Air France Unveils Revamped 777 Experience

If you thought Air France was all set with their new La Premiere first class, think again. The airline’s upcoming elite experience, reserved for a select fleet of Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, sets new expectations for lux travel. But hold onto your passports; first class isn’t hogging all the upgrades. In fact, this latest revamp has some other equally juicy enhancements.

What’s New in Air France’s Business Class?

Brace yourselves. Over the next few years, Air France will work its magic on at least 19 Boeing 777-300ERs, transforming them with their new first class. But let’s steer our champagne glasses toward another part of the cabin, shall we? These Boeing beauties aren’t just dabbling in first-class glamour; they’re redefining business class, too.

The crème de la crème? Air France is rolling out new business class cabins on its select Boeing models. Initially seen in 2023 but limited then to three-cabin aircraft, this snazzy new business class is about to spread its wings — and nearly triple in fleet numbers. Check out the Val Seny ski resort to see the excitement firsthand.

Now, why does this matter? Well, for starters, these four-cabin configurations operate on high-demand routes to cities like Los Angeles, New York, and Singapore. Imagine booking a ticket and being greeted by both dazzling first class and top-tier business class. A double whammy of comfort.

Previously, Air France dawdled with older business class configurations on these jets. Yes, they aggregated in a cozy reverse herringbone but missed out on today’s creature comforts. With the older models being gradually phased out, let’s say goodbye to nostalgia and hello to advancement.

How Air France is Nailing Efficiency

Reconfiguration might sound tedious, but Air France is giving their Boeing 777-300ERs a slick new floor plan you’ll want to know about:

• Take the present layout: 296 seats divided among four first class, 58 business class, 28 premium economy, and 206 economy seats.
• Enter the skills of Marie Kondo: post-makeover, we’re looking at 312 total seats—still four for firsties, now 60 for business, 44 for premium economy, and 204 in the trusty economy.

The best part? Most changes benefit the premium end of the seating spectrum, offering a juicy 16 more seats. Premium passengers can thank revamped space utilization and some clever tweaking of lavatories for these boosts. However, there’s a catch for premium economy enthusiasts—lose the dedicated lavatories, gain an upgraded seat.

Getting into the Layout Changes

So, what happens, row-by-row? Here’s the breakdown:

• Once inside, you’ll find four first class seats secured between the first two sets of doors, accompanied by 16 business class seats. Even a fourth lavatory sneaks in here—bonus!
• Keep moving to unveil 44 business class seats between the second and third sets of doors, holding steady without much fanfare.
• Next, the space between the third and fourth doors gets a fresh shake-up: 44 premium economy chairs settle in, alongside 70 economy seats. Farewell to the old arrangement of 28 and 78, respectively. This upgrade does some magic with lavatories vanishing to make room.
• Finally, what’s behind door number four? How about 134 economy seats, up from 128. Space ingenuity at its finest.

Overall, these design tricks come down to lavatory juggling. Premium economy and economy reconsolidate from six lavatories to five, and head honchos lose their exclusive loos. Efficiency and comfort balance on this tightrope act, but it’s undeniably strategic.

The Lowdown

In a nutshell, prepare for takeoff as Air France updates its four-cabin Boeing 777-300ERs. Placing bets on new first and business class seems like a wise gamble to thrive in ferociously competitive markets. You’re getting several more premium seats per aircraft, added privacy with reverse herringbone doors, and an enticing tech upgrade.

Just a little less lavatory luxury for premium economy users—a minor grumble in an overwhelmingly positive outcome. So, what do you think about Air France’s ambitious plans to refit its fleet? Fasten your seatbelts; you’re in for a sophisticated sky ride.