Air France has confirmed it will launch A380 services this November, with Paris-New York being the first route served by the superjumbo.
The announcement means Air France will be the first carrier to offer transatlantic flights from Europe to the US using the A380. The aircraft will be configured for 538 passengers, with 80 business class seats (Affaires) and 106 economy seats (Voyageur) on the upper deck, and 9 first class seats (Premiere) plus a further 343 economy seats on the lower deck.
Air France is also due to be launching its new premium economy product later this year (see online news March 20). In previous conversations with businesstraveller.com the carrier has said that this new product will appear on its A380s from the delivery of its seventh superjumbo onwards, with the first six being retrofitted at a later date (see online news April 30, 2008).
Air France has 12 Airbus A380s on order, four of which are due to start operating in winter 2009 and spring 2010.
For images of the first A380 in Air France livery, click here, and for more information visit airfrance.co.uk.
Report by Mark Caswell
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