Air France subsidiary Régional Compagnie Aérienne Européenne is to launch new connections to Brussels and Dusseldorf from the western French city of Nantes. The carrier will operate two flights every weekday to the Belgian capital and a six times weekly link to the German city from October 2. The routes will both be operated using Embraer ERJ135s under Air France codes.

The national carrier currently offers scheduled links to 18 domestic and international airports from Nantes, the country’s sixth largest city, with flights operated by the mainline carrier and its regional partners BritAir, CityJet and Régional. It is currently working on increasing point-to-point connections from airports across the country to reduce its dependence on transfer traffic at its Paris CDG hub, having been hit hard by direct low-cost competition in the regions.

There is already a limited market on both routes which will be stimulated by the introduction of non-stop flights. Interestingly, despite the strength of its Paris CDG hub and up to four daily flights, more passengers between Nantes and Brussels are taking advantage of the flights of easyJet Switzerland than Air France’s own services to connect between the two destinations.

Schedules:

Nantes – Brussels
AF3152 NTE0755 – 0920BRU ER3 x67
AF3156 NTE1535 – 1700BRU ER3 7
AF3156 NTE1635 – 1800BRU ER3 x67
AF3153 BRU1000 – 1125NTE ER3 x67
AF3157 BRU1730 – 1855NTE ER3 7
AF3157 BRU1830 – 1955NTE ER3 x67

Nantes – Dusseldorf
AF3234 NTE1510 – 1645DUS ER4 x67
AF3234 NTE1640 – 1815DUS ER4 7
AF3235 DUS1725 – 1900NTE ER4 x67
AF3235 DUS1855 – 2030NTE ER4 7