It will soon be possible again to travel by plane between Clermont-Ferrand and Paris-Orly. The air link, which came into service briefly in 2020 before the second confinement, will reopen on November 2, the Rhône-Alpes-Auvergne region announced on Wednesday.
The regional company Amelia (Regourd group) will operate this line at the rate of two daily rotations during the week and will be financially supported “up to 700,000 euros” by the Mixed Syndicate of Clermont-Ferrand Airport (SMACFA). This is made up of the region, the department of Puy-de-Dôme and the metropolis of Clermont-Ferrand.
A “stab” in 2020
The line was initially operated by Air France, which closed it in the spring of 2020, a decision then qualified as a “stab” by the president of the region Laurent Wauquiez (LR). Amelia had taken it back then, but for only a few weeks in September and October 2020, before suspending it due to the second confinement in October 2020.
“The risk was that the lines closed during confinement would not reopen. (…) I did not want us to take advantage of Covid-19 to abandon this line, so important for our inhabitants and our businesses, ”said Laurent Wauquiez.