The upcoming launch of Air France’s nonstop Manila-France flights is seen as a game-changing development for the growing trade and tourism exchanges between the Philippines and France.

Air France announced on Tuesday that it will start flying from Paris to Manila and vice versa on Dec. 8, thrice a week.

“It will be a night flight from Manila to Paris, and also from Paris to Manila. We are very happy with this decision of Air France because we do think that this direct flight will be a game changer to boost our trade, commerce, and tourism exchanges with the Philippines,” French Ambassador to the Philippines Marie Fontanel said in a virtual briefing.

The envoy said this could also serve as the Philippines’ gateway to Europe, being the first Manila direct flight to a European country.

“At the time when we have decided to resume within the EU the Free Trade Agreement negotiations, it’s really a positive signal that there will be a direct flight to connect both our countries and also EU with the Philippines,” she added.

Fontanel is confident that these direct flights would help influence the French travelers’ choice for leisure destination in Southeast Asia.

“For European people, French people, when you start thinking about going to Southeast Asia for a vacation, so far you would consider the countries with direct flights,” she said.

“We are quite confident, now that Air France has decided to reopen the direct flight (it) will help French people decide on considering a journey to the Philippines,” she added.

The French Embassy noted that this development reflects France’s “concrete commitment to developing cooperation with the Philippines.”

It said the launch also signals Air France’s eagerness to establish a long-term presence in the Philippine market as it anticipates an increase in flights between Europe and the Philippines by +4.1 percent a year from present to 2042.

Air France – KLM General Manager for Southeast Asia and Oceania Femke Kroese in a separate briefing said passengers may already book for an Air France flight as early as Sept. 10, with the starting price for a two-way economy class ticket at USD1,258 (about PHP71,000). (PNA)