Air France recently revealed its plans to introduce a fresh layout for its Airbus A350s, showcasing the airline’s latest cabin offerings. It doesn’t come as a big shock, considering we already knew that Air France intended to equip its A350s with the new business class in due course.
Air France’s first “new” A350 arrives July 2023
Air France has ordered 41 Airbus A350-900 aircraft for its fleet renewal. The airline has received 20 of these planes, leaving 21 more to be delivered.
The next A350-900, set to arrive in July 2023, will mark a significant milestone as it will be the first aircraft to showcase the new cabins. The remaining 21 A350s are scheduled to join Air France’s fleet by 2025, resulting in an average monthly delivery rate of approximately one.
Just to give you an idea, Air France’s current A350-900s have 324 seats. This includes 34 comfy business class seats, 24 premium economy seats, and 266 seats in economy class. The business class section of these planes has a staggered layout, adding a touch of uniqueness.
You might find these planes quite densely configured, and that’s because they were initially intended for Joon, which used to be Air France’s low-cost carrier. However, Joon has since been discontinued, but the A350s found a new home with Air France.
Air France’s new A350 configuration & cabins
Air France’s upcoming Airbus A350s are set to debut with a brand new configuration, boasting 292 seats. This represents a notable reduction in capacity, but what’s interesting is the significant increase in premium seating. Get ready for 14 additional business class seats, eight more premium economy seats, and a reduction of 54 seats in the economy class section.
Rumors were circulating about the possibility of Air France introducing first class on their A350s, but that’s no longer true. However, keep an eye out for Air France’s plans to unveil a fresh first-class experience on their 777s in the near future.
You might be wondering what the new A350 cabins store for us. Let’s look in and find out!
New Air France A350 business class
Air France’s A350 business class is designed with 48 seats, arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration. This outstanding business class was initially launched on the Boeing 777-300ER and will soon be introduced on the Airbus A350s.
Having personally examined this product, I must say it is truly remarkable. The new business class seats adopt a reverse herringbone layout with doors, incorporating impressive technological features like wireless charging.
What’s more, this product includes additional enhancements compared to the 777. For instance, there’s a convenient tablet placed beside each seat, granting passengers control over various seat functions.
The bulkhead seats in this layout deserve special mention as they offer an extraordinary amount of space, surpassing what you typically find even in most first-class products.
With eight bulkhead seats distributed across two business class cabins, each boasting four of these coveted seats, securing one of these gems would undoubtedly give you the title of the best business class seat in the world. So, if you manage to snag one, consider yourself truly fortunate!
Wrap UP
Air France is about to change how its Airbus A350 fleet is set up in a big way. Since they already have 20 A350s, the next batch of 21 A350s will have a different plan.
With this new layout, the premium experience will be even better. Air France’s new business class will have more seats, the premium economy cabin will be bigger, and the economy cabin will be smaller.
The A350 is known for being a great plane to fly on, and this new configuration will make it even better. This will give people an even better flight.
