Air France returns after a 17-year absence with twice-daily service starting in March, targeting connections as easyJet dominates point-to-point traffic
Air France will launch twice-daily flights between Paris Charles de Gaulle and London Gatwick starting March 29, marking the French flag carrier’s return to Britain’s second-busiest airport after a 17-year absence.
The new service will deploy the 148-seat Airbus A220-300 and marks the first time the airport pair has had two operators in six years. Air France last served Gatwick in 2007, when its regional subsidiary operated flights from Strasbourg.
The carrier’s expansion into Gatwick comes amid a wave of new airline announcements at the West Sussex airport. Since mid-November, Air Arabia, Condor, Jet2, and Qanot Sharq have all announced new Gatwick operations, attracted by slot availability and competitive airport charges.
Air France will compete directly with easyJet, currently the sole operator on the route. The UK low-cost carrier plans up to five daily flights next April on the 166-nautical-mile route, which it has served since 2014.
The timing of Air France’s entry follows the recent withdrawal of Delta Air Lines from Gatwick. Delta serves as Air France’s transatlantic joint-venture partner.
The Gatwick-Paris market transported 728,444 round-trip passengers last year, according to the UK Civil Aviation Authority. However, capacity data shows airlines filled only 80% of seats, indicating overcapacity on the route.
Air France previously operated from its Paris hub to Gatwick in 1992. The carrier’s schedule shows the new flights will provide strong connectivity opportunities through Charles de Gaulle, with morning and afternoon departures from both airports.
The A220-300 features a 2-3 seat layout. Air France operates 50 of the aircraft type, according to aviation data provider ch-aviation.
The expansion means Air France will operate 146 weekly departures from Charles de Gaulle to the UK in April, with up to 22 daily departures across six British airports. The carrier will hold 41% of the CDG-UK market, behind easyJet’s 159 weekly flights.
Air France’s UK network from Paris includes six daily flights to Heathrow, three to four daily to Birmingham, two to four daily to Manchester, three daily to Edinburgh, and two to three daily to Newcastle.
The Gatwick expansion contrasts with moves by other European network carriers. Lufthansa ended its Frankfurt-Gatwick operation in 2024, making Air France one of the few continental European legacy carriers serving the airport.
Vueling was the last carrier besides easyJet to operate the Gatwick-CDG route, ending service in 2020 after five years. The Spanish carrier switched to serving Gatwick from Paris Orly, where it remains the sole operator to the London area.
Air France also relies heavily on partner KLM for UK connectivity, with the Dutch carrier operating 467 weekly departures from Amsterdam to 18 British airports. KLM does not serve Gatwick.
Key Takeaways
- Air France will begin twice-daily Paris CDG-London Gatwick flights March 29, using 148-seat Airbus A220-300 aircraft.
- The route will have two operators for the first time in six years, with easyJet planning five daily flights.
- Gatwick has attracted five new airlines since mid-November, including Air Arabia, Condor, Jet2, and Qanot Sharq.
- The airport pair transported 728,444 passengers last year but operated at only 80% load factor, indicating overcapacity.
- Air France’s entry follows Delta’s recent Gatwick withdrawal and contrasts with Lufthansa ending Frankfurt-Gatwick service in 2024.
