Aircalin
Template:Short description Template:About Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox airline
Société Aircalin, also known as Air Calédonie International, is the flag carrier of the French collectivity of New Caledonia, with its headquarters in Nouméa.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> It operates scheduled services from its main hub at La Tontouta International Airport to destinations across Oceania and Asia, as well as domestic services in Wallis and Futuna. The airline is 99% owned by the Government of New Caledonia, with the remaining 1% held by minority owners, including the airline's employees.
History
The airline was established in September 1983 as Air Calédonie International, an international airline to complement New Caledonia's domestic airline, Air Calédonie.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Between 1983 and 1985, the airline operated flights from Nouméa by leasing aircraft from other airlines including Air Nauru and Qantas. In 1985, the airline acquired a Sud Aviation Caravelle from Corsair, which it used to open routes to Sydney and Auckland until 1988, when the airline replaced the Caravelle with a Boeing 737-300. In 1986, the airline began operating in Asia until 1997 due to the Asian Financial Crisis, specifically operated from Nouméa to Kagoshima via Manila and Hong Kong, shortly after, it began flying to Honolulu from Nouméa via Guam and Wake Island until 1999 due to unprofitability. In 1987, the airline also acquired a de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter to operate services in Wallis and Futuna. In 1996, the airline rebranded as Aircalin, unveiling a new corporate image and logo.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In April 2000, Aircalin agreed on a three-year interim lease with Airbus for an Airbus A310-300 previously operated by Swissair as its first widebody aircraft. This allowed the airline to trial the viability of long-haul services, with the airline's first long-haul destination being Osaka.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The next year, the airline ordered two Airbus A330-200s from Airbus, which were to begin delivery upon the expiration of its Airbus A310 lease. The airline also considered the replacement of its single Boeing 737-300 with an Airbus A320-200.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="FG2">Template:Cite web</ref> Aircalin's first Airbus A330-200 proceeded to begin service in late 2002, replacing the leased Airbus A310, while the second A330-200 allowed the airline to open a new route to Tokyo, taking over Air France's service between Tokyo and Nouméa.<ref name="FG2"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 9 February 2004, the airline received its first Airbus A320-200, which replaced its Boeing 737-300.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>
On 1 July 2014, Aircalin unveiled a new livery with the delivery of its second Airbus A320-200, the livery incorporating shades of blue inspired by New Caledonia's lagoon and skies, as well as traditional symbols.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In October 2017, the airline ordered two Airbus A320neo and two A330-900 aircraft, with the intent of replacing its two Airbus A320-200 and two A330-200 aircraft.<ref name="fleet-renew">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Aircalin's first Airbus A330-900 was delivered on 30 July 2019, and the airline subsequently planned the retirement of its Airbus A330-200 operations for September 2019.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Following the initial retirement of the airline's Airbus A330-200 aircraft, Aircalin returned one of its Airbus A330-900 aircraft to Airbus in November 2019, citing noxious fumes in the cabin during operation, similar to issues reported by TAP Air Portugal for their own A330-900 aircraft.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> One of the airline's A330-200 aircraft was temporarily returned to operation for six weeks, during which the A330-900 was being investigated by Airbus and engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce until December 2019.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Aircalin in May 2020 reported a 93% drop in passenger demand since March 2020, postponed all operations outside of French repatriation flights, and announced plans to cut staffing costs by 20% through a combination of layoffs and voluntary resignations.<ref name="RNZ"/> The airline also announced the suspension of its routes to Melbourne and Osaka from Nouméa, and the postponement of its Airbus A320neo deliveries from 2020 to 2023.<ref name="RNZ"/> The airline initially in July 2020 scheduled the resumption of services to Osaka for March 2021,<ref name="KIX2021">Template:Cite web</ref> but flights to Osaka never resumed. Despite previous reports that its Airbus A320neo deliveries would be postponed to 2023, Aircalin accepted its first of two A320neos in December 2020,<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> before retiring its remaining Airbus A320-200s by April 2021.
Destinations
Aircalin serves or has previously served the following destinations Template:As of:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Interline agreements
Aircalin has interlining agreements with the following airlines: Template:Div col
Codeshare agreements
Aircalin has codeshare agreements with the following airlines:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Div col
- Air Caledonie<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Air France<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Air New Zealand
- Air Tahiti Nui
- Air Vanuatu
- Japan Airlines
- Qantas
- Singapore Airlines<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Fleet
Current fleet
_Airbus_A330-941N_taxiing_at_Sydney_Airport.jpg)
Template:As of, Aircalin operates an all-Airbus fleet consisting of the following aircraft:<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
| Aircraft | In service |
Orders | Passengers | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Y+ | Y | Total | ||||
| Airbus A320neo | 2 | — | — | 8 | 160 | 168 | |
| Airbus A330-900 | 2 | — | 26 | 21 | 244 | 291 | |
| Airbus A350-900 | — | 2 | TBA | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | |||
| Total | 4 | 2 | |||||
Former fleet
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Aircalin has previously operated the following aircraft:
| Aircraft | Total | Introduced | Retired | Replacement | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A310-300 | 1 | 2000 | 2003 | Airbus A330-200 | |
| Airbus A320-200 | 2 | 2004 | 2021 | Airbus A320neo | |
| Airbus A330-200 | 2 | 2002 | 2019 | Airbus A330-900 | |
| Boeing 737-300 | 1 | 1988 | 2004 | Airbus A320-200 | |
| de Havilland Canada DHC-6-300 Twin Otter | 3 | 1987 | 2023 | None | |
| Sud Aviation Caravelle | 1 | 1985 | 1988 | Boeing 737-300 |
Frequent-flyer program
Template:Main Aircalin participates in Flying Blue, the frequent-flyer program of Air France–KLM. The airline originally joined as a partner of Air France's Fréquence Plus program in 1997, before it was later succeeded by and integrated into KLM's Flying Blue program in 2003.
References
External links
Template:Commons category-inline
- Official website
- "Entretien avec Philippe Busson, Directeur technique d'Aircalin Template:Webarchive" Entretien avec DT Aircalin
- "Aircalin Aircraft Livery" (Archive). Interact (company). September 2013.
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