Air France describes its alliance with Commission Junction - Q&A

How did Air France come to start working with Commission Junction?

We’ve been working with Commission Junction for a few years now but when we were looking to appoint a network we wanted a party who could help us develop in the channel and who had experience in the travel sector. Commission Junction replied to our pitch with consideration and thought, the team were great and as well as replying to the brief they came back with additions and advice. The team have remained constant throughout the time we’ve been working together and it’s led to a stable and productive affiliate function which is integral to our online marketing efforts.

How does Air France assign competitive CPA to flights? What factors were considered during the process?

The travel sector is a competitive field, especially online as so many people purchase flights and holidays over the internet. To ensure maximum exposure we have a very competitive CPA. The CPA was set up to not only give our affiliate partners generous payments but also to allow us to remain within our strict distribution cost.

Does Air France value flight aggregators?

Of course, we have to take careful consideration with all our affiliate marketing choices but having a strong presence on flight aggregators is important as so many consumers use them.

Where are the most popular destinations for its flights?

Air France has an extensive number of departure airports throughout the UK offering several daily flights to the Paris hub where passengers have a wide range of connecting opportunities to Asia, Africa, South America. Many of destinations on the Air France network are a hit within the affiliate programme!

What does the future hold for Air France’s partnership with Commission Junction?

We’re always growing our affiliate marketing channel. The team at CJ are always suggesting improvements and new technologies for Air France to adopt. Air France is also a very innovative airline. So the working relationship between CJ and Air France can only but foster new forward thinking ideas!

What would be your one top tip for those looking for a foothold in the travel sector?

That’s a really hard question, what I would say is that the market is incredibly competitive and everyone is on the lookout for something unique, however, you need to get the basics right. Without this, any sort of pioneering strategy is going to fall flat. It applies to all elements of business rather than just affiliates, but it’s crucial and is particularly important when working with publishers and advertisers!

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