Air France resumed more than 200 routes, approaching 90% of its network level in 2019

Air France said it will serve up to 196 destinations on five continents this year at its peak summer, increasing capacity to 90 percent of pre-pandemic levels and even surpassing 2019 levels on routes to North America, Africa, the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean.

In March, Air France resumed flights from Paris to Dallas-Fort Worth, and the following month began offering flights to Quebec City, Canada (YQB).

This summer, Air France will operate nearly 200 weekly flights to 14 destinations in the United States, making it a priority long-haul destination for Air France. Service from Paris Orly Airport to New York (JFK) was resumed on 27 March. Previously, due to the epidemic, the route was suspended, and Air France integrated the route into Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.

Air France is also partnering with SkyTeam partner Delta Air Lines to launch a "shuttle bus" service between Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport and New York City (JFK). The two airlines will start flying eight times a day in early June, with six of them operated by Air France and the remaining two by Delta Air Lines. Passengers between the two cities will be able to take regular departures between Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport and New York City John F. Kennedy International Airport every hour during the day.

In addition to its five-week service to Dallas, Air France has resumed its flights to Denver, Colorado.

Air France has also positioned itself as the leading European airline serving Canada, with a 25 percent increase in capacity compared to pre-crisis levels. In May, Air France will launch a direct flight between Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport and Quebec City.

During the summer, Air France's routes in Africa will also return to pre-pandemic levels, offering two daily flights from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport to Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire) and expanding its seasonal service to Zanzibar (Tanzania) and Banjul (Gambia).

From Paris Orly Airport, the airline will operate three daily flights to Algiers (Algeria) and one daily flight to Tunisia (Tunisia). Both routes complement Air France's existing Paris Charles de Gaulle route.

Air Canada Cargo launches transatlantic service

Recently, Air Canada's cargo airlines announced that the second modified 767 cargo aircraft has joined the fleet and will operate scheduled transatlantic flights in about a month.

Twice-weekly scheduled flights from May to frankfurt, a busy European hub. Other routes include a weekly flight to Cologne, a weekly flight to Istanbul, and three flights to Madrid every week.

Air Canada has long wanted to build a strong fleet of dedicated freighters, with plans for a total of 8 modified 767 aircraft. By the end of the year, Air Canada Cargo expects to add three Boeing 767 cargo aircraft.

Air Canada Cargo's cargo revenue reached $490 million in the fourth quarter of 2021, an increase of $204 million compared to the same period in 2020.

Vietnamese food company acquires French national poultry company

Recently, Vietnamese food chain GreenFeed Vietnam acquired LeBoucher, a French chicken supplier based in the Mekong Delta. The value of the acquisition transaction has not been disclosed.

GreenFeed owns G Kitchen, a retailer of meat and processed products. GreenFeed Vietnam said the acquisition will provide a new source of protein for the company's ecosystem.

LeBoucher, a poultry supplier with a factory in the southern province of Long An, will be the fifth food brand in GreenFeed's portfolio after being acquired, along with MaMaChoice (fresh meat), Wyn (processed food) and G. Lala (crushed rice).

LeBoucher, owned by Alain Glon Holding Asia, is a $110 million-a-year French food company that has operated in Vietnam for more than 25 years, supplying chicken to McDonald's Vietnam business.

According to German data portal Statista, Vietnam's per capita poultry consumption in 2021 is close to 17 kilograms. It is expected to increase to more than 20 kg by 2029.

HSBC lowered vietnam's GDP growth forecasts

Recently, due to inflationary pressures brought about by rising global energy prices, HSBC lowered Vietnam's GDP growth forecast this year from 6.5% to 6.2%.

HSBC said, "Given the rise in global energy prices, Vietnam faces multiple challenges. The increase in energy costs will worsen Vietnam's trade environment. ”

Vietnam's crude oil and oil imports in March were double and quadruple the average for the same period in 2021, and the upward trend appears to continue.

HSBC raised its inflation forecast for Vietnam this year to 3.7 percent, with the government targeting no more than 4 percent inflation.

Vietnam's GDP grew by 5 percent in the first quarter, higher than forecast at 4.7 percent, indicating that Vietnam is back on a recovery track.

Driven by double-digit growth in electronics production, manufacturing remained the main driver of growth in the first quarter. Increased demand for electronics contributed to a 13% year-on-year increase in exports.

With Vietnam reopening its borders on March 15, HSBC expects a "slight rebound" in tourism this year. Vietnamese authorities hope to attract 8-9 million foreign tourists this year, roughly 40-50% in 2019.

Even if HSBC lowered its GDP growth forecast for Vietnam, the 6.2% growth rate still made Vietnam one of the best performers in Southeast Asia.

U.S. drone company Wing officially operates commercially today

On April 4, Alphabet drone subsidiary Wing and retailer Walgreens are launching drone delivery services to tens of thousands of residents in Frisco and little elms suburbs in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area in Texas, marking Wing's first commercial drone delivery service in the United States.

The two sides announced a partnership in October last year.

Wing has been testing the service in Virginia since last April and has been testing the service in Texas since October. Wing's most mature market is in logan town on the brisbane suburb of Australia, where more than 50,000 deliveries have been completed. A Wing spokesperson told the media that more than 1,000 deliveries were recently made in Logan a day, about once in about 25 seconds.

Success in Australia reflects Wing's elevated position in drone delivery, completing 100,000 deliveries in two and a half years and then breaking through the threshold of 200,000 in just six months.

In Texas, however, Wing is not without rivals. Rival Flytrex also recently announced a pilot service in nearby Granbury, just a few miles from the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. Flytrex CEO Yariv Bash told the media that the service's three-minute or even shorter delivery will benefit between 2,000 and 3,000 local households.