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Air France says Olympic Games has cut summer traffic to Paris

Air France-KLM warned on Monday that the Olympic Games would lead to a drop in revenues of up to €180 million, due to a decline in travel to Paris over the summer.

Published: 1 July 2024 09:48 CEST
Air France says Olympic Games has cut summer traffic to Paris
An Air France plane at Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport. The airline has warned of falling revenues over the summer as demand for Paris falls due to the Olympics. Photo by Daniel SLIM / AFP

Some 15 million visitors are predicted to attend the Games, including two million from abroad, according to the Centre for Law and Economy of Sport (CDES), which has been monitoring the Paris Games for the IOC and the Paris 2024 organisers.

But there have been concerns that the Games may keep other travellers from visiting Paris, which is a major tourist destination during the summer.

“International markets show a significant avoidance of Paris,” the airline said in a statement.

“Travel between the city and other destinations is also below the usual June-August average as residents in France seem to be postponing their holidays until after the Olympic Games or considering alternative travel plans,” it added.

Air France-KLM said it currently estimates the negative impact on its unit revenues for the June until August 2024 period but that it had no plans to scale back capacity.

It said it would provide more details when presenting half year results on July 25th.

“Travel to and from France is expected to normalise after the Olympic Games, with encouraging demand levels projected for the end of August and the month of September,” it added.

In good news for passengers, that means that summer fares are at or even below seasonal average prices.

Within Paris prices for accommodations have also fallen sharply with vastly inflated prices for hotels and Airbnbs now falling back to seasonal norms.

Paris Olympics: The travel deals to take advantage of as prices fall

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PARIS

Paris bars to open 24h for Olympics opening ceremony

Bars and cafes in the French capital will be allowed to stay open round-the-clock for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Paris Olympics, a city decree said on Wednesday.

Published: 3 July 2024 15:39 CEST
Paris bars to open 24h for Olympics opening ceremony

The decision “is linked to a range of free festivities organised by the city, away from the sports venues” and is justified “by the exceptional nature of the opening and closing ceremonies,” the ruling from the city prefect says.

It means bars will be able to stay open all night on July 26th, when the Olympics are set to open with a boat parade on the river Seine, as well as the closing ceremony on August 11th.

The same exception to licensing rules will be made for the opening of the Paralympic Games on August 28th and the closing ceremony on September 8th.

The decree states that bar owners “remain in these exceptional circumstances the guarantors of public order inside their establishments.”

The City of Light has around 15,000 bars, many of which close during the month of August for the summer holidays in normal years.

Several residents’ associations, including “Droit au Sommeil” (The Right to Sleep), have been critical of moves by Paris authorities to extend licensing hours for temporary outdoor eating and drinking areas during the Games.

Those establishments will be able to serve until midnight, instead of 10pm as usual.

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