Undercarriage was retracting, but there were no flaps, which the large wing area with thick airfoil made unnecessary, obviously at the expense of speed.

Nevertheless, it was a major improvement over earlier airliners: the passengers for the first time in France enjoyed noise reduction and heating of the cabin.

The type however did not have a very long career, as it was quickly made obsolete by more modern and much faster airliners such as the Bloch MB.220 and the Dewoitine D.338.

The French military high-command did not have grandiose plans for paratroopers, which did not fit well with its essentially defensive doctrine of the pre-World War II era.

Originally ordered as bombers, the Romanian Potez 651s were relegated to transport duties during World War II.