Air France To Suspend Direct Paris-Manila Flights

Dhaka: Air France will suspend its direct flights between Paris and Manila during the northern summer of 2026, shifting the service to a seasonal operation just a year after its high-profile return to the Philippine market.

The SkyTeam alliance carrier plans to halt its three-times-weekly flights between Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Manila from May 4 to Oct. 12, 2026, according to schedule data published by aviation monitoring site AeroRoutes.

Air France has yet to issue an official statement on the adjustment. The Manila Bulletin said it had contacted the airline for comment and would update its report once more information becomes available.

The suspension follows Air France's return to the Philippines in December 2024, ending a 20-year gap in direct air connectivity between Paris and Manila.

The airline currently operates the route using Airbus A350-900 aircraft. While services are expected to resume during the winter 2026–2027 schedule, the temporary withdrawal poses a challenge to government efforts to strengthen long-haul tourism.

The Department of Tourism has been lobbying for more direct air links to Europe to reduce reliance on connecting hubs in the Middle East and Asia.

Philippine Airlines has previously expressed interest in resuming flights to European capitals, but the flag carrier has not yet announced a timeline.

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