Gamble pays off: Aircalin hits jackpot with Paris flights

By Andrew Curran.

Aircalin’s Paris flights have proved a financial hit for the airline. The route, which operates via Bangkok (BKK), now accounts for 40% of the carrier’s revenue and, according to CEO Georges Selefen, was a “successful gamble” that has handsomely paid off.

The state-owned airline based in New Caledonia has been in dire financial straits for several years. This was exacerbated by ongoing civil unrest across the French territory in 2024 that saw visitor numbers to New Caledonia plummet.

The airline had anticipated flying 455,000 passengers in 2024. Instead, it flew 270,000. Numbers have slightly improved this year - to 295,000. But revenue declined along with the passenger decline.

The airline embarked on a strategic reset, which, among other changes, saw it axe its flights to Melbourne (MEL) and Tokyo (NRT) and begin flights to Paris (CDG).

However, as reported by the les Nouvelles Calédoniennes outlet, Selefen told a December 11, 2025, media event in Nouméa that the Paris flights were generating higher than expected revenue.

“It has allowed us to regain financial stability and create around thirty jobs," he said.

The Bangkok – Paris sector of the flight carried 30,000 passengers between January and October 2025 and generated around 60% of the total revenue earned on the full Nouméa – Bangkok – Paris – Bangkok – Nouméa rotation.

Aircalin’s Paris flights now operate thrice weekly using A330-900s. As previously reported by Aero South Pacific, Aircalin is wet-leasing a B777-200 from Portugal’s euroAtlantic Airways for most of current Southern Hemisphere summer. This has allowed Aircalin to increase its frequencies to Paris and deploy its flagship Airbus widebodies on the long-haul flight.

Commercial Director Arnaud Gervais told journalists at the event that the Paris flights had provided “incredibly beneficial to us from an economic standpoint and has allowed us to stop the loss of revenue and return to profitability.”

Aircalin firms up plans to acquire two A350s

The success of the Paris flights has encouraged Aircalin to proceed with plans to acquire two A350-900s. The first is due in Nouméa towards the end of 2026 and the second sometime in 2028.

“The financing is being finalised,” said Selefen. "Seventeen percent of this amount is provided through internal financing, and the remainder is covered by tax breaks and loans from international lenders."

Aside from the wet-leased euroAtlantic B777, Aircalin’s fleet consists of two A330-900s and two A320-200Ns.

Selefen says one of the A320s is leased “to save money.” However, that aircraft, F-OTIB (msn 10049) has been parked at Kuala Lumpur since March 2024. It is unclear who the plane is leaded to. Selefen says he expects to receive the aircraft back by the end of 2026.

When the second A350-900 arrives in 2028, Aircalin plans to sell one of its A330-900s. Both are currently just over six years old. By 2028, they will be approaching nine years old.

That will leave Aircalin with five aircraft by the end of the decade – two A320-200Ns, two A350-900s, and one A330-900.

Gervais says Aircalin is keeping its options open about what to do with the additional capacity.

"We could reopen the suspended routes to Melbourne, or even Tokyo, but that would depend entirely on whether or not tourism to New Caledonia recovers,” he said.

Aside from Bangkok and Paris, Aircalin currently flies to Brisbane (BNE), Sydney (SYD), Singapore (SIN), Auckland (AKL), Port Vila (VLI), Wallis and Futuna Islands (WLS), Nadi (NAN), and Papeete (PPT).

Photo: Aircalin.

Contact the writer: andrew@aerosouthpacific.com