After that need to see how things evolve

In his first year at the controls of Air France-KLM, Pierre - Henri Gourgeon was not spared by fate. The airline has experienced the worst disaster in its history, with the demise of the Paris-Rio flight, and it must face the more recession that she has known since 20 years, with the key relitigation of the guarantee of employment. Considers that the measures of economies already announced will quickly stop bleeding and entered into the group in 1993, its Director General, age sixty-three years, is nevertheless reassuring to cash.

After months of degradation, activity has been a slight better this summer. Do you see the first signs of recovery

Caution encourages answering that resumption will always emerges not. Of course, in July and August, we found a rate of filling correct, equivalent to that of 2007, despite a 5 decrease in traffic. In the cargo volumes have even started back. But unit revenue remains in withdrawal of 15 compared to 2008 and, even if its degradation appears to be stopped, it is not even begin to improve. We are on a sort of fairly flat bottom and the technical rebound expected slow to occur. Even if we are building on a slight improvement in the recipe by the end of the year, we know that it will not soon return to its level of 2008.

Air France-KLM is more affected than its competitors

No, we are not the most affected. Small companies who are not a powerful hub are much more. Without traffic, they must remove direct links, allowing us, for us at Lufthansa and British Airways, to increase our market share by retrieving mail traffic. Moreover, comparing our recipe per seat/kilometre offered (RSKO), which is the true indicator of performance, we see that it has declined less than our main competitors and the sector as a whole.

But your losses are heavier than those of the other major European companies

It is related to the size of Air France-KLM. Thus, in the cargo, where activity has fallen by 40, we are the largest global operator. The collapse of the activity (-20 in Air France) we forced them to reduce our capacity by 15. We're also penalized by our oil blankets. They reported us lots of money in the past - more - but today they cost us more than others, being longer in time than those of our competitors. In total, blankets and the cargo losses adding up, it is 400 million on 496 million. Without these two items, we will be in red, but not in the same proportions.

Have you abandoned to cover you against the increase in the price of oil

The volatility of oil prices forced operators to have much more limited coverage policies. In 2008, the barrel has indeed increased by 50 before falling 70 at the end! We had arrested the blankets in October 2008. But we will return to from next month, in a more conservative form. We we will cover more in four years but in eighteen months. Rather than cover up to 200 of annual consumption, we will remain around 80. In the end, we will be less well covered, but we will more risk of losing so much money that today ' today.

How can you adapt to a lasting reduction of traffic and revenue

The first thing to do was resize our capabilities. With a supply of 5, we believe that we are now at the right level. We should stay at this level in 2010 and, if necessary, in 2011, even if today we believe that will be a little bit better. We do not think back to the levels of traffic in 2008 before 2012.

The second part concerns the recipe. In air transport, it is not enough to reduce production to keep prices and we do not store our production. We must therefore work on ways to improve this recipe while reducing our costs. On the long-range over-water, the arrival of the A380 on Paris - New York, late October, will allow us to save EUR 15 million on the year and by air. It is one of the advantages offered by the power of our hub of Roissy-CDG to use as large. KLM in Amsterdam would be.

The launch of the class Premium Voyageur in the fall on the long haul also responds to this new order

Class Premium Voyageur of Air France, which is located to midway between the class business and economy class, was designed before the crisis. We originally wanted to encourage a part of the "eco" customer to range. But this offer is to point to provide an alternative for customers who no longer want or can no longer travel in class cases. Term, we believe that this new Premium class would bring us up to two points of unit revenue in the year.

Your traditional model

Adaptations are necessary, but we do not believe that business class will be brought to disappear. The possibility to have a sleeper seat is a real benefit, which may have its economic justification when it is brought to long flights. The effectiveness of the hub that allows to use large productive aircraft and the need for physical comfort are two fundamental data to ensure the future of our economic model of the long-range over-water.

On the medium-haul network, was before class still justified

On the medium-haul and short network, customer became very sensitive to the price and the "statutory" side of the forward class is abandoned in favour of reduction of expenses. Furthermore, the passengers want more pay for services they don't need. However some services, such as the ability to save two baggage, are included in our prices, even if some do not use.

We will try to adapt, offering more things optional. We will go all - including the map service, to better to the expectations of our customers. The possibility of changing its schedule could also result in a supplement. All of this is still under study and will be arrested late October, for the entry into force in early 2010.

Does this mean that you switch to a model "low cost" on short and medium distances

We are not going to the "low cost", but to the passenger. We will therefore continue to offer a classic service, even if we will proceed with a few adaptations. Thus, we did not intend to remove the front. There are passengers who wish to more comfort.

In addition, we will also adapt our network and our modes of operation, to reduce our costs. On the network short and medium-haul out of Roissy, for example, where we are constrained by the beaches of correspondence with the long-haul flights, we arrange passengers on larger devices (in place of A320 A321). These adaptations will be from November.

You have announced a plan of voluntary departures of 1,500 positions. Will it be sufficient

The decline in activity, added to the increasing automation of certain functions, should translate, according to our latest forecast, by a reduction in the workforce of approximately 4,500 needs positions by the end of the fiscal year 2011-2012. However, natural departures will not suffice to achieve this goal. He would remain a differential of about 2,000 at the end of the fiscal year 2010-2011 and 1,500 positions positions at the end of 2011-2012. Where the use of a voluntary departure plan by the new three-year agreement signed last July employment management.

The details of the plan - and especially its perimeter - will be defined here in late October in consultation with the unions, for implementation as early as this fall. We can make a first review in the spring. If this happens as expected and the plan is achieved, we will not have to resort to other measures.

You move so any additional adaptation

On employment, I can promise nothing, but we will fire all wood to avoid painful measures and maintain our social pact. It is clear that I do not wish to proceed with collective redundancies. However, the plan of voluntary departures is not the only device. We also use to occupational and geographic mobility measures planned by the three-year agreement. In return, if we get the extension for a year or two of the industry convention that enables the retire from the people of 60 years with their number of annuities, we engage us on the hiring of young people.

In view of these different measures, on what horizon do you a return to profits

It is too early to advance a date, but we are not concerned about our ability to become profitable. The fuel covers will have a negative impact next year. But, with economies already measures announced, we should stop the deterioration of our cash next spring. Our goal is to reach a balance point, excluding the effect of old fuel covers, beginning of year 2010-2011. After that, need to see how things evolve. There may be good news if traffic resumes faster than expected.

One of the keys to the success of Air France was your tandem with Jean-Cyril Spinetta. Do you have reproduced the same pattern

We have not reproduced the same pattern on a daily basis, even if the link is always constant. Jean-Cyril Spinetta is still there - he is the President of the Council - and, even if it is not in the day-to-day management, participates in decision-making on important issues such as the reorganization of the cargo or the medium-haul. Socially, he is always informed of the options that we plan to take. To form a new tandem: I did feel the need. I do not number two, but my colleagues of the Executive Committee have more work than before. I rely much more on them.

Read the full interview on lesechos.fr