Air France has introduced plans to replace the cabins of the plane belonging to its regional subsidiary.
Air France HOP Embraer E190 cabin makeover plans
Air France HOP is Air France’s regional subsidiary, working a fleet of over 30 Embraer plane, together with E170s and E190s. Beginning within the fall of 2024, Air France HOP Embraer E190s might be getting new cabins. It is sensible that Air France is ready till the height summer time journey season to start out this week, on condition that the Olympics might be in Paris this summer time.
As of now, Air France is tight-lipped about what we are able to count on, although states that the cabins might be unveiled in late Could 2024, on the Plane Interiors Expo in Hamburg. Right here’s what Air France has shared:
- The brand new seats are being designed in partnership with French producer Expliseat, with “an progressive carbon fiber and titanium seat combining a light-weight and sustainable design with enhanced consolation, sturdiness and performance”
- The brand new seats might be “in step with the excessive requirements of consolation provided on board the Airbus A220”
- The whole cabin decor might be given a makeover within the Air France colours, starting from the bulkheads to the carpet
I not too long ago reviewed the Air France HOP Embraer E190 enterprise class expertise, on the brief flight between Paris and Frankfurt, simply to present you a way of what prospects are at the moment getting.
What I’d like to see on Air France HOP Embraer E190 jets
Air France’s Embraer E190s have pretty “retro” cabins, in a great way. That’s to say that the seat padding is kind of good, because the planes don’t have slimline seats, such as you’ll discover on most newer plane.
I think about that with these new cabins, we’ll see slimmer seats launched. I’m curious if the seat rely on these planes might be elevated. You’d assume the apparent reply can be “sure,” however the catch is that the planes at the moment have precisely 100 seats. When you recover from 100 seats, you want a 3rd flight attendant, so there’s fairly a price to that, particularly when you think about that almost all flights aren’t 100% full.
With that in thoughts, there are actually some issues that it could be good to see. For one, it could be nice if the jets had energy ports and Wi-Fi. Admittedly this isn’t actually important on such brief flights, since these planes largely function 45-90 minute flights, so individuals can stay with out it. Nonetheless, it could be good to have.
Past that, my greatest grievance with the expertise on these jets is that enterprise class doesn’t provide blocked adjoining seats, as you’ll discover within the mainline fleet. This makes an enormous distinction when it comes to consolation, and it could be good to have an identical expertise no matter whether or not you find yourself on a mainline or regional jet. In spite of everything, the fares are the identical, so the expertise needs to be comparable as properly.
As I’ve mentioned many occasions, I’m delighted to see how Air France continues to enhance its passenger expertise, particularly on lengthy haul flights. The service’s new Airbus A350-900 and Boeing 777-300ER enterprise class merchandise are nice, whereas the Airbus A220-300s on brief haul flights additionally symbolize a really good enchancment.
Backside line
Air France HOP Embraer E190s are getting new cabins in late 2024, together with new seats and new cabin finishes. A number of the particulars nonetheless stay to be seen, however I’m trying ahead to studying extra. I’m curious if we see every other updates, like energy ports, Wi-Fi, or blocked enterprise class seats.
What do you make of deliberate modifications to Air France HOP Embraer E190s? What would you prefer to see?
