MONTREAL — French bee, a French airline specializing in affordable long-haul flights, will make its official debut in Quebec on April 30.

With 15,000 tickets already sold, the airline’s launch to and from Canada looks promising.

The move into Canada follows an earlier expansion of the airline’s network to Reunion Island, Tahiti and several U.S. cities.

Roundtrip fares from Montreal to Paris start at $449.

So far French bee’s debut here “looks great, beyond our expectations,” said Gregory Jamet, EVP Network Strategy, at a recent launch event in Montreal.

Jamet points to the 15,000 tickets already sold (mostly in the French market, where the promotion has already started) and the 50% load factor for the first flight. “For us, Montreal is a natural next step. It’s a city that’s already well-known and appreciated by the French, and we believe there’s still a strong potential for growth in this market,” he said.

French bee’s model is similar to that of many other low-cost carriers, with very low base prices for flights, and the option to add extra services à la carte, such as checked baggage, seat selection and meals.

“For Montreal-Paris flights, the basic fare (Light category) will also include one cabin bag,” said Jamet.

For more services, customers can also choose the Smart category (which includes checked baggage and meals) or the Flex category, which offers the advantages of the Smart category plus seat selection and the option of a refund. Checking a suitcase costs around $90, while selecting a seat starts at $30.

How does French bee plan to stand out from the competition? Jamet said the company’s approach remains modest and cautious.

“We took the time to measure this investment, to study the market carefully. In our growth strategy, we don’t spread ourselves too thin. And Montreal fits perfectly with our business model,” he explained.

Also in line with other LCCs, French bee focuses solely on economy class, with very high load factors, and everything is carefully planned around this business model.

French bee is a subsidiary of the Dubreuil Group, which has over 30 years of experience in the airline sector.“Since the company’s inception in 2016, it has never closed a route,” Jamet added.

Montreal is French bee’s seventh long-haul destination. Starting April 30 the airline will operate four weekly flights between Montreal and Paris, with a fifth seasonal weekly flight operating July 4 – Aug. 31 to meet summer demand.

According to Jamet, French bee expects load factors of more than 85%.

French bee’s A350 fleet reduces fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 25% compared to previous generations.

For the time being, these A350s will be used for all flights between Montreal and Paris, with 376 economy class seats and 35 Premium seats.

Take note, all French bee flights arrive and depart from Orly Airport (ORY), which is now served by a new direct metro line, allowing passengers to reach downtown Paris faster than before.

When asked about travel advisors, Jamet said French bee is in discussions with APG (based in Canada and representing airlines) to quickly establish their business relationship with the retail travel distribution network here.

This was confirmed by APG’s CEO, Mable Tang, who states that they plan to communicate their action plan to industry professionals — and launch a promotional campaign for French bee — starting in early February.

This article originally appeared at ProfessionVoyages.com, part of The Travelweek Group