Air France Ends Mainline Flights at Paris-Orly After 80 Years

This article summarizes reporting by TF1 Info.

Air France has officially ended its mainline commercial flight operations at Paris-Orly Airport (ORY) after 80 years of continuous service. The final flights took place on Saturday, March 28, 2026, closing a highly symbolic chapter for the French flag carrier.

According to reporting by TF1 Info, this marks a historic operational shift for the airlines, which is now consolidating its mainline network at Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG). Simultaneously, the carrier is handing over its Orly-based domestic network to its low-cost subsidiary, Transavia France.

The strategic withdrawal, initially announced in October 2023, reflects broader structural changes in the European aviation landscape. We note that these changes are heavily driven by stringent environmental regulations, the rapid expansion of high-speed rail, and permanently altered corporate travel habits.

The Final Flights and the Corsica Exception

The final day of operations at Orly was marked by two significant flights. Based on industry data, the last Air France departure was flight AF0642, which took off for Saint-Denis de La Réunion at 9:00 PM local time. Shortly after, the final arrival, flight AF6231 from Nice, operated by an Airbus A320, touched down at exactly 9:59 PM.

However, the Air France brand will not disappear from the southern Paris airport entirely. As noted in industry reports, flights to the island of Corsica, specifically serving Ajaccio, Bastia, Calvi, and Figari, will continue. These specific routes are maintained under a state-mandated Public Service Delegation (DSP) in partnership with Air Corsica, an agreement that remains valid until at least 2027.

Maintenance Operations Remain

While commercial passenger flights are shifting to CDG and Transavia, Air France will maintain a physical footprint at the Orly site. The airline plans to keep a significant industrial and maintenance presence at the Airports, with a specific focus on the upkeep and servicing of new-generation aircraft engines.

Strategic Drivers Behind the Departure

The decision to leave Orly stems from a combination of economic and environmental pressures. According to TF1 Info, Air France has experienced a massive drop in domestic business travel. This decline is largely attributed to the post-pandemic normalization of video conferencing and the implementation of stricter corporate social responsibility (CSR) policies by major companies.

The expansion of France’s high-speed rail network (SNCF’s TGV) has also heavily cannibalized domestic flight demand. Industry statistics show that between 2019 and 2023, passenger traffic from Orly dropped significantly across key domestic routes: 14.9% to Nice, 28.2% to Marseille, and 35.9% to Toulouse.

Regulatory Pressures

Furthermore, the French “Climate and Resilience Law” has fundamentally reshaped the domestic travel market. The legislation bans domestic short-haul flights on routes where a direct train alternative of under two hours and 30 minutes exists, significantly shrinking the financial viability of traditional domestic air shuttles.

The Rise of Transavia and CDG Consolidation

Starting Sunday, March 29, 2026, Transavia France officially became the Air France-KLM group’s primary operator at Orly. Transavia is taking over the iconic “Navette” (shuttle) routes to Toulouse, Nice, and Marseille. To accommodate both business and leisure travelers, the low-cost carrier will operate up to eight daily flights to certain destinations to maintain high frequency.

Meanwhile, all of Air France’s mainline domestic and overseas flights, including routes to Pointe-à-Pitre, Fort-de-France, Saint-Denis, and Cayenne, are now centralized at Paris-Charles de Gaulle.

AirPro News analysis

By consolidating operations at a single Paris hub, Air France is making a calculated move to streamline its fleet and reduce the inherent costs of split operations. For international travelers, we view this as a major upgrade. Previously, passengers flying into CDG from abroad and connecting to a French regional city often faced a cumbersome, time-consuming ground transfer to Orly. Single-terminal connections at CDG eliminate this friction, vastly improving the international connecting traffic that accounts for 90% of Air France’s long-haul business.

However, this shift does leave residents of southern Paris and the surrounding suburbs with fewer premium travel options, as Orly is much more accessible to them than CDG. Transavia is attempting to bridge this gap by offering priority boarding and lounge access for premium ticket holders, but the transition from a legacy carrier to a low-cost model remains a point of contention for frequent domestic flyers.

80 Years of Aviation History

The departure from Orly is highly symbolic for the French public. Before Charles de Gaulle Airport opened in 1974, Orly was Air France’s primary home. The airline established its base there in 1946, launching its first post-WWII flight to New York using a propeller-driven Douglas DC-4.

Over the decades, Orly hosted numerous milestones for the carrier.

“Orly hosted the introduction of Air France’s first jet airliners… and direct Concorde flights to Washington D.C. in 1973.”

, Historical industry data regarding Air France’s tenure at Orly.

In 1996, Air France launched “La Navette,” a high-frequency domestic shuttle service out of Orly that transported over 100 million passengers to regional French cities over its lifespan. The end of this service at Orly marks the definitive close of a significant chapter in French aviation history.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

When was the last Air France flight out of Orly?
The final departure was flight AF0642 on Saturday, March 28, 2026, at 9:00 PM local time, heading to Saint-Denis de La Réunion.

Are there any Air France flights left at Orly?
Yes, flights to Corsica (Ajaccio, Bastia, Calvi, and Figari) will remain until at least 2027 under a Public Service Delegation agreement with Air Corsica.

Which airline is taking over Air France’s domestic routes at Orly?
Transavia France, the low-cost subsidiary of the Air France-KLM group, has taken over the primary domestic routes out of Orly.

Sources: TF1 Info