African carrier Air Côte d’Ivoire is to launch its first route to Europe with flights to Paris due to start in September.
The airline will operate daily flights between Abidjan and Paris Charles de Gaulle airports from 18 September using Airbus A330-900 Neo aircraft. Air France already offers flights on this route with two daily services in both directions.
Air Côte d’Ivoire, which unveiled the new aircraft earlier this month, said it will offer 242 seats across four cabins on its Paris flights: first, business, premium economy and economy.
The new aircraft, which is being financed by Ivory Coast’s government, forms part of the airline’s expansion plans, with two additional A330-900s being purchased to add more long-haul destinations in Europe and North America, including London, Brussels and New York.
Government spokesperson Amadou Coulibaly said the new long-haul flights would “reduce the cost of airfares and improve air connectivity in our country”.