Air France has unveiled a new configuration for the Airbus A350 – including a new Business cabin – which will be phased in from July 2023. The first A350 equipped with this new cabin has been named Aix-en-Provence.
Developed in collaboration with STELIA Aerospace, Mark Collins (Design Investment) and SGK Brandimage, the unique Business Class seat has been designed to offer state-of-the-art comfort and technology.
The new A350 with this configuration will offer a total of 292 seats distributed as follows:
In comparison, the current version of the A350 has a total of 324 seats, distributed as follows:
Here’s the current A350 cabin (originally intended for Joon, Air France’s now-defunct low-cost airline):
As you can see, there will be more seats in the premium cabins (Business & Premium Economy). This is part of Air France’s upmarket move since the end of the pandemic, under the impetus of Anne Rigail (Air France CEO).
The seat offers private space thanks to a sliding door, and can be transformed into a fully flat bed around two meters long. The seats in the center of the cabin feature a central panel that can be lowered to create a convivial space for passengers travelling together.
High-quality, soft, natural materials such as wool, brushed aluminum, and full-grain French leather have been used to create these seats, which also feature personal storage space, noise-cancelling headphones and a vanity mirror.
Each business class seat is equipped with a 20-inch ultra-high-definition 4K screen, the largest in the Air France long-haul fleet. It also features a Bluetooth connection, a touchpad for easy navigation in the seat environment, and a “do not disturb” function to inform the crew that the passenger wishes to rest.
The seats are fully connected, with USB-A and USB-C ports, a wireless induction charger, and a Wi-Fi connection that allows passengers to connect their personal device directly to the screen and use it as a remote control.
Also, the bulkhead seats are much more spacious (as is the case on the new 777-300ER configuration). These seats will be particularly coveted (or accessible if you’re travelling with a baby):
The Premium Economy cabin features 32 seats offering optimum comfort, with 94 cm of legroom, a 48 cm-wide seat that reclines up to 121 degrees, and cushions that extend to shoulder level.
Economy class seats are 46 cm wide, with a 119-degree recline and 79 cm of legroom. Both classes feature a large 13.3-inch 4K Ultra High-Definition screen, Bluetooth connectivity, USB-A and USB-C ports, and the ability to connect personal devices directly to the seat’s screen.
All passengers, whatever their class, will have access to in-flight Wi-Fi, thanks to Air France Connect, which offers three types of passes, one of which is totally free.
Check out my review aboard the Air France A350 to see the differences. Let’s hope these new A350s will be deployed to Montreal, Toronto or Vancouver!
Savings are here:
