The Company will add two new cities to its road map this fall: Tel Aviv, Israel, and Milan, Italy. Milan will benefit from non-stop service to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), while Tel Aviv will benefit from one-stop service to Newark via Paris Orly Airport (ORY). To better understand the new routes, Simple Flying spoke with Christian Vernet, President of La Compagnie.

Milan: an early and easy choice

Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) will see four flights per week to Newark from November 29 on board La Compagnie. According to Mr. Vernet, this was one of the airline’s first decisions to increase its capacity.

First, La Compagnie knew it wanted to serve any new European from New York. Newark (EWR), directly across from New York, New Jersey, is the best low cost option for The Company’s operations. According to Mr. Vernet, Newark was what mattered:

“We started to wonder how to reposition our capacity in the coming months. But always with a key point, to be of service to New York because we call New York as our gateway to the rest of the world; New York is at the heart of our operations.

After reviewing Newark, the airline then focused on the changing competitive landscape. In particular, he began to examine what other airlines had done, or were going to do, in the post-crisis world:

“So we looked at different cities in Europe… looking for destinations to support the pre-crisis passenger volume in business class. [We looked at] the state of competition: who were the actors, who are the actors, which actors died or resigned from the destination or which actors with limited capacity leaving the Airbus A380 towards the Boeing 777 or 787. This therefore means which type of The impact the offer would have on the remaining capacity. Milan came – quite quickly – as an answer. In June 2020, we chose Milan as the next route to be served on a permanent basis. “

Milan in New York is an extremely competitive market. The three main American airlines, as well as the Italian national airline, Alitalia, provide the connection. American, Alitalia and Delta serve New York-JFK from Milan, while United serve Newark. More. Emirates offers a fifth freedom line between JFK and Milan.

This route also once had competition in the form of Air Italy. This carrier formerly supported by Qatar Airways is no longer in activity. In addition, the future of Alitalia on the road remains to be seen. Italy continues to debate a new carrier for the country, which could replace Alitalia.

Overall, La Compagnie saw potential in Milan and expected the destination to be a success for the carrier. Both a shopping and leisure center, the airline should be able to fill its cabin with 76 passenger seats.

The other thing to recognize is that airlines like Air France and Lufthansa have reduced their Airbus A380 capacity to Europe, which means fewer seats available for connections. Some customers who would have previously connected to Milan may turn to La Compagnie’s non-stop operations.

Where Tel Aviv fits

The Company has looked at Tel Aviv in the past. As Mr. Vernet explained:

“We saw Tel Aviv as a potential case quite some time ago, and we have reactivated and refurbished our analysis of this market. He confirmed, after speaking with people and business entities in Tel Aviv, that our product, basically the A321neo, a very specific 76 full business class frame. [cabin] plane, would be a very good offer for the Israeli market, which is quite demanding and appreciates quality.

Tel Aviv also complements the airline’s services, according to Vernet. Although it is well known for serving France from the United States, it must also serve French customers. Israel is a popular leisure and business destination, although this market is also incredibly competitive.

Serving Tel Aviv either as a connecting option in Paris for New York travelers or as a flight between France and Israel is a win-win solution for the carrier. The mix of connecting and originating travelers will help keep the airline’s planes full, even amid the incredible competition on flights between Europe and Israel.

How and when to take the new roads

Flights between Newark (EWR) and Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) will launch on July 21 and will run seasonally through October 30. This line will fly three times a week with a 90-minute stop in Paris. Passengers will be able to get off in Paris, and new passengers will be able to board the plane.

Next is the flight between Newark and Milan. This will take place from November 29, 2021, with four flights per week. The reason why it starts a little late in the year is, according to Mr. Vernet, an efficient and practical method in the service of the market. The airline is still grappling with the financial fallout from the crisis and needs to be cautious about capacity. In addition, by November, it is also hoped that the ban on travel to Europe can be lifted, allowing the company to bring more passengers back to the United States.

Are you going to fly La Compagnie on any of these routes? Which one are you the most excited about? What do you think of Milan and Tel Aviv? Let us know in the comments!