In Could 2022, Air France unveiled its new enterprise class product. I wished to offer an replace on this, and particularly about when this product will enter service, as there was a little bit of a delay. Let’s check out the whole lot we learn about Air France’s new enterprise class.
Air France introduces enterprise class seats with doorways
Air France will likely be introducing a brand new enterprise class product, which the airline hopes will assist it transfer much more upmarket. These new seats are a reverse herringbone product with direct aisle entry and doorways.
Air France received’t simply be including doorways to its present reverse herringbone seats, however slightly the airline is rolling out seats which have been redesigned altogether. Particularly, Air France has chosen Safran Versa as its new enterprise class seat, which is the up to date model of the Safran seat that Air France at present has. Because it’s described, Air France has designed this seat based mostly on 3 “F”s:
- Full flat, which means that the seat transforms into an actual mattress virtually two meters lengthy
- Full entry, offering all enterprise class passengers direct aisle entry
- Full privateness, guaranteeing optimum privateness due to the addition of doorways
Past the added privateness, seats will even function 17.3″ 4K excessive definition anti-glare screens with a noise decreasing headset, a brand new bluetooth connection permitting passengers to make use of their very own headphones, and several other electrical sockets. All planes with the brand new enterprise class product will even function Wi-Fi, as putting in this has been a precedence for Air France in recent times.
Beneath you could find renderings of the brand new cabin on the Boeing 777, which positive seems swanky to me (I like the lit up winged seahorse on the entrance of every storage console, plus the carpet).
Air France will reconfigure 12 777-300ERs with new cabins
Air France’s plan is to initially retrofit 12 Boeing 777-300ERs with new enterprise class seats. The planes will likely be completely reconfigured nose-to-tail, and can function 369 seats, together with:
- 48 enterprise class seats
- 48 premium financial system seats
- 273 financial system class seats
These planes will even get Air France’s newest premium financial system and financial system, already discovered on different jets, together with the Airbus A350.
Which Boeing 777-300ERs will likely be reconfigured? Air France at present has 43 Boeing 777-300ERs in its fleet, and it’s my understanding that:
- 19 Boeing 777-300ERs are in a 4 class configuration, that includes top notch; these received’t be reconfigured
- 10 Boeing 777-300ERs are in a high-density configuration for leisure routes, with 472 seats; these planes had been not too long ago reconfigured, and received’t be reconfigured
- The remaining Boeing 777-300ERs function outdated cabins with angled enterprise class seats, and these are the planes that I imagine will likely be reconfigured
Suffice it to say that this can characterize an enormous improve for these drained 777s. Air France can also be being fairly environment friendly about this, as these 777s at present function 381 seats. When reconfigured, the planes will function a complete of 12 fewer seats, however they’ll have six further enterprise class seats and 24 further premium financial system seats. Wow.
Future Air France A350s will get new enterprise class
It’s not simply 12 Boeing 777-300ERs which are getting the brand new enterprise class seats. On prime of that, Air France will begin putting in its new enterprise class on Airbus A350-900s delivered beginning in 2023.
Air France already has 17 Airbus A350-900s in its fleet, with an additional 21 jets on order. It seems like we should always count on a lot of the remaining A350s to function the brand new cabins, which is thrilling. Some Air France Airbus A350s are additionally anticipated to function top notch, although that’s imagined to occur at a later level.
New York will likely be first vacation spot to get new cabins
The primary Boeing 777 with the brand new seats is predicted to enter service within the coming weeks. Whereas the aircraft was initially supposed to start out flying as of September 2022, there was a little bit of a delay. Based mostly on present schedules, the Paris (CDG) to New York (JFK) route needs to be getting a 777 with the brand new cabins as of December 12, 2022.
From December 12, 2022, via January 1, 2023, the next frequency is predicted to have the brand new product:
AF8 Paris to New York departing 7:30PM arriving 9:45PM
AF9 New York to Paris departing 11:55PM arriving 1:05PM (+1 day)
Then from January 2 via March 25, 2023, the next frequency is predicted to have the brand new product:
AF22 Paris to New York departing 8:30AM arriving 10:50AM
AF15 New York to Paris departing 5:30PM arriving 6:40AM (+1 day)
In fact this stays topic to alter, simply as we’ve already seen modifications up to now.
Whereas Air France gives La Premiere (top notch) on most frequencies to New York, that’s not the case on all flights. On this case the three-cabin Boeing 777-300ER will likely be changing a three-cabin Boeing 777-200ER, which additionally doesn’t have top notch.
Air France continues to be dedicated to top notch
Understandably many individuals puzzled whether or not the brand new enterprise class signaled that Air France is now not dedicated to sustaining top notch. In any case, some may take into account it a bit unusual that the brand new finest enterprise class is debuting on a aircraft with out top notch, because you’d suppose you’d wish to supply this to essentially the most premium locations.
Fortuitously that’s not the case. Air France is introducing a brand new top notch (“La Premiere”) product, and we’ll additionally see the footprint of the product broaden. The catch is that the brand new top notch will solely be launched in late 2023 or early 2024.
My learn on the scenario is that Air France wished to right away replace its Boeing 777s most in want of a refresh. It’s not like Air France is eradicating top notch from 777s to put in new enterprise class seats. Slightly the airline is beginning with the planes most in want of recent cabins.
When Air France does come round to introducing its new top notch product, these planes also needs to have the brand new enterprise class.
Backside line
Air France is introducing a brand new enterprise class seat on choose Boeing 777s and Airbus A350s. Particularly, 12 Boeing 777s will likely be reconfigured with the cabins over the approaching months, whereas A350s delivered beginning in 2023 will even function these new cabins.
How thrilling to see Air France-KLM actually investing within the premium expertise, between this, the brand new top notch, and KLM additionally quickly introducing a brand new 777 enterprise class.
It’s at all times good to see an airline solely announce a brand new product shortly earlier than it enters service, slightly than years upfront (not that I’m pondering of a selected different European airLHine when making that assertion).
What do you make of Air France’s new enterprise class suite?
