Air France Menu Collection SDASM.SC.10002
Finding aid prepared by Jenna L. Shaeffer, Stephania Villar
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
2010
2001 Pan American Plaza, Balboa Park
San Diego, CA, 92101
(619) 234-8291
Title: Air France Menu Collection
Identifier/Call Number: SDASM.SC.10002
Contributing Institution:
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
0.17 Cubic feet
1 manuscript box
Date (inclusive): 1933-1970
Abstract: This collection contains menus from Air France flights between Paris and Los Angeles and between Paris and Buenos Aires during
the 1980s.
Air France was formed on October 7, 1933 from a merger of Air Orient, Air Union, Compagnie Générale Aéropostale, Compagnie
Internationale de Navigation Aérienne (CIDNA), and Société Générale de Transport Aérien (SGTA). In June 1945 French civil
aviation was nationalized and, at the end of 1945, the entire French air transport network was entrusted to Air France. In
1946, the Paris to New York route was officially inaugurated.
In 1990, the airline acquired the operations of French domestic carrier Air Inter and international rival UTA - Union des
Transports Aériens. Air France served as France's primary national flag carrier for seven decades prior to its 2003 merger
with KLM. Between April 2001 and March 2002, the airline carried 43.3mn passengers and had a total revenue of €12.53bn. In
November 2004, Air France ranked as the largest European airline with 25.5% total market share, and was the largest airline
in the world in terms of operating revenue.
The Air France Special Collection contains menus, mostly in French and English, given on flights from Paris to Los Angeles,
and also from Buenos Aires to Paris. The menus and their special presentation were in commemoration of the bicentenary of
the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789. The Bastille was a fortress and prison, the fall of which is widely considered
the start of the French Revolution. Other menus feature images of various model aircraft.
Conditions Governing Access note
The collection is open to the public by appointment.
For copyright and use information, please contact the library director.
[Item], [Filing Unit], [Series Title], [Subgroups], [Record Group Title and Number], [Repository “San Diego Air & Space Museum
Library & Archives”]
Related Archival Materials note
Digitized images from this collection can be found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/sets/72157633109595037/
Related SDASM Collections: Affiches, Posters, Air France, 1933-1983 / Jérôme Peignot: O/S N 8217 .A4 .P45 1988
One box, 12” x 2.5” x 10.5”. The Air France Special Collection contains menus, mostly in French and English, the majority
given on flights from Paris to Los Angeles, and also one (1) from Buenos Aires to Paris, all in the 1980s. Eight (8) of the
menus are in commemoration of the bicentenary of the storming of Bastille in 1789. Other menus contain images of models of
different types of aircraft used by Air France as well as featured art work. There are 34 items in the collection, not including
duplicates.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Aeronautics, Commercial
Air France
Airline menus
Airlines
Food
Folder 02 – Inserts & Menus