information
and answer customers’ questions, they will shortly have access to a mobile tool
allowing them to inform customers and present the Company’s new products
and services.
With the development of mobile services,
Air France staff have more time to focus on the customer
SkyPriority,
worldwide recognition
SkyPriority Access
for Premium* customers
To ensure Premium* customers enjoy a more streamlined service and to
guarantee them enhanced recognition, Air France and SkyTeam member airlines
will introduce a coordinated global ground service, called SkyPriority, at ParisCDG in April 2012.
With harmonized signage and SkyPriority access marked on the boarding
pass, Air France and its SkyTeam partners want to make services more easily
identifiable to customers regardless of the airport in which they are located.
There are many benefits of SkyPriority, from check-in to baggage delivery.
• Priority check-in: dedicated check-in counters and priority baggage drop-off.
• Priority boarding: faster access to security checkpoints as well as to customs
clearance and priority boarding onto the aircraft.
• Priority baggage delivery.
SkyPriority is another illustration of the success of the fifteen SkyTeam member
airlines to improve the service offered to their customers. This service will also
gradually be extended to more than 1,000 airports worldwide.
* La Première, Affaires, Premium Voyageur, Alizé, Premium Affaires, Premium Eco, SkyTeam Elite Plus
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Global infrastructure changes
at Paris-Charles de Gaulle
The next stages of Hub 2012:
faster and easier passenger channels
Clearer passenger channels
Hub 2012 is based on global infrastructure changes at Paris-Charles de Gaulle
which will not only improve the quality of installations but also the clarity of
passenger channels, both on departure and in transit.
Located at the far eastern side of Paris-Charles de Gaulle, terminals 2F and 2E
are the heart of the Air France hub. With the creation of increased passenger
capacity at satellite 4, terminal 2F,opened in 1998, will be reconfigured to
accommodate Schengen flights only* from the end of 2012. Currently, both
international flights and Schengen flights are operated there.
*from the following countries: Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France,
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Netherlands, Poland,
Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden and Czech Republic.
From late 2012, passengers coming from a Schengen country and travelling to
an international destination will only need to pass through a security checkpoint
during their stopover in Paris. Thanks to a single security checkpoint and new
passenger channels between terminals 2E and 2F, connections at Paris-Charles
de Gaulle will be shorter and easier.
90% of customers from the Schengen area will benefit from this new single
security checkpoint, representing 10,000 passengers per day. This will save
passengers up to 10 minutes on their connection time.
New facilities for
medium-haul passengers
This transformation will give the hub greater clarity and will enable Aéroports de
Paris to make significant improvements to Terminal 2F:
• Passengers will be able to check in at any check-in desk, reducing waiting
times. Air France will use 19 check-in desks in the Business class area and 44
in the Voyageur area.
• Aéroports de Paris will bring together the five existing security checkpoints
into just one zone in the centre of the terminal. Four security checkpoints will be
dedicated to Premium passengers.
• Landside, an Air France ticket office will be available for customers.
• The two boarding lounges will now be linked and passengers will have access
to a new range of shops, bars and restaurants.
• A new, bigger Air France lounge will also be opened.
This terminal will be able to welcome up to 16 million passengers, i.e. 2 million
more than today.
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Air France Press Office - June 2012 - http://corporate.airfrance.com/en
Photos : Air France / Brandimage and www.seignettelafontan.com