AIR FRANCE KLM, Europe’s largest airline group, has appointed Consolidated PR as its retained PR agency for the UK and Ireland following a contested pitch.

Consolidated PR will be the sole agency for Air France, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and the Group’s European point-to-point subsidiary CityJet, which controls around 50% of the slots at London City Airport.

Consolidated PR has had a retained relationship with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines for the last 10 years but the new brief will expand to include work with the AIR FRANCE KLM PR team which is headed by Elise Biensan in the UK and Ireland and with Cityjet, lead by CEO, Geoffrey O’Byrne White.

Consolidated PR’s immediate remit for AIR FRANCE KLM is to focus on the business travel trade and corporate market to increase the Group’s visibility amongst key corporate travel buyers and business travellers as well as to develop bespoke programmes to support the 21 airports serviced by the Group in the UK and Ireland. In addition, for Air France Consolidated PR will devised UK programmes to highlight delivery of Air France’s new Airbus A380 jets and the product launch of Premium Voyageur, Air France’s new premium economy offering. For KLM, a UK campaign to amplify the 90th Anniversary celebrations of the airline is top of Consolidated PR’s agenda with particular emphasis being placed on a Europe-wide roadshow which will visit 5 UK cities in the autumn. The roadshow will also showcase KLM’s new premium economy product.

For CityJet, Consolidated PR will mainly support the network out of London City Airport where the carrier offers a choice of 600 flights a week to 12 destinations to major European business centres, making it the largest airline operating from this centrally located airport in London. Furthermore Consolidated PR will support PR activities in Scotland and Manchester. To kick off Consolidated PR will be involved in the PR related activities linked to a major advertising campaign that will be launched by CityJet in September.

Anko van der Werff, Head of Commercial, AIR FRANCE KLM UK and Ireland said, ‘We were particularly impressed with the strategic thinking and creativity of Consolidated PR. They have an extensive understanding of our business and individual brand requirements which will be invaluable.’

Nick Clark, Managing Director, Consolidated PR, commented ‘Airline brands are the most iconic of all. And these brands are the most iconic of all. But these are challenging times for the industry. PR must work hard to inspire people to choose our brands above others and ahead of the alternatives. A decade working PR for KLM’s routes out of the UK stands us in good stead to deliver passenger numbers just when it is most crucial.”

Nick Clark will oversee the account with Head of Consumer Liz Fay advising on brand strategy. Aviation and travel expert Rocky Husain will run day to day operations across the UK and Ireland.