Air France already boasts one of the most beautiful and comfortable first class suites in the industry. Now it plans to introduce an even more spacious product as it commits to expanding its La Première product to more planes. Is that even necessary?

The image above comes from a slide deck Air France shared this week about its new investment in premium products, including new seating in premium economy, business class, and first class. The first class seat is just a sketch at this point, but we see a trio of innovations:

.@airfrance has just unveiled the new Premium Economy and Business seats for implementation from this year. A new First/La Premiere cabin follow from late 2023 pic.twitter.com/j5FKoZePD6

— Richard_on_aviation (@rschuur_aero) May 24, 2022

We will see the new seats debut in the winter 2023 & 2024 season. As Air France explains:

The future cabin will be the longest on the market and will offer up to three modular configurations that can be fully privatized for an even more exceptional journey: a seat, a sofa and a fully flat bed. The new cabin will equip a larger number of aircraft than at present.

That is thought to include a retrofit of existing 777-300ER jets featuring first class as well as subset of new A350 deliveries. It isn’t clear yet whether the new configuration will be 1-1-1 or maintain the 1-2-1 configuration. I cannot imagine Air France offering two rows of first class, so my guess is there will be either three seats or four.

Air France-KLM CEO Benjamin Smith shares of the carrier’s commitment to first class, which is a welcome sign:

“La Première represents the highest level of French excellence and is an intrinsic part of Air France’s DNA. Even at the height of the Covid crisis, we could see the attractiveness of such an offer for our customers, particularly on the North Atlantic route, where load factors in the La Première cabin are currently higher than they were back in 2019. We look forward to unveiling this new cabin, which is set to meet the highest global standards.”

My first thought when seeing the rendering of the new seat was to wonder why Air France would rip out such a magnifique product. As far as I am concerned, the seat is already one of the most comfortable in the skies, already transforms into a very comfortable lounging chair with ottoman, and most importantly is incredibly comfortable in lie-flat mode with a superb mattress pad and comforter. With floor-to-ceiling curtains which close, there is also tremendous privacy.

Air France does most things right in first class. There are just small touches that could improve it, like placing yogurt in a bowl instead of leaving it in a plastic container and installing espresso machines with a milk frother. Easy enough, isn’t it? Powdered cappuccino doesn’t cut it in first class. A whole new suite, at least on the 777-300ERs, seem so unnecessary for a product that is already industry-leading. The Air France La Première experience is more about style more than real estate.

As a consumer who has flown the best first class products around the world, I question the necessity of the new Air France first class product. Making great even greater is not a bad thing, but I have not spoken to a single person who has complained the current Air France La Première suite is too small or uncomfortable. Quite the contrary, everyone loves it. If it aint broke, don’t fix it! Just add it to more jets…and how about some real cappuccino? But I still look forward to it…

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

I too have flown a lot of the “best FC” products many of them paid fares frankly I really enjoy long haul AF Le Premier service especially when connecting at CDG. The older version on the 380 / 777 was disappointing however the newer cabins are superb. If one is flying US to the EU AF is the best product.

Air France First Class isn’t so much a commercial product designed to sell to travelers so much as it’s a method of corporate bribery that AFKLMGroup uses to capture French politicos and bureaucrats who regulate it and its competitors. It’s the same reason why Sofitels all have large suites even in the most humble of its properties. These products exist so that the French political class can pay for the cheapest product, and get “upgraded” to an ultra-luxury product without any cash changing hands.

Sofitels are not ultra-luxury hotels. There are just Novotel ++ hotels. But French politicos don’t know that 🙂

This is how I feel about SQ’s A380 Suites class. I never looked at the old product and think “That’s not good enough. I want the new product.”

I feel similar. The new SQ suites feel like a poor utilization of space simply to say, “Look how big it is. It’s got a chair AND a bed!” For some people, that may be a game changer, but I’d venture most pax are like us. Same with the new AF offering. Unsure if I’m in the minority or not, but I truly felt the EY Apartments were the best of both worlds. I know some complained the seat didn’t lounge enough (not my opinion), but it had room to maneuver, a separate seat from the bed, and decent storage space. And, it had the option to sort of have a double bed if traveling with a companion.

Coincidentally I flew this last night for the first time since the Pandemic using their handy check-in paid promotion upgrade. It is truly is still a marvelous product and certainly one of the world’s best. Is it EK and the new suites? No. But it has it’s own special character that reminds me more of ANA or JAL F and how culture transcends gimmicks and gloss. The food, the personality, and the feeling of luxury still retains a very French feel. Whoever designed the cabin is a true genius in how the colors and fabrics are perfect. And yes, I’m baffled about the door trend today on other carriers. The curtains actually add a soft touch and can be better customized to the interior. They are just as effective while enabling a more luxury feel.

I can confirm that the powdered Cappuccino is still there. I sent it back and the Purser agreed that it’s embarrassing. But that’s a small miss with an otherwise fantastic product.

Lastly, I showed Gail, the FA servicing Premiere, who I should add was, simply, fantastic, the picture of the rendered drawing of the new F. She laughed and brought a few others up to look at it. They all had the same reaction, “This is not true. They will never get this on the A350. I think it’s just some rough ideas they threw out there but I highly doubt this is what we will see.” I tend to agree, that render is a LOT of footprint unless you are thinking an A380.

Personally, AF doesn’t need to change a thing. Just get the proper needed add ons for a correct cappuccino and that’s it. And for all the love of Krug, they served a 2007 Taittinger Comte Champagne that was the best (for me) I have ever tasted. I had to stop myself!

“Is it EK and the new suites?”

I’d actually choose AF first class over EK’s new suites if traveling with a companion. You can sit together if you want and can also dine together.

I love the EK Suites but would also choose Air France.

if united would add an extra roll of toilet paper in first class you would be singing their praises air france does real nice upgrade you question if it is neccesary.. fact is first class is not about comfort there is enough in business it is about feeling first ask singapore..

I have never flown AF F, but I would certainly love to. The fact that they seem to continue to want to invest and improve upon an already great product is probably the reason it has remained so competitive over time. Had you flown LH F the day the FCT opened, you’d probably would have said their product was perfect, but what about now? I think it’s wise to keep innovating before it’s too late.

I haven’t flow F on AF but a I tend to agree with your observations. Sometimes more isn’t better it’s just more. They already have a seat that is very comfortable to sit, relax, work, sleep on long flights. It allows if I’m not mistaken dining with a companion if that’s what you want. The curtain allows privacy as desired. What more do you really need?

I also see a real potential to screw this up. Look at what SQ did with their new first suite where a lot of people find the layout odd and the bed uncomfortable. Or the now departed First Suite on the A380 on Ethiad where the seat from what I’ve read didn’t really recline limiting your options.

I’d much rather see AF spend the money to put F on more planes and more routes and add those few things (like a top flight coffee machine) that they are missing.

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