Air France Asie
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Airline |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Founder | Air France |
| Defunct | 2007 |
| Fate | Ceased operations, passenger flights reintroduced by Air France in 2018 |
| Headquarters | Paris , France |
Area served | Asia, Europe |
| Products | Passenger and cargo airline services |
| Parent | Air France |
Air France Asie operated as a branch of Air France, established in response to the complex legal recognition of the Republic of China and ongoing territorial disagreements with the People's Republic of China, allowing Air France to sustain its air service to Taiwan. It became the leading airline on the France–Taipei corridor after the discontinuation of operations by Air Charter, another Air France affiliate, in 1998.
Primary phase (1994–2004)
Because of Taiwan's contested international status, Air France was unable to conduct flights there under its own brand. In 1993, its subsidiary Air Charter initiated routes connecting Paris and Taipei with a stopover at Hong Kong. Subsequently, Air France Asie launched flights from Paris' Charles de Gaulle Airport to Taipei, frequently routing through Hong Kong's Kai Tak Airport until its closure in 1998. Additionally, it operated services from Paris to Osaka via Hong Kong. The fleet initially consisted of Boeing 747-400Ms, later transitioning to Airbus A340-200 aircraft transferred from Air France.
Following the 2004 merger with KLM, Air France Asie discontinued passenger flights to Taipei and concentrated exclusively on cargo operations. Passenger flights between Paris and Taipei were reintroduced by Air France in April 2018 using Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.
Cargo operations (2004–2007)
After halting passenger services in 2004, the Boeing 747-200F aircraft continued freight transport between Paris and Taipei until 2007. The termination of this cargo route may have been influenced by geopolitical dynamics involving Mainland China, France, and Taiwan.
Asia
- Template:Country data HKGTemplate:Namespace detect showall/Template:HKG
- Kai Tak Airport (Focus city; 1994–1998)
- Chek Lap Kok Airport (Focus city; 1998–2007)
- Template:JPN
- Osaka – Itami Airport (operated prior to Kansai Airport's opening in 1994; no service at Kansai)
- Template:ROC-TW
- Taipei – Chiang Kai-shek International Airport (Focus city)
Europe
- Template:FRA
- Paris – Charles de Gaulle Airport (Focus city)
Fleet and livery
The livery of Air France Asie was distinguished by blue and white stripes on the tailfin, setting it apart from Air France's traditional French Tricolour design. The subsidiary's fleet included two Airbus A340-200s (registrations F-GLZD and F-GLZE) alongside two Boeing 747-428M Combi aircraft (F-GISA, F-GISC). The cargo division, Air France Cargo Asie, operated Boeing 747-200 Combis and dedicated freighters (F-GCBH, F-GCBL, F-GPAN, F-GBOX). Air France Asie ceased operations in 2004 with Air France Cargo Asie following suit in 2007.
| Aircraft | Quantity | Entry into Service | Withdrawal | Successor | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A340-200 | 2 | 1994 | 1997 | None | F-GLZD was subsequently transferred to Air Tahiti Nui. |
| Boeing 747-200B | 1 | 1995 | 2003 | None | |
| Boeing 747-200F | 3 | 1994 | 2006 | None | F-GPAN was involved in a crash in March 1999. |
| Boeing 747-400M | 2 | 1994 | 1995 | Airbus A340-200 | F-GISA was later converted for cargo use. |