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.

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)

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.”

Something that you’ll never find me without in all of my travels is my iPod. I absolutely love music – from rock to jazz to indie to electronic, even country – and there is nothing that I love more than being introduced to a new artist that I love. My current preferences tend towards British indie rock, though I think that might be because my employees in the UK were good at keeping me up-to-date on the latest and greatest in the music scene. Though my US employees are trying to indoctrinate me to the burgeoning Brooklyn music scene, along with my daughter who is trying to educate me to her own tastes. And I love listening to all of it. Well, at least once.

Music is a fantastic barrier-breaker between cultures and languages. When you are at a concert listening to your favorite artist, it doesn’t matter what language you speak, everyone bonds over the love of the music and artist. KLM recognizes this and has come up with a brilliant idea to sponsor meet & greets with popular artists as well as travel to popular destinations. What could be better than music and traveling on your favorite airline?

The first competition was with the fellow Dutch national and international DJ, Tiësto, where entrants were flown to New York to meet with the DJ and attend one of his sold-out concerts. I was lucky enough to attend and meet the man himself. I made it until past 1 in the morning, but I heard that people were dancing until 4:30 in the morning. Not bad being flown in to one of the greatest cities in the world and meeting one of your favorite artist by just clicking a few buttons. And Tiësto was just the beginning.

We’ve since offered the chance for people to be flown to Berlin to watch Mika live, Tiësto in Amsterdam, as well as VIP Treatment “Sensation” packages in Sao Paolo and Amsterdam. To broaden the experiences, our most recent competition was a meet & greet with the genius violinist Andre Rieu.

Annoyed that you’ve missed out so far on the competitions? Don’t despair, we’re constantly offering new competitions. Simply sign-up for our newsletter here and you’ll be the first to know. 

And to stay up-to-date on our latest competitions, you should make sure to follow us on Twitter: @KLM_US. 

My music suggestion of the day: Tiësto feat. Tegan & Sara - “Feel it in My Bones.”

And in my quest to continually discover new music, please feel free to make any music suggestions in the comments.

The name San Francisco conjures up many memories and responses in people, from architecture to art to music; but it is always positive. Even the infamous quote by Mark Twain, “The coldest winter I ever saw was the summer I spent in San Francisco,” is held with nostalgia rather than being true criticism. And actually that sounds fantastic right now with the heat that is currently smothering New York.

Both Air France and KLM have quite a storied history with the sister city of Paris – Air France has been flying to San Francisco since September of 1986 while KLM service began a short while afterwards in 1993. And as of June 22nd, just a few days ago, Air France is bringing even more of the French touch to the Bay Area skies for the Summer. As hopefully many of you have already heard, we have added three additional flights each week. With a later departure time (6:25 pm), passengers can have both a full day at work before leaving, and ample time to shop upon arrival in Paris. Something that can be enjoyed relatively guilt-free with the exchange rate between the dollar and the Euro being so agreeable at the moment.

In addition, we’re also upgrading the capacity on our regular daily flight by introducing the original double-decker: the Boeing 747. This means we’ll be able to pamper 3,800 passengers a week! We’re particularly delighted because in a time where most carriers are cutting back on their capacity, we’re continuing to meet demand by adding to ours in San Francisco. I’m confident it will be a success, and hope that it will be so successful that we’ll be able to add it to the schedule year-round. Something that my entire team is working hard to ensure.

In fact, earlier this month, in celebration of the additional flight as well as to show our dedication to the local community we threw a joint cocktail party with the French Consul General. For us, it was a perfect opportunity to speak directly with our biggest clients, customers, and broader Bay Area community. As well, of course, as being a perfect occasion to catch up with local co-workers, with the direct benefit being that it was an opportunity to visit. During my graduate studies I worked as a sales intern for French companies to build their businesses locally in the Berkeley area for 6 months so I relish any chance that I get to return to the Bay Area, for business or pleasure. The event was a fantastic success; we were even able to surprise the French General Consul with a cake, in recognition for his birthday which was that day, as well as the fact that he was leaving the next day for his new post.

As June 21st traditionally says, Summer is now in full swing, and I hope that all the readers in the Bay Area are planning to try either of our Air France flights this Summer or our daily KLM flight (to buy your tickets, just click either tab on the left). It may seem like we’re just trying to make the airspace over the Bay Area as French or Dutch as possible (which we are) because our heart is definitely in San Francisco.
 

April was a busy month for us – though one of our proudest achievements was opening the new Business Class (‘Affaires’ in Air France speak) lounge at Boston Logan airport.

This new lounge features a bevy of the beloved amenities, including distinct work and private areas, high-def TVs, free wifi, and the high standard of food and beverages for which Air France is renowned. Plus? We’re the only lounge in the international terminal that has windows, and actually faces the boarding gate so you can keep your eye on the aircraft.

If almost a half century of service to the Boston community didn’t already show it, building this lounge further confirms our dedication and long-term commitment to Boston and the greater New England area.

Not only do we believe that the lounge does one of the best jobs in our history of representing the style and class of our service both on-board and on the ground, but it is the largest lounge in the US (all within 90 days of making the decision to go ahead with the project). So, say ‘hello’ to your new monster, hopefully one day it might be equally as beloved as the Green Monster.

Fun insider fact: the lounge, which is a culmination of many years’ hard work, would not have come to fruition without the dedication of our hard-working Boston station manager Daniel Graf. Daniel retired this month after spending over 45 years at the company, and we couldn’t thank him enough for his hard work and so decided to pay tribute to him by dedicating this lounge in his name, officially naming it the “Graf Lounge.”