La Première is getting a refresh, as Air France seeks to draw in more ultra-premium travelers. The carrier will refresh the first class cabin on a portion of its 777-300ER fleet, with the first fitted plane taking flight this spring.
The four seats on board – in a 1-2-1 layout – aim to deliver a blend of comfort and privacy with refined luxury.
A pair of first class seating options for every passenger
Core to the experience is a “dual seat” design within the suite. The primary seat adjusts to multiple modes, allowing for passengers to relax, eat, and dine during the flight.
The second seat in the suite, pitched as a chaise lounge, offers an alternative for stretching out and enjoying a movie.
The two seats combine to form a 2 meter long bed that is 75cm wide (~79″ x 29.5″). This layout also will have passengers facing backwards while sleeping, meaning the head will be slightly elevated relative to the feet. This positioning has significant, if subtle, benefits to the sleep experience.
Overhead bins are removed from the cabin to increase the sense of space on board. Passengers instead have access to storage built in at floor level for their bags.
Similarly, the outboard seats offer five windows each to allow for more natural light in the suite. Electronic controlled shades can offer either a translucent or blackout effect. As with the prior generation of La Première, the seats keep the floor-to-ceiling curtain for privacy.
The seats are built by STELIA Aerospace. The unique design was conceived by Air France in cooperation with Design Investment studio and SGK Brandimage.
Doubling up on IFE
For entertainment on board La Première passengers will be spoiled for choice. The IFE system will provide 1,500 hours of programming, noise-cancelling headphones, and Bluetooth pairing. AC and USB power will also be on offer. All of that is essentially table stakes for a new aircraft today.
Unique to the Air France cabin, each La Première suite will feature two IFE screens, one at the front and one at the back. Each 32″ 4K screen can access the full entertainment catalog, allowing travelers to enjoy the experience either from the primary or chaise seat in their suite.
The carrier also highlights free Wi-Fi for La Première passengers, and notes a “new ultra-high-speed connectivity service” will be rolling out from Summer 2025. In a notable geopolitical twist, Air France does not point out that the service is being delivered by Starlink. This is the second time in recent weeks an airline has described an update to its IFC offering without naming that provider. The other was WestJet, which also faces potential political challenges with that partnership.
Deploying this spring
The first aircraft to be fitted is F-GZNQ, named Épernay. The plane has been at the Air France maintenance facility in Orly since early December.
The first route to be served will be New York-JFK. Los Angeles, Singapore, and Tokyo-Haneda are expected to see the new configuration later this summer as more aircraft are converted. Air France currently flies its first class cabin to Abidjan, Dubai, Los Angeles, Miami, New York-JFK, San Francisco, Sao Paulo, Singapore, Tokyo-Haneda and Washington DC with 19 planes fitted for the service.
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