Air Austral
Encyclopedia
Air Austral is a French
airline
with its headquarters at Roland Garros Airport
in Sainte-Marie
, Réunion
, France
. The airline's main base of flight operations is Roland Garros Airport. It operates scheduled services from Réunion to France, South Africa
, Australia
, New Caledonia
, and a number of destinations in the Indian Ocean
. The company has 900 employees.
to Mayotte
with a 32-seat Hawker Siddeley HS 748 turboprop
. RAS became Air Réunion in December, 1986.
In October 1990 Air Réunion is purchased by Sematra, a company 46% owned by the local councils of Réunion with the remaining shares owned by banks and other private partners. A month later, Air Réunion became Air Austral. Two months later, Air Austral bought its first Boeing 737-500
. Another 737-500 was acquired in 1994, and in 1997 the airline purchased a 737-300QC, which enabled both passenger and cargo only traffic.
In 2000 the airline took delivery of an ATR 72-500
, a short-haul turboprop
. By then, Air Austral operated from both Roland Garros Airport in Sainte-Marie and Pierrefonds Airport
in Saint Pierre
with scheduled services to Mayotte
, Johannesburg, South Africa
, Comoros
, Mauritius
, the Seychelles
, and three destinations in Madagascar
(Antananarivo
, Tamatave, Nosy Be
, Majunga).
In 2003, Air Austral launched its first long-haul service between Réunion and Paris
, with two Boeing 777-200ER
s. The two Boeing 777s were joined by a third Boeing 777-200ER in 2005. A second long-haul route from Réunion to Marseille
and Lyon
was established.
In 2007, a third long-haul service to Toulouse
via Marseille started.
In 2008, the airline introduced new uniforms for staff and crew members, designed by Balenciaga
. The second ATR 72-500 was added to the fleet, followed by a third a few months later.
In April 2009, Air Austral started a new service to Sydney, Australia
and New Caledonia
, thus opening up a new route between Paris and Sydney via Réunion. The airline also acquired two Boeing 777-300ER
s. In November, it placed a firm order for two all-economy class
840-seat Airbus A380
s, for delivery in 2014. These are intended for Air Austral's Réunion-Paris flights.
In June 2010, it was announced that Air Austral will start scheduled flights from Réunion to Bordeaux
and Nantes
from February 2011.
In August 2011, Air Austral received its first Boeing 777-200LR
which will enable the airline to fly non-stop from Mayotte
to Paris
.
, 6 in Metropolitan France
, 2 in Oceania
and 1 in Asia
.
Air Austral's average fleet age, as of 21 December 2010, 6.8 years. As of January 2010, the airline's fleet consists of the following aircraft:
Previously operated
, which runs just to the south of Réunion.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
airline
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
with its headquarters at Roland Garros Airport
Roland Garros Airport
Roland Garros Airport , formerly known as Gillot Airport, is located in Sainte-Marie on Réunion, The airport is east of Saint-Denis; it is named for the French aviator Roland Garros who was born in Saint-Denis....
in Sainte-Marie
Sainte-Marie, Réunion
Sainte-Marie is a commune in the French overseas department of Réunion. It is located on the north side of the island of Réunion, just east of, and adjacent to, the capital of Saint-Denis....
, Réunion
Réunion
Réunion is a French island with a population of about 800,000 located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar, about south west of Mauritius, the nearest island.Administratively, Réunion is one of the overseas departments of France...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The airline's main base of flight operations is Roland Garros Airport. It operates scheduled services from Réunion to France, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, New Caledonia
New Caledonia
New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and about from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of...
, and a number of destinations in the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
. The company has 900 employees.
History
Air Austral was created in December 1974 by local businessman Gérard Ethève. It was Réunion's first commercial airline, known as Réunion Air Services (RAS). By August 1977 RAS had started regional services from Sainte-MarieSainte-Marie, Réunion
Sainte-Marie is a commune in the French overseas department of Réunion. It is located on the north side of the island of Réunion, just east of, and adjacent to, the capital of Saint-Denis....
to Mayotte
Mayotte
Mayotte is an overseas department and region of France consisting of a main island, Grande-Terre , a smaller island, Petite-Terre , and several islets around these two. The archipelago is located in the northern Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean, namely between northwestern Madagascar and...
with a 32-seat Hawker Siddeley HS 748 turboprop
Turboprop
A turboprop engine is a type of turbine engine which drives an aircraft propeller using a reduction gear.The gas turbine is designed specifically for this application, with almost all of its output being used to drive the propeller...
. RAS became Air Réunion in December, 1986.
In October 1990 Air Réunion is purchased by Sematra, a company 46% owned by the local councils of Réunion with the remaining shares owned by banks and other private partners. A month later, Air Réunion became Air Austral. Two months later, Air Austral bought its first Boeing 737-500
Boeing 737 Classic
The Boeing 737 Classic is the name given to the -300/-400/-500 series of the Boeing 737 following the introduction of the -600/-700/-800/-900 series. They are short- to medium- range, narrow-body jet airliners produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The Classic series was introduced as the 'new...
. Another 737-500 was acquired in 1994, and in 1997 the airline purchased a 737-300QC, which enabled both passenger and cargo only traffic.
In 2000 the airline took delivery of an ATR 72-500
ATR 72
The ATR 72 is a twin-engine turboprop short-haul regional airliner built by the French-Italian aircraft manufacturer ATR. ATR and Airbus are both built in Toulouse, and share resources and technology...
, a short-haul turboprop
Turboprop
A turboprop engine is a type of turbine engine which drives an aircraft propeller using a reduction gear.The gas turbine is designed specifically for this application, with almost all of its output being used to drive the propeller...
. By then, Air Austral operated from both Roland Garros Airport in Sainte-Marie and Pierrefonds Airport
Pierrefonds Airport
Pierrefonds Airport is an airport located west-northwest of Saint-Pierre in Réunion. It is the smaller of the two airports located on the island, Roland Garros Airport being the other....
in Saint Pierre
Saint-Pierre, Réunion
Saint-Pierre is the third-largest commune in the French overseas department of Réunion. It is located on the southwest side of the island of Réunion.-External links:*...
with scheduled services to Mayotte
Mayotte
Mayotte is an overseas department and region of France consisting of a main island, Grande-Terre , a smaller island, Petite-Terre , and several islets around these two. The archipelago is located in the northern Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean, namely between northwestern Madagascar and...
, Johannesburg, South Africa
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, Comoros
Comoros
The Comoros , officially the Union of the Comoros is an archipelago island nation in the Indian Ocean, located off the eastern coast of Africa, on the northern end of the Mozambique Channel, between northeastern Mozambique and northwestern Madagascar...
, Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
, the Seychelles
Seychelles
Seychelles , officially the Republic of Seychelles , is an island country spanning an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar....
, and three destinations in Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
(Antananarivo
Antananarivo
Antananarivo , formerly Tananarive , is the capital and largest city in Madagascar. It is also known by its French colonial shorthand form Tana....
, Tamatave, Nosy Be
Nosy Be
Nosy Be is an island located off the northwest coast of Madagascar. Nosy Be is Madagascar's largest and busiest tourist resort. It has an area of 312 km2 and its population was officially estimated at 36,636 in 2001....
, Majunga).
In 2003, Air Austral launched its first long-haul service between Réunion and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, with two Boeing 777-200ER
Boeing 777
The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from , depending on model...
s. The two Boeing 777s were joined by a third Boeing 777-200ER in 2005. A second long-haul route from Réunion to Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
and Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
was established.
In 2007, a third long-haul service to Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
via Marseille started.
In 2008, the airline introduced new uniforms for staff and crew members, designed by Balenciaga
Balenciaga
Balenciaga is a fashion house founded by Cristóbal Balenciaga, a Basque designer, born in the Basque Country, Spain. He had a reputation as a couturier of uncompromising standards and was referred to as "the master of us all" by Christian Dior. His bubble skirts and odd, feminine, yet ultra-modern...
. The second ATR 72-500 was added to the fleet, followed by a third a few months later.
In April 2009, Air Austral started a new service to Sydney, Australia
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and New Caledonia
New Caledonia
New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and about from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of...
, thus opening up a new route between Paris and Sydney via Réunion. The airline also acquired two Boeing 777-300ER
Boeing 777
The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from , depending on model...
s. In November, it placed a firm order for two all-economy class
Economy class
__FORCETOC__Economy class, also called coach class , steerage, or standard class, is the lowest class of seating in air travel, rail travel, and sometimes ferry or maritime travel....
840-seat Airbus A380
Airbus A380
The Airbus A380 is a double-deck, wide-body, four-engine jet airliner manufactured by the European corporation Airbus, a subsidiary of EADS. It is the largest passenger airliner in the world. Due to its size, many airports had to modify and improve facilities to accommodate it...
s, for delivery in 2014. These are intended for Air Austral's Réunion-Paris flights.
In June 2010, it was announced that Air Austral will start scheduled flights from Réunion to Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
and Nantes
Nantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
from February 2011.
In August 2011, Air Austral received its first Boeing 777-200LR
Boeing 777
The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from , depending on model...
which will enable the airline to fly non-stop from Mayotte
Mayotte
Mayotte is an overseas department and region of France consisting of a main island, Grande-Terre , a smaller island, Petite-Terre , and several islets around these two. The archipelago is located in the northern Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean, namely between northwestern Madagascar and...
to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
Destinations
Air Austral currently flies to 20 destinations worldwide: 11 in AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, 6 in Metropolitan France
Metropolitan France
Metropolitan France is the part of France located in Europe. It can also be described as mainland France or as the French mainland and the island of Corsica...
, 2 in Oceania
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
and 1 in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
.
Fleet
CurrentAir Austral's average fleet age, as of 21 December 2010, 6.8 years. As of January 2010, the airline's fleet consists of the following aircraft:
| Aircraft | Total | Orders | Passengers | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Y+ | Y | Total | ||||
| ATR 72-500 ATR 72 The ATR 72 is a twin-engine turboprop short-haul regional airliner built by the French-Italian aircraft manufacturer ATR. ATR and Airbus are both built in Toulouse, and share resources and technology... |
3 | — | 0 | 0 | 68 | 68 | |
| Boeing 737-800 Boeing 737 Next Generation The Boeing 737 Next Generation, commonly abbreviated as Boeing 737NG, is the name given to the -600/-700/-800/-900 series of the Boeing 737 after the introduction of the -300/-400/-500 Classic series. They are short- to medium-range, narrow-body jet airliners... |
2 | — | 0 | 18 0 |
144 171 |
162 171 |
|
| Boeing 777-200ER Boeing 777 The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from , depending on model... |
3 | — | 14 | 34 | 316 | 364 | |
| Boeing 777-200LR Boeing 777 The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from , depending on model... |
1 | 1 | 18 | 40 | 286 | 344 | Entry into service: 2011 |
| Boeing 777-300ER Boeing 777 The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from , depending on model... |
3 | 18 | 40 | 384 | 442 | ||
| Airbus A380-800 Airbus A380 The Airbus A380 is a double-deck, wide-body, four-engine jet airliner manufactured by the European corporation Airbus, a subsidiary of EADS. It is the largest passenger airliner in the world. Due to its size, many airports had to modify and improve facilities to accommodate it... |
— | 2 | 0 | 0 | 840 | 840 | Entry into service: 2014 |
| Total | 12 | 3 | |||||
Previously operated
- Boeing 737-300Boeing 737 ClassicThe Boeing 737 Classic is the name given to the -300/-400/-500 series of the Boeing 737 following the introduction of the -600/-700/-800/-900 series. They are short- to medium- range, narrow-body jet airliners produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The Classic series was introduced as the 'new...
- Boeing 737-500Boeing 737 ClassicThe Boeing 737 Classic is the name given to the -300/-400/-500 series of the Boeing 737 following the introduction of the -600/-700/-800/-900 series. They are short- to medium- range, narrow-body jet airliners produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The Classic series was introduced as the 'new...
Class naming
Air Austral offers three classes of service: Club Austral, Classe Confort and Classe Loisirs, which corresponds to Business, Premium Economy and Economy classes, respectively.Frequent-flyer programme
Air Austral's frequent-flyer programme is called Capricorne, referring to the Tropic of CapricornTropic of Capricorn
The Tropic of Capricorn, or Southern tropic, marks the most southerly latitude on the Earth at which the Sun can be directly overhead. This event occurs at the December solstice, when the southern hemisphere is tilted towards the Sun to its maximum extent.Tropic of Capricorn is one of the five...
, which runs just to the south of Réunion.