Category: Backstage

Flight Schedule Disruptions and Management of Operational Challenges

Posted on | by editeur aircal

[Updated on December 18]

Due to ongoing technical issues and despite the efforts of our teams, disruptions are still occurring. As a result, changes to our flight schedule—sometimes at the last minute—may arise, leading to significant delays or cancellations.

In the event of a cancellation, passengers are notified by SMS or email based on the contact details provided at the time of booking, but they are not automatically rebooked.

Affected passengers must inform us of their preferred resolution as soon as possible—especially those wishing to be rescheduled on the next available flight, whose requests are given priority.

To do so, the airline invites customers to complete the dedicated form available here.

Our teams are doing their utmost to process requests promptly, but due to the volume of inquiries, processing times are to be expected.

Additionally, cancellations that have occurred since last week have caused congestion in our cargo service, extending delivery times for shipments already in progress. As of today, only urgent parcel shipment requests are being handled at the cargo service desks at our stations.

The airline is making every effort to minimize the inconvenience caused by this situation and thanks its passengers for their understanding.

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Due to technical issues, significant changes to the flight schedule are expected through Friday, December 13 (inclusive).
Our teams are working diligently to implement all possible alternatives to minimize the impact on passengers and keep them informed directly.

We encourage affected passengers to prioritize online processes whenever possible, as our call center is currently overwhelmed.

What to do if your flight is canceled?

If your flight is canceled, you will automatically receive a text message and an email at the contact details provided during booking.
To help expedite the resolution of your case, we strongly encourage you to complete the dedicated online form: https://bit.ly/4iuEJLq.

Why are these disruptions occurring?

These cascading schedule changes result from several factors linked to the events of last May, which caused a sharp decline in domestic air traffic.

To adapt to this challenging context, the airline has implemented a profound and sustainable transformation plan. The flight schedule has been adjusted to meet reduced demand, maintaining limited rotations, especially for tourist destinations like the Isle of Pines or Ouvéa, with one flight per day or fewer. This program relies on the operation of two ATR72-600 aircraft from the fleet of four.

To optimize resources, the airline has also leased one of its aircraft to Air Tahiti for a year and adjusted its workforce accordingly. Additionally, another ATR is undergoing scheduled maintenance for several weeks. As a result, the airline currently has only two operational aircraft, leaving little room for maneuver in the event of disruptions, whether external (such as weather disturbances) or internal (such as technical issues).

Meeting demands during peak periods

Despite these constraints and the high demand during the holiday season and school vacation period, the airline is committed to meeting its passengers’ needs to the best of its ability and optimizing capacity across all destinations.

We sincerely thank our passengers for their patience and understanding.

New Destination: Air Calédonie is flying to Vanuatu

Posted on | by editeur aircal

Air Calédonie announces the opening of a new regional air route, in cooperation with Aircalin, to the capital of Vanuatu, Port-Vila. The first flight is scheduled on October 3rd, 2024, to be operated with one ATR 72-600 aircraft, departing from La Tontouta International Airport. This flight will mark the beginning of a regular schedule twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays.

More informations here

Direct service between La Tontouta and the Isle of Pines in march 2024

Posted on | by editeur aircal

Aircalin and Air Calédonie continue their commercial cooperation by jointly offering, from March 1 to March 15, five exceptional rotations between the Isle of Pines and La Tontouta Airport. In practical terms, this means that visitors can directly reach the Pacific gem with Air Calédonie flights, connecting directly from their international flight without transiting through the capital.

For Aircalin, this operation contributes to the strategic development of its network. It allows the reinforcement of its offerings in international markets through the “code share” scheduled on these flights from February 1, thereby consolidating its role in the Pacific region. The company reaffirms its commitment to developing tourism and participates in positioning New Caledonia as an attractive and more accessible air destination. As a reminder, “code share” flights have a single Aircalin flight number, visible and bookable in all reservation systems globally. They are also eligible for mileage accumulation for Flying Blue program members.

For Air Calédonie, this operation also targets a local clientele residing in the Païta/Bourail area, for whom access to La Tontouta Airport is quicker and more convenient. This direct connection avoids the need to go to Nouméa, facilitating pre-travel logistics. These special flights represent a significant stake in its future development. The company aims to explore new opportunities and establish itself at the international airport, with the intention of offering regular and sustainable rotations. Through this initiative, it contributes to the economic development of the territory, especially in alignment with the country’s tourism strategy.

On this occasion, the company is implementing a promotional offer, allowing customers to enjoy a weekend on the Pacific gem at a very competitive rate. Learn more.

All customer information is available on the respective websites of the companies: www.aircalin.nc and www.air-caledonie.nc or through sales agencies.

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Trail Air New Caledonia Maré: Success for this Second Edition

Posted on | by editeur aircal

For the second time, the Trail Air New Caledonia Maré took place in the Eni tribe on December 9th. This unique event attracted nearly 150 participants who came to compete on a magnificent course, allowing them to (re)discover the Nengone country.

Outstanding performances

Running enthusiasts had the opportunity to compete for victory on three different courses based on their skill level: the Grand Raid of 19 km, the Mini Raid of 8 km, and the family course of 3 km for both young and old! A race set in an idyllic setting with a start from Yédjélé beach and a finish at Eni beach.

In the men’s category, Théo Le Gouguec secured victory in the 19 km race with a time of 1:23:36. Marc Jaquin and Adrien Cagny completed the podium in second and third place, respectively. On the women’s side, Angélique Plaire claimed the top spot in just 1:41:18, ahead of Ilaria Canta and Marietta Baty.

A big congratulations to our athletes!

An event marked by friendliness

In parallel with the Trail, participants could also attend the Coastal Festival organized by the Eni tribe on the same weekend. For this second edition, runners on-site had the opportunity to explore the tribe’s various seafood products, take part in water activities, stroll through the market, and enjoy the special entertainment offered for the occasion.

Air Calédonie is delighted to have contributed to the success of this second edition of the Maré Trail, organized by its partner Challenge Organisation. To congratulate all participants, they were able to take home a gift package in the company’s colors.

Congratulations to all participants, and see you soon!

The curtain falls on the Loyalty Islands Air Calédonie Triathlon.

Posted on | by editeur aircal

Last weekend, Lifou hosted the third edition of the Loyalty Islands Triathlon by Air Calédonie alongside the Beach Festival. About a hundred participants gathered for this sporting event.

Notable performances were achieved by both women and men.

Triathletes competed in three race formats: the XS format – 375m swim, 10km bike, and 2.5km run; the S format – 750 meters swim, 20 kilometers bike, and 5 kilometers run; and the M format, which included 1.5 kilometers swim, 40 kilometers bike, and 10 kilometers run.

Under brilliant sunshine, Grégory Pottier claimed the first place in the S category, while Benjamin Maire secured victory in the M category. Among the women, Audrey Boureau emerged victorious in the S format, and Claire Jacquin claimed the top spot in the M format. Congratulations to all the winners! In addition to the adult courses, children were also invited to participate in this sports event. A non-timed race brought together young athletes eager to take on the challenge.

 

 

A festive event

This occasion marked the celebration of the Beach Festival, organized by the Islands Province and the Luengoni tribe. Athletes had the opportunity to explore Lifou and its activities, savor local cuisine, explore tourist attractions, and enjoy cultural performances.

Air Calédonie is delighted to have contributed to the success of this third edition of the Triathlon, organized in partnership with Challenge Organisation. As a memento, all participants received gifts in the company’s colors.

Congratulations to all participants, and we look forward to seeing you next year for another edition of this exceptional event!

Octobre Rose à bord

Pink October on board

Posted on | by editeur aircal

Throughout the month of October, our crews adorned themselves in pink to support the fight against breast cancer.

In support of the Pink October campaign and the New Caledonia Committee – League Against Cancer, our airline’s pilots, stewards, and flight attendants proudly wore a small pink ribbon to raise awareness about the importance of prevention and early detection.

Every year, the New Caledonia Committee – League Against Cancer mobilizes for the implementation of the Pink October campaign, aimed at promoting women’s health and raising awareness about the fight against breast cancer. To learn more and support their initiatives, visit their Facebook page.

A great success for the Raid Air Calédonie on the Isle of Pines.

Posted on | by editeur aircal

On Saturday, October 14, the 2023 edition of the Raid Air Calédonie on the Isle of Pines took place. The runners gathered at the starting line in Vao to cover the 16.5km race, crossing the Kunié lands and finishing the course in the magnificent bay of Kanuméra. To top it off, the sun was shining!

Impressive performances from both men and women.

For this 27th edition, more than 80 participants conquered the fifteen kilometers of the course. In the men’s category, Antoine Bargain secured the top spot on the podium, crossing the finish line in 1:05:18, ahead of Dumitru Santa (1:06:57) and Ronan Pain (1:08:14).

On the women’s side, Marietta Baty claimed the first place in 1:26:03. Maeva Kerouredan came in second with a time of 1:28:27. The podium was completed by Alizée Le Bris, who finished the race in 1:32:11.

Congratulations to all the participants!

Air Calédonie is proud to have been a part of the success of this great event, organized by its partner, Challenge Organisation. This wonderful day concluded with a friendly meal and the awarding of prizes to the winners in the Ouatchia tribe.

The winners each received a prize courtesy of the company. And if the winners were well-rewarded, all the runners were able to leave the Isle of Pines with a small gift in the colors of Air Calédonie to congratulate them for their participation.

Congratulations to all the participants, and see you next year!

A BEAUTIFUL SUCCESS FOR THE FIRST EDITION OF THE TRAIL AIR CALÉDONIE D’OUVÉA

Posted on | by editeur aircal

This weekend, the very first edition of the Trail Air Calédonie d’Ouvéa was organized. Orchestrated by our partner Challenge Organisation, this great premiere attracted nearly a hundred participants.

Impressive performances in both races

The runners were able to compete in two race formats: the Mini Raid, covering nearly 10 km, starting from the bridge and finishing at the Mouli tribe. Guillaume Cases finished in first place, followed by Romain Rotondi and Simon Thiry in 50’12”.

The most experienced athletes started at 6:30 am and competed in the Grand Raid, a 20 km race. In this format, Eric Concé, who had already won the Raid Air Calédonie of the Isle of Pines last year, took first place. Benjamin Dockes finished in second place just over a minute later. The podium was completed by Sébastien Fernandes.

In addition to these two races, a family course was also offered so that both young and old could participate in this wonderful sporting event.

 

 

Congratulations to all participants!

Held in parallel with the Lagoon Festival, the participants were also invited to take part in this beautiful event. The athletes were able to learn more about Ouvéa and the island’s activities, including tasting local cuisine, discovering tourist activities, and enjoying cultural performances.

Air Calédonie is proud to have been able to contribute to the success of this major event organized by its partner, Challenge Organisation. The day concluded with a friendly meal and the awarding of prizes to the winners, provided by the company.

All the runners were able to leave Ouvéa with a small gift bearing the colors of Air Calédonie to congratulate them on their participation.

Congratulations to all the adventurers!

Anticipate your excess baggage to optimize their handling!

Posted on | by editeur aircal

In order to better meet your needs and improve our services, the company is evolving its baggage policy. This evolution contributes to enhancing the customer journey and simplifying baggage management.

Additionally, to mitigate the consequences of transporting extra weight, the option to purchase excess baggage at the check-in counter will be suspended starting from July 1st. We kindly ask you to ensure compliance with the baggage allowances allocated per passenger and to plan ahead for any excess baggage by subscribing to the additional baggage option (available directly online in your account) or by using the freight service.

To best prepare for your trip, you can find more details on the baggage allowances on our dedicated page.

Air Calédonie and Air Tahiti share their technical expertise

Posted on | by editeur aircal

As part of our historic partnership with Air Tahiti, a team from the technical management of Air Calédonie has been working in their maintenance workshops since the beginning of the month, and a Tahitian technician has come to provide us with specific expertise on corrosion points.

Detached teams

Anthony and Jordan, two of our technicians, have been on a mission since the beginning of March, supporting the maintenance visits of the Tahitian airline’s fleet, particularly on the ATR 72-600 and 42-500, which are well known to our teams. Integrated into Air Tahiti’s technical management, they are participating in various annual maintenance operations necessary to ensure flight safety.

Simon arrived from French Polynesia in mid-March and is contributing his expertise to measure the level of corrosion encountered on our aircraft, enabling our teams to treat them effectively.

A great challenge for our teams

In addition to Air Calédonie’s desire to position itself as a reference maintenance organization in the South Pacific region, approved by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), this detachment to Tahiti is also an opportunity for our technicians to discover another maintenance organization in an environment similar to that of Air Calédonie. This immersion at Air Tahiti is all the more enriching because these maintenance operations are carried out on older aircraft than those in our fleet, sometimes requiring more in-depth operations.

A strong collaboration between the two companies

For several years, the two companies have collaborated on various areas and shared their expertise. In 2022, for example, an Air Calédonie revenue management collaborator had participated in the overhaul of Air Tahiti’s commercial grid by reinforcing the team in Papeete for 4 weeks.

To be continued!