From Dakotas to A220s Air France celebrates 80 years flying Manchester Paris

Air France marks 80 years of Manchester–Paris service, recalling its first postwar flight from Paris Le Bourget to Manchester, on June 16, 1946. The inaugural flight carried a single passenger and a VIP group of 18, inaugurating a cross-Channel link that soon passed to three weekly rotations. Today the Manchester–Paris route operates up to four daily flights, connecting the Northwest to Air France’s global network. The service is flown by the Airbus A220-300, which delivers a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions and a 34% smaller noise footprint compared with older aircraft. Industry and airport leaders frame the anniversary as a milestone for sustainable growth and regional connectivity. Salemi notes Manchester has been part of Air France’s story for eight decades and remains a key regional gateway. Turner highlights the ongoing partnership linking the North to Paris and beyond. Booking patterns remain diverse, with Manchester travelers flying to Canada, Mauritius, Nigeria, Peru, the United States and France, while arrivals reflect a varied origin mix. By 2030, Air France aims to cut CO2 per passenger-km by 30% through fleet modernization, sustainable aviation fuel and eco-piloting, plus intermodal links with SNCF.