Air France to offer new premium perks

Premium Voyageur services will be positioned between economy and business classes

Air France, Europe’s biggest airline, plans to offer perks usually reserved for premium passengers on an “a la carte” basis to economy travelers as it seeks to compensate for declining ticket prices.

“More and more consumers want to design their own trips and pay only for the services they actually need,” says Bruno Matheu, executive vice president for marketing and networks.

The recession may cause airline travel to fall 12 percent this year, according to estimates.

Air France has responded by reorganizing on-board offerings and introducing a Premium Voyageur service that’s positioned between economy and business classes.

Customers can pick options like 40 percent more space than an economy seat, access to business-class facilities such as noise-reducing headphones and electrical sockets.