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The CEO of the airline group said that the wealthy tourists who spend on fashion brands and hotels in Paris can enhance France Airlines recovery-words from a “difficult” year.

Bin Smith said Air France She witnessed a “amazing” request from entertainment travelers in her first -class business and seats, and the French airline responded by converting its business model to focus on the distinguished party of the market.

“It is incredible for what the Americans pay to come here, if you look at what costs to stay on the street on the street [five-star] “Bristol Hotel”, Smith told the Financial Times in an interview at the Paris offices in the airline group. It can cost the largest wing at the Bristol Hotel up to $ 50,000 per night, with more economic options starting from $ 2000 per night. Smith was cited “crazy” activity during the Paris Fashion Week, which opened on Monday.

Air France receives about $ 24,000 for a first -class ticket between New York and Paris in April, and launches a first -class updated cabin this month.

The axis came to the upper side of the market at a time when the Air Airways Group, which owns Air France, the Dutch carrier KLM and the minority share of the Scandinavian airline SAS, has a sharp decrease in full public profits on Thursday.

The net profit on an annual basis decreased to 489 million euros, which Smith placed in factors including the Olympic Games Attach some travelers From visiting the French capital, in addition to the high costs caused by operational problems in KLM. Revenue increased by 5 percent to 31.5 billion euros.

However, the shares rose more than 15 percent in the morning trading on Thursday after the results were conveniently overcome by analysts’ expectations.

Smith said that the year 2024 was “a year formed by both operational and external challenges.”

American and European airlines stated that high -spending vacationers are replacing travelers from companies in their most expensive seats. But Smith said that Air France links with Paris, a city of synonym for luxury brands, means that they are in a strong position to capture this demand for distinguished entertainment.

The airline said that the average return on air prices, on tickets sold to US customers, increased by 25 percent between 2018 and 2024.

Smith added that Air France was also looking to replace some of the economists with “higher value” travelers on its short flights, which feed longer roads through airport centers.

“We believe [premium leisure] It will pay higher returns. With our cost structure, we need every small cent. ”

He also warned that European Airlines cannot compete directly with Turkish airlines or Middle East transport companies, which feed passengers into destinations throughout Asia with one station at its airports.

These transport companies, including the UAE, the air federations, Qatar, are not subject to the ecosystems of the European Union, including the expensive biofuel condition for reducing emissions.

“We are not in an equal stadium. Smith said:” It is very frustrated. “For us to imagine opening new roads in areas where transport companies in the Gulf are dominant, they are not realistic, unless there are enough people who want to fly without stopping.”

Smith, who was part of a French government delegation to Portugal last week, said Air France-KLM will only be interested in obtaining a majority share in the National Carrier Tap. Lisbon is expected to privatize the airline this year.

“We will need a path or guarantee to control the majority share,” he said.

The owner of the British Air Airlines and German Airways group Lufthansa said they want to buy TAP, which has a strong network of flights to South America.

Additional reports by Ian Johnston in Paris