Air Austral has signed an ACMI charter agreement with ASL Airlines France, covering the period from November 11, 2026, to March 27, 2027. This agreement is intended to allow Air Austral to maintain its regional connections during the withdrawal of its Airbus A220 aircraft and before the arrival of its future A320neo aircraft. A first Boeing 737-800 from ASL Airlines France, configured with 186 seats, will be deployed starting November 11. A second aircraft of the same capacity will be added during the high season of December and January. Two Boeing 737-800 aircraft will be used for the transition period. The agreement aims to ensure the continuity of regional services departing from La Réunion, including routes to Mayotte and other nearby destinations in the Indian Ocean, although the specific routes operated by the chartered aircraft have not been specified. The flight crew will remain those of Air Austral, while the technical crews will be provided by ASL Airlines France. "This partnership with ASL Airlines France allows us to ensure the continuity of our regional connections while preparing for the arrival of our A320neo," says Hugues Marchessaux, chairman of the board of directors of Air Austral. He also notes that passengers will continue to be welcomed by the crew of the Reunion-based airline. Air Austral has announced that its three A220-300 aircraft will leave its fleet definitively in December 2026, while the two A320neo intended to replace them are expected in March and May 2027. The first A220 has already left the fleet in September. The contract with ASL must thus cover most of the interval between these withdrawals and the arrival of the first new aircraft. The A220 aircraft, introduced in 2021, have 132 seats in two classes, compared to 180 seats planned for each of the future A320neo. The airline intends to replace three smaller aircraft with two larger aircraft. This choice increases the number of seats available per flight, but its effect on total capacity and frequencies will depend on the final operational program. The decision to withdraw the A220 comes after availability issues related to their Pratt & Whitney engines, which have affected the operation of the small regional fleet. Air Austral had announced in October 2025 a letter of intent with Macquarie AirFinance for the lease of the two A320neo, emphasizing notably the availability of the aircraft and their maintenance facilities. The two airlines had already worked together in 2015. ASL Airlines France then provided passenger and freight transport operations on Air Austral's medium-haul network, pending the arrival of the first Boeing 787-8 of the latter. The new agreement resumes the same division of roles between ASL technical crews and Air Austral cabin staff. "Quickly mobilizing aircraft and technical crews to meet the needs of other airlines is part of the expertise of ASL Airlines France," explains Éric Vincent, executive director of the carrier, in the joint press release. For Air Austral, the temporary return of the 737-800 is also a nod to its recent history: its previous 737-800 aircraft were replaced by the A220 during the renewal of the regional fleet in 2021. The aircraft announced for this winter will be chartered from ASL.