In June, Air France announced that it would introduce a fresh configuration for its Airbus A350s, featuring the carrier’s new cabin products. This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, as we knew that Air France’s new business class would be installed on A350s eventually. There’s an exciting update, as the first aircraft with these interiors is now flying.
Air France’s first “new” A350 is now flying
As part of its fleet renewal, Air France has a total of 41 Airbus A350-900 aircraft on order. As of June 2023, the airline had already taken delivery of 20 of these jets, meaning that 21 more jets were on order.
Air France has now taken delivery of its 21st Airbus A350-900, which is the first A350 to feature new cabins. All remaining A350s are expected to join Air France’s fleet by 2025, so you can expect an average of nearly one delivery per month.
The first A350 with the new cabins has the registration code F-HUVA, and its inaugural passenger service is being operated from Paris (CDG) to Vancouver (YVR). It appears that the initial plan is to keep the aircraft on this route, since a single aircraft can operate this rotation daily.
For what it’s worth, Air France’s existing A350-900s feature a total of 324 seats, including 34 business class seats, 24 premium economy seats, and 266 economy class seats. These planes feature a staggered configuration in business class.
They’re in a fairly dense configuration because the jets were initially intended for Joon. This was at one point Air France’s low cost carrier, which has since been discontinued.
Air France’s new A350 configuration & cabins
Air France’s latest Airbus A350s feature an all-new configuration, consisting of 292 seats. This represents quite a capacity reduction, but we’re also seeing significantly more premium seats — there are 14 more business class seats, eight more premium economy seats, and 54 fewer economy class seats.
While there was at one point a rumor that Air France would install first class on A350s, that’s no longer the case. However, Air France does plan to soon introduce a new first class on its 777s.
What exactly should we expect from the new A350 cabins? Let’s take a look.
New Air France A350 business class
Air France’s A350 business class consists of a total of 48 seats, in a 1-2-1 configuration. Air France launched a new business class on Boeing 777-300ERs recently, and now the airline is introducing a different (but similar) product on its Airbus A350-900s.
I’ve reviewed the 777-300ER product, and it’s exceptional. These new business class seats are in a reverse herringbone configuration with doors, and feature great technology, including wireless charging. The product even has some further improvements compared to the 777, as there’s a tablet next to the seat that can control many of the seat’s functions.
The bulkhead seats in this configuration are especially impressive, as they feature more room than you’ll find in most first class products. There are eight of these seats, as there are two business class cabins, with four bulkhead seats in each cabin. If you can snag one of these seats, I’d consider this to be the best business class seat in the world.
New Air France A350 premium economy
Air France’s new A350 premium economy cabin consists of 32 seats, in a 2-4-2 configuration. These are the same premium economy seats you’ll find on the refurbished 777s, with some minor updates.
These premium economy seats offer a total of 94cm (37″) of pitch and 48cm (19″) of width. Furthermore, the seats recline up to 121 degrees. Seats also feature 13.3″ 4K high definition personal monitors, bluetooth audio, and USB-A and USB-C charging.
Some changes have also been made compared to the previous version of the product, including seat cushions having been redesigned to now extend up to the shoulder level. There’s also a four position headrest for optimal comfort.
New Air France A350 economy
Air France’s new A350 economy cabin consists of 212 seats, in a 3-3-3 configuration. These economy seats offer a total of 79cm (31″) of pitch and 46cm (18″) of width. Furthermore, the seats recline up to 119 degrees. Seats also feature 13.3″ 4K high definition personal monitors, bluetooth audio, and USB-A and USB-C charging.
The economy seats also feature a personal smartphone or tablet holder integrated into the backrest, which isn’t available in previous versions of these seats.
Bottom line
Air France has just introduced an all-new Airbus A350 configuration. Prior to this, the airline had taken delivery of 20 A350s, and the next 21 A350s will now feature a fresh layout. These planes are in a more premium configuration, with Air France’s new business class (with more seats), a larger premium economy cabin, and a smaller economy cabin.
The A350 is a joy to fly in general, so when you combine the aircraft with this configuration, it should be a very nice ride.
What do you make of Air France’s new A350 cabins?
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