To launch the festivities celebrating its 90th anniversary, Air France is displayed in the windows of Galeries Lafayette on Boulevard Haussmann in Paris, and will also offer for sale emblematic objects from its history.
Wednesday, September 27, in front of the prestigious windows of Galeries Lafayette on Boulevard Haussmann, which usually delight children during Christmas, many curious people flocked to admire a preview of the launch of the festivities for the 90th anniversary of Air France. On a red carpet, Ben Smith, CEO of Air France-KLM, Anne-Marie Couderc, non-executive chairman of Air France-KLM, and Anne Rigail, CEO of Air France inaugurated five magnificent showcases featuring the identity of Air France according to five themes: the fleet and planes, uniforms and fashion, the network with old posters of the company, gastronomy and tableware, design and architecture.
The origin of the name “Air France”
It was in fact on October 7, 1933, that the Air France company was inaugurated, born from the grouping of Air Orient, Air Union, the Société Générale des Transports Aériens, the Compagnie Internationale de Navigation Aérien and the ‘Aéropostale. History will remember that during the press conference which announced the merger and creation of the French national airline, it was the journalist Georges Raffalovich, dean in the aeronautics sector, who proposed naming the little new one “Air France “. Shortly after its inauguration, the new company adopted its logo: a winged horse with a dragon’s tail, more simply called “winged seahorse” from 1934 and affectionately renamed “the shrimp” by company staff. Note also that this logo had fallen into disuse for years and that it was recently brought up to date by the company, which also resumed the habit of naming all planes arriving in fleet with the name a large French city.
Festivities held in all major Air France stops
The windows will be able to be admired by Parisians and the numerous tourists on the grand boulevards until October 10. Collectors will also be able to find many iconic objects linked to the history of the company (crockery, luggage, etc.) inside the famous Parisian “department store”. “This is only the beginning of the events that will mark this 90th anniversary,” explains Anne Rigail. “From October 7, all major Air France stops around the world will host festivities linked to the company’s anniversary.”
