Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Time for a rethink, Monsieur Villepin?
I've been thinking about the decision by the French Government to stop Easyjet running daily flights from Paris to Corsica. I have no problem with Air France's CCM subsidiary (who we used last weekend - a great service from Orly to Calvi - well done guys). However, why can't we have another service run by a different operator as well? Healthy competition could bring costs down, and bring more visitors to the island, thus boosting the region's economy, and personally I'm disappointed.
Some folk are surprised that Easyjet didn't launch a summer service from one of the London Airports to Corsica - I'm not. In the summer months, British visitors can fly direct to the island with BA (three flights a week now) XL.com (Sundays) Thomson Fly and Westernair (links to these at www.corsicaholiday.com). So what kind of an opportunity is there here for a newcomer like Easyjet? Gone are the days when the only way of geting to Corsica was to fly to Nice then get a ferry!
Paris to Corsica is another matter entirely. M. Villepin (who would like to be seen as a friend of Corsica) should ask himself whether he wants more visitors going to the island, or whether he wants to be seen as supporting the local Airline CCM. It's a tough choice, and yes I do realise he has on or two other things on his mind right now.
One hears rumours that Ryanair is eying up the possibility of a flight from Britain to Corsica. If so, Michael O'Leary would do well to think in terms of an off-season launch. Corsica is (some would say) unpleasantly crowed in August and July; the rest of the year, well, the traders could do with a bit more custom. An airline that shows year round comitment to the island (as, let's face it, Air France and CCM have done) deserves all our support.
Some folk are surprised that Easyjet didn't launch a summer service from one of the London Airports to Corsica - I'm not. In the summer months, British visitors can fly direct to the island with BA (three flights a week now) XL.com (Sundays) Thomson Fly and Westernair (links to these at www.corsicaholiday.com). So what kind of an opportunity is there here for a newcomer like Easyjet? Gone are the days when the only way of geting to Corsica was to fly to Nice then get a ferry!
Paris to Corsica is another matter entirely. M. Villepin (who would like to be seen as a friend of Corsica) should ask himself whether he wants more visitors going to the island, or whether he wants to be seen as supporting the local Airline CCM. It's a tough choice, and yes I do realise he has on or two other things on his mind right now.
One hears rumours that Ryanair is eying up the possibility of a flight from Britain to Corsica. If so, Michael O'Leary would do well to think in terms of an off-season launch. Corsica is (some would say) unpleasantly crowed in August and July; the rest of the year, well, the traders could do with a bit more custom. An airline that shows year round comitment to the island (as, let's face it, Air France and CCM have done) deserves all our support.
# posted by Derekthered @ 9:17 AM 
