Air France has named its latest long-haul aircraft 'Paris' in honor of the host city for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The aircraft, registered as F-HUVJ, features the name Paris and the official logo of the Paris 2024 Games on its fuselage. It will join Air France's hub at Paris-Charles de Gaulle and commence its first commercial flight to Hong Kong.
Since 2019, Air France has been naming its aircraft after French cities to promote France’s regions globally. Previous names include Lyon, Saint-Denis de la Réunion, and Grasse. By naming this aircraft Paris, Air France pays tribute to its main base and leading destination. The airline operates nearly 1,000 flights daily from Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Paris-Orly to almost 200 destinations worldwide.
The timing of this announcement coincides with the upcoming opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Games. Air France plans to transport a significant number of athletes during the event: 15% of Olympic athletes, 35% of Paralympic athletes, and 13% of members of the "Olympic and Paralympic family." The company expects up to 125,000 customers per day this summer.