Air France Resumes Manila-Paris Flights After 2 Decades

Air France has officially resumed its direct flights between Paris and Manila, marking the return of this route after two decades. The inaugural flight took off from Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 at 9:50 p.m. on Sunday, December 8, 2024, and arrived at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport at 5:50 a.m. the following day.

The event was celebrated with a send-off ceremony attended by notable figures, including Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, French Ambassador to the Philippines Marie Fontanel, and New Naia Infra Corp. (NNIC) General Manager Lito Alvarez.

The newly resumed flights will operate three times a week, departing from NAIA every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday at 9:50 p.m. and arriving in Paris the following morning at 5:50 a.m. Return flights from Paris will depart every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 11:20 p.m., arriving back in Manila at 7:30 p.m. the same day.

According to French Ambassador Fontanel, the resumption of the Paris-Manila route was in response to strong demand from travelers. She assured that the French Embassy is well-prepared to handle the expected rise in visa applications following the flight's return.