Air France plans to discontinue Joon, the airline for millennials

According to French newspaper Le Figaro, Ben Smith, the new CEO of Air France-KLM wants to get rid of Joon, the airline aimed at a young working clientele, the millennials (18 to 35 year-olds), whose lifestyles revolve around digital technology. He sees no further future for the young company’s hybrid concept.

The decision is not a surprise as Joon was the pet project of Jean-Marc Janaillac, the previous CEO. Joon, with flight attendants flying around the world in its chic sportswear look with white pumps, only started flying one year ago from Paris CDG airport.

The strike threat by Joon’s cabin crew members – earning far less than their colleagues of Air France – might possibly be the spark that ignited the decision to stop the whole story. In fact, Joon was not really a low-cost airline: despite a cheap collective labour agreement for cabin crew members, the pilots signed a standard Air France contract.

Joon flies from Paris to leisure destinations such as Cape Town, Fortaleza and Seychelles, but also in Europe to Berlin and Barcelona. Up to now, Joon did not make a profit but expected to break even in 2018.

Joon intended to tackle the strong competition of easyJet, Ryanair and even Transavia France. But both Joon and Air France are also facing the competition of Norwegian and Level, real price fighters on long-haul flights with a lower operating cost.

Smith intends to move most of the 550 employees currently working at Joon to Air France.