| Notice: This submit has been up to date with some further particulars, together with an unique tour of the La Premiere suite from Air France-KLM CEO Ben Smith (how cool!). |
It’s a giant day for Air France, Europe’s most premium airline. The airline has immediately unveiled its new firstclass product (marketed as La Premiere), as a part of a mission that has been over three years within the making.
For context, Air France’s present firstclass was launched over a decade in the past, in 2014, and continues to be very aggressive to at the present time. Now the airline is launching a brand new cabin, designed in partnership with France’s STELIA Aerospace, that can little question lead the business for the subsequent decade. Let’s check out the main points, and we even have an unique tour of the cabin from Air France-KLM CEO Ben Smith (thanks… that’s far too variety!).
Air France’s new La Premiere firstclass revealed
Air France’s new La Premiere firstclass is a stunner. I’d say the product is remarkably easy, and evolutionary reasonably than revolutionary, in one of the best ways potential. Quite than reinventing the wheel, the airline is evolving its current firstclass product, and taking it to the subsequent stage.
In contrast to different airways, Air France isn’t putting in partitions or doorways, and isn’t centered on gimmicks. As an alternative, Air France is sustaining the identical idea it beforehand had, with every seat having curtains, and excelling in understated magnificence.
At over three meters, the brand new firstclass is the longest firstclass seat available in the market, with every seat spanning 5 plane home windows (in comparison with the earlier firstclass, which stretched 4 home windows). Every firstclass seat spans 3.5 sq. meters, offering 25% more room in comparison with the present cabin.
The seat has a modular design, with a seat dealing with in a single course, and a chaise longue dealing with within the different course. The thought is to create an expertise that adapts to each stage of the flight, from sitting upright as a way to dine, to enjoyable on the chaise longue, to reclining into a totally flat mattress. The chaise longue transforms right into a mattress that’s two meters lengthy, and 75cm (30in) extensive.
Whereas curtains will present separation from the aisle, the 2 middle seats could have a full top electrical sliding partition, to make sure full privateness. In the meantime for these touring collectively, it’ll be potential to decrease that, in order that the flight may be loved collectively.
Air France can also be eliminating overhead bins in firstclass, as a substitute changing them with floor-level storage compartments, which might maintain as much as two suitcases, along with a drawer for footwear. A person closet can also be accessible, for hanging garments.
That is far more handy than the present setup, the place the overhead bins are situated behind the curtains within the window seats, which may be awkward when these in middle seats wish to entry the overhead bins in the course of the flight.
So far as tech goes, every seat has two 32″ 4K screens, with one being in every course, in order that friends can benefit from the leisure from the seat, or from the chaise longue or mattress. There’s additionally a wi-fi pill, which controls all seat features. The brand new cabin boasts bluetooth audio, in addition to AC, USB-A, and USB-C shops, plus wi-fi charging.
As earlier than, Air France will proceed to closely use the winged seahorse brand, which might be my single favourite design element of any airline. I’m comfortable to see the extent to which Air France continues to lean into that.
As I view it, the one actual disappointment is the shortage of particular person air nozzles. I must think about that that is one thing that Air France was taking a look at introducing, however the technique of retrofitting these on planes is extremely difficult, primarily based on my understanding.
Air France-KLM CEO Ben Smith provides tour of recent suite
Air France-KLM CEO Ben Smith is an absolute legend, who I’ve infinite respect for. Not solely is he extremely competent at operating airways, from product technique, to fleet planning, to labor relations, however the icing on the cake is that he’s an enormous aviation geek.
Air France had a giant media occasion immediately in Paris, for the brand new La Premiere launch. I used to be planning on attending, however sadly needed to change my plans on the final minute (I often don’t attend media occasions, however was going to make an exception for this, as a result of I used to be mighty intrigued).
Whereas I’m unhappy I couldn’t make it, I’m pinching myself, as a result of Smith has despatched alongside a video offering a tour of the brand new seat for OMAAT readers. That is really tremendous useful in understanding the inspiration for the seat, plus all of the options. For individuals who aren’t positive what to make of the renderings, I believe an precise seat tour would possibly go away extra of an impression.
Air France’s new La Premiere firstclass rollout schedule
As earlier than, Air France will proceed to solely provide its La Premiere firstclass cabin on Boeing 777-300ERs. There’ll proceed to be 4 La Premiere seats per plane, with one row of seats, in a 1-2-1 configuration. The product is anticipated to be rolled out on extra 777s than previously (since solely a subfleet of plane has firstclass), however the airline hasn’t but revealed what number of further planes will get the cabin.
The expectation is that this product will launch on the New York (JFK) route as of this spring, with the subsequent locations being Los Angeles (LAX), Singapore (SIN), and Tokyo (HND). It appears Air France has aggressive plans to retrofit current plane, so this product ought to roll out pretty rapidly.
The primary plane with the brand new firstclass has the license plate F-GZNQ, and it’s a nine-year-old 777-300ER. The aircraft has been in Paris Orly (ORY) since December 8, 2024, because it’s fairly commonplace for the primary reconfigured jet to take a bit longer. What’s attention-grabbing is that this is among the refreshed three cabin 777-300ERs, that includes the brand new enterprise class, however not that includes firstclass.
Air France La Premiere is elevating industrial aviation
Air France’s new La Premiere firstclass is kind of precisely what I used to be anticipating, and I’d think about that to be a superb factor. Whereas there are flashier merchandise on the market, this appears like an extremely elegant cabin, and from tech to consolation, it seems like each single design element was thought via.
In contrast to different new firstclass seats (together with on Emirates and Japan Airways), this can be a product that continues to be designed with {couples} in thoughts, since you possibly can really assign a middle pair of seats collectively.
In the end what makes Air France La Premiere so particular isn’t even the seat or the exclusivity, however reasonably how seamless the airline makes your entire journey journey. The bottom service when flying in Air France La Premiere is extra in step with non-public aviation than industrial aviation. There’s not one other airline that even comes shut in terms of the standard of the bottom service.
The Air France La Premiere floor expertise in Paris is wonderful. It begins with a chauffeur service, after which check-in formalities are dealt with very effectively, you’re pushed to the lounge, and you then’re pushed to the aircraft. Arguably it’s much more seamless on arrival, as you’re actually pushed via passport management (you don’t even get out of the automotive), and to the arrivals lounge, the place the beautiful La Premiere floor employees even retrieve your baggage for you, earlier than you’re whisked off by way of chauffeur service to your ultimate vacation spot.
Now, admittedly, Air France additionally fees dearly for the expertise, and persistently has larger firstclass pricing than some other airline on this planet. However that’s honest sufficient, between the trouble the airline places into the product, plus Paris being a reasonably well-liked vacation spot for prosperous vacationers. If the airline can command excessive fares, then extra energy to ’em.
Backside line
Air France has unveiled its new La Premiere, and it appears gorgeous. The provider’s new firstclass is the longest firstclass seat available in the market, at over three meters in size. Not solely does it function a seat, however it additionally has a chaise longue, which might rework right into a two meter mattress.
What’s so particular is that this unbelievable onerous product enhances an already very spectacular smooth product, which begins earlier than you even arrive on the airport. There’s not one other airline that places a lot effort right into a seamless firstclass expertise. Nicely performed, Air France!
What do you make of the brand new Air France La Premiere firstclass?
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