To begin a post that is much overdue; on November 7, 2010 I completed my year goal by finishing my first New York City marathon.  I came in across the finish line at 5:00 hours, which was not my goal, but I am more than happy with considering the frenetic pace that my life has been since beginning CityJet.

The rules that lay true in order to succeed in finishing a marathon can be transcribed for many things in life, including leading a successful business. It takes hard work, dedication, and the strength to keep pushing through whatever mountains might seem insurmountable.

One of the few, but most important, differences in running a marathon and a business is that in a marathon you’re the only person pushing through, whereas in a business, your team is the most integral in ensuring success.

A good, strong, hard-working team is the difference between finishing the race and deciding to drop out in the middle, or even being picked up by that car that picks up the stragglers of a marathon. Therefore, much of the past few months at CityJet have been spent building the strongest team and structure possible. These past few years may have been loss-making for the airline, but I am sure that as a team we will be breaking-even in the next year.

How can we not with one of the best products out there for regional air travel? Not only do we have fantastic perks in our all-inclusive price (award winning service, complimentary food and beverage service, mobile check-in, free bags – including golf!) but we travel to top destinations in Europe via our fantastic hub London City Airport. How can you complain about an airport that is actually in the city and you can show up 15 minutes before the flight departs? In this day and age, you just can’t.

Now that our strong foundation is almost complete, it is time for us to run a marathon as CityJet – a marathon that I am sure we will not only complete but will exceed our goal.

I will be back to updating this blog on a regular basis and sharing with you how the adventure of CityJet progresses, as well as insight into my (still) new position of CEO, and of course my training for the London marathon next month.  I’m fighting off an injury, but I have my fingers crossed that I’ll be fit enough to participate.

I hope you will (re)join me on this venture. Next time: new blog design, new address (http://cityjet.tumblr.com) and exciting news about new destinations.

In case you haven’t heard, my brief time here in New York is over, as I have been appointed CEO for CityJet.

In case you are unfamiliar with CityJet - as many Americans may be - let me provide you with a brief introduction:

    1)      CityJet is a wholly owned subsidiary airline of Air France and KLM that has its operations based out Dublin and is the biggest airline operator out of London City Airport

    2)      CityJet offers over 600 flights a week to 15 major European cities, including five hub airports (Dublin, London City, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Rotterdam and Antwerp)

    3)      With just a 15 minute check-in time at London City airport – we have the shortest check-in time of any UK airport. Not only that, but we were voted the Most Punctual Airline in Europe this past Summer

    4)      We offer two kinds of on-board product, CityPLUS – what we call our premium Economy product, and CityVALUE – our regular Economy product. What we can boast, is that we are a full service airline and do not charge for onboard services – something that we offer for at a competitive price. Plus, you are still earning your Flying Blue miles

    5)      CityJet is a fun and engaging airline: you will find us at all the Leinster Rugby games (as we are their official sponsor), and online from Twitter (@CityJet) to Facebook (CityJet) to YouTube (CityJet). Trust me, we may be a smaller operation, but we’re committed to engaging with our customers at every possible opportunity.

I cannot quite express how excited I am about my new position and challenges that I will be facing. Some of my top priorities at CityJet that I will begin working on immediately include: refining the organizational structure, following our recent acquisition of Belgian airline VLM; striving for profitability in an economy that is currently lagging behind that of the U.S.; and of course, consistently working on achieving the highest possible standard in product and consistent customer experience.

So as you can see, I’ll be just as busy, if not more so, in my new position as this is just the beginning of my check-list that I have already begun working on.
 
I have enjoyed my experience in New York, so much so, that my family will actually remain in New York for the rest of the year. So I am still a semi-New Yorker as I will be back every week; plus I am still training for the New York marathon (I have a number, so it is definitely happening). I may not have been in the U.S. for very long, but I made strong connections with many people, both professionally and personally, and I can honestly say that this past year has been one of the best of my career.

Though I am sad to be departing so soon, I know I am leaving the U.S. Air France and KLM team in good hands with Patrick Roux, who is the new Senior Vice-President of the Americas. Patrick has spent over 20 years working for Air France and KLM in a vast array of responsibilities, and I have no doubt that he will continue to ensure that we are providing our customers with the best in service and network with Joint Venture partners Delta and Alitalia.
 
I am energized and thrilled about the new adventure of the year ahead, and would like to invite you to continue to follow me on this upcoming trip. I will be continuing ‘Skywriting with Christine,’ but will be taking a very brief break as I transition. But, I promise you that I will re-launch very soon with just a few cosmetic changes. Rest assured that in the new iteration of my blog, I will still continue to update you on my job and life – just that I will be taking on a completely different market. 

See you all very soon from the other side of the pond.

This week has been spent busy at the National Business Traveler’s Association’s (NBTA, though it is changing to GBTA we found out) annual convention that took place this year in Houston. The self-declared ‘Business Travel Event of the Year’ – the convention is a time for all the members of SkyTeam to band together and show our strengths to clients, press, and attendees.

Not only is it a good time to meet face to face with our top clients and press, but the convention serves as the perfect conduit for varied discussions about the current state as well as future of the travel industry with a variety of educational sessions, panels and featured speakers. Plus? It’s the best and easiest way to see what the latest products and offerings are being put forth by a variety of vendors and companies to the travel community – from hotels to small travel agencies to even insurance companies.  

What made NBTA unique this year was the feeling of positive energy and discussions about the recovery of the business travel industry. Everyone said that compared to last year everyone was much more positive and optimistic, and that there were in fact many more attendees compared to last year as well. I think that this feeling can be generalized to feeling of the travel industry in general about the upcoming year: optimistic.

Every year, as a group, SkyTeam provides what I believe is one of the best booths beyond showing our premium products (everyone loved trying out the Air France Premium Voyageur seats and the latest KLM World Business Class seats), from soft carpeting (it’s unbelievable how hours on thin carpeting is cement floors can become uncomfortable), refreshments (wine, cheese, fruit and crackers), an oxygen bar (get rid of that headache and recharge for the rest of the day!), special massage chairs, and plush leather chairs to relax. This, of course in addition to providing free SkyTeam gear (the blackberry and iPhone bumpers were the most popular) and daily drawings for free tickets.

I arrived Monday morning and went straight to the convention so that I could catch the keynote speaker for lunch, Condoleezza Rice, who everyone seemingly had a different opinion on. Though I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, I do think that she is a very accomplished orator. Afterwards, I had back to back meetings with journalists and clients. With so many people in attendance it is one of the best opportunities to meet with everyone and share our latest updates all at one time. Even if it does mean that there isn’t much time to wander.

After our successful first day, we had an Air France, KLM, and Delta team dinner at Artista, the restaurant at the Hobby Center where we would be having our SkyTeam event the next evening. Despite the 105 degree heat, many of us sat on their balcony enjoying the view and the opportunity to catch up with those we hadn’t seen in awhile as our teams are spread across the country. From the brief tour of the Center I knew that our party would be a success.

Lather, rinse, repeat. Starting early Tuesday morning I had more back-to-back meetings with top clients and contracts with my break being lunch where Richard Branson was the featured speaker. I was really looking forward to hearing him speak as I think it is safe to say that he is a visionary and marketing genius who has had quite an interesting career. After lunch I had additional meetings with journalists and clients – in fact you can read one of the interviews here that I had with “Elite Traveler” magazine. 

After closing the Convention again, it was time for our SkyTeam party titled “Let Us Entertain You” that was crazy. Let Us Entertain You we did. If you’d like to read an article about the party in a local, online magazine you can do so here. But some of the highlights, which are featured in this week’s slideshow include: a dance floor that was lit-up to the beats of the music, magicians, and fire jugglers, a “Champagne Chandelier” where a woman was suspended overhead and refilling guests glasses, a Henna station, multiple green screens for videos and flip-books, stilt-walkers and veritable feast that included hand-spun crepes, a cheese garden, and create your own paella stations. The dancing continued until 1 a.m. (if you look closely you can see me in some of the photos) when they finally had to kick us out after extending the party for an extra hour.

NBTA (or I should say GBTA) – I’ll see you next year.

One of the first personal goals that I set for myself upon moving to New York was that I was going to run the (in)famous New York City Marathon. And I do mean run, not walk. Well, at least most of it. So I’ve been training to the best that my schedule allows me to – somehow being in a city only half of the week on a regular basis isn’t conducive to being a member of a training group – and have embraced a new passion for running.  

There is nothing in the world like the running culture in New York – you will always see people running outside in the city, from the crowded mid-town streets to the paths in the park, in the morning to the middle of the night, the weather always as an afterthought. Because of course, there’s an outfit for that. This is something that you would never see in Paris and I never saw in London either. Sometimes I think that running is a requirement for living in New York.

Training for the marathon has really opened my eyes to the drive and dedication long-distance running takes. My training has taken on the same aesthetic as my business philosophy: “Remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.” Success is only achieved through continued hard-work, dedication and drive. The same can be said about the industry and our business in general.

So, in preparation for November, I decided to run my first official half-marathon in San Francisco, where we’re currently enjoying the success of Air France’s second Summer frequency and had the added benefit of being a respite of running in the humidity of the East Coast.

Success is found not only through dedicated, dynamic team-work, but also by setting clear, achievable goals. My two personal goals for the half-marathon were to finish within two and a half hours and to not have to stop and walk at any point. Both of which I achieved (2:16), and was happy doing so with Air France crew members! (You can watch a Runner’s World video about the half-marathon here).

Running the marathon in San Francisco was such an experience as its residents, both those running (in leather pants! Heels! Underwear!) and those watching (motorcycles, residents, flag wavers cheering ), made it an interesting experience. All this in addition, of course, to the natural topography of San Francisco that is both unique and unforgiving. I had thankfully been forewarned by friends that I should start off slow as the infamous hills of the city can take a toll. At the end though, I was able to reward myself with ice-cream from the delicious Humphry Slocombe before hopping on a plane back to New York where I proceeded to fall asleep for most of the flight.

San Francisco, you really are the best sister city of Paris. Hopefully, we’re returning the favor by providing some of the French touch to the skies. With 40% more space this October with the introduction of Premium Voyageur on the route!   

From my running mix (uptempo is mandatory), the song of the day:

La Roux – Bulletproof (Copycat Italo Remix)

We’ve just opened our new First Class/VIP and Business Class lounge at Washington-Dulles airport and it features one the best bars in town. Opening the new lounge is just another way we’re showing our dedication to the Beltway community – and have been doing so for the past 46 years.

Air France has a long storied relationship with the local Washington community, which is why Air France has two daily flights and the honor of being one of only 5 gateways in the US with the exclusive La Première service. In fact, Washington has been our ‘first’ many times since we arrived on April 1, 1964. Air France was flying the Concorde out of Washington before New York, our first Airbus 310s and 330s were operated out of Washington, and now they are the first to have our new bar lounge concept outside of France.

The official opening of the lounge was a resounding success with not only our passengers for the day in attendance, but top clients, journalists and of course all of our JV colleagues from Delta and Alitalia were present as well as Washington Metro Airport Authority Officials. The big honor was that the Ambassadors of France and the Netherlands were in attendance and helped our Air France KLM Station Manager Etienne Dailly and myself cut the ribbon as of course all KLM passengers will be welcomed in the lounge as well.

Back to the bar, we like to think that it’s one of the coolest new bars in Washington, it just happens to be in our brand-new lounge at Washington-Dulles airport. Featuring our signature red, from ground-to-ceiling, stocked full of top shelf libations to choose from and staffed by a full-time bartender – it is a sight to behold.

Don’t take my word for it, hear what the venerable Washington Post has to say:  

Air France lounge is so fly

In the generic pantheon of airport lounges, the new Air France VIP and Business Class Lounge at Washington Dulles stands out for a few reasons: It’s light, airy and pours good champagne.

The sleek lounge opened June 17 in Terminal A and is free for business and first-class passengers. The retro-style decor boasts pale gray leather furniture with splashes of red, floor-to-ceiling windows and pale wood paneling. Passengers can refresh themselves with showers, a free, fully stocked bar (with bartender) and classic Gallic snacks, such as ham and butter sandwiches, cheese and fresh bread, and sweets.

The lounge is a work in progress, with no Internet access or computers as yet. Still, compared with most in-transit waiting rooms, Air France possesses a certain je ne sais quoi. But perhaps that’s the Nicolas Feuillatte champagne.

Song of the Day: Mike Posner – “Cooler Than Me”

Today was a good day (and not just because it is Friday). I was officially presented with Executive Travel Magazine’s Leading Edge Award 2010 for being their reader’s first choice for “Best Airline to Western Europe.” As Janet Libert, the Editor-in-Chief, explained to me, this not only meant our services and products on-board, but also for our schedules.

At both Air France and KLM we are always striving towards providing passengers with the best in service, products, and innovation (see: iPads in the KLM Crown Lounge in Amsterdam!), so we are always grateful to receive an award. So, of course, would like to also take this time to also thank all of those who voted for us. We promise that there wasn’t any vote stuffing!

All joking aside, it is a big honor for us to receive this award, and so have added photos of the award that will be placed proudly on display in our front entrance at our offices here in New York.

In my continual quest of also introducing my latest favorite music, I have another song of the day: Future Islands “Tin Man.”