[ZKSmith]

nmh1204, I would hope and assume that the screen pops out like it does on AA / CX / US so that it is straight ahead.

[nmh1204]

I hope so too, but it didn’t look like there was a release mechanism like on Cathay

[epeek06]

@Ian_from_HKG thank you! i hope this is the case for this product. Looking forward to trying this seat out!

[Vertrek]

A very good choice of seat indeed, well done AF!

Although I have to agree with epeek06 that the chosen colours are quite dull (except for the red bit which is nice), I still think the feature (HDTV, do they have power sockets?, etc) and space of the seat will compensate for it. Once the roll out is completed, both AF and KLM will sure lead Europe in term of business class products and services.

If I have wishes for the group, I hope that KLM will introduce an innovative new Economy and PE soon, KLM WBC will get their IFE changed to HDTV and food offering for both AF and KLM in their respective lounges are upgraded to include hot meal and snack all day.

Nevertheless to KLM and AF team, great job and thank you for the improvements and investments made so far! You have successfully further strengthen my loyalty to the group!

[Pierre]

Excellent news !
Skyteam main partners will now be offering a 1-2-1 seating in C, providing a better global offer than their competitors OW/SA.

[IanFromHKG]

Really, PierreAntoine? And there I was thinking that AA and CX already offered that…

[DutchinSwitzerland]

I might have missed something but there is no real mention about the roll-out apart from that it is foreseen just for their 777 planes. Any idea with regards to dates for the completion of this?

[Tom Otley]

The press release says
“In total, 2,102 seats will be installed between June 2014 and summer 2016 on 44 Boeing 777, the core of Air France’s long-haul fleet.”

But as I mention in the report, others (see below) think that it would also be fitted to the A380. There hasn’t been confirmation of that, however.

“The first Boeing 777 equipped with the new seats will fly to New York from Paris in June, followed by a gradual rollout on routes to Shanghai and Tokyo. Air France will then start equipping other planes in the next two years, including its A380s double-decker and the smaller A330. Older models such as the Boeing 747 jumbo won’t receive an upgrade because they are nearing the end of their service life in the fleet.”

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-04/air-france-offers-flat-beds-in-business-to-catch-up-with-rivals.html

[Pierre]

@Ian_from_HKG
You are right I_F_HKG regardingthese two airlines.
What about their European partners in OW, not talking about SA ?

[JohnHarper]

Great to see that Air France have chosen this seat, it really is the best long haul C seat out there. So there is now CX, AF, AA and the also rans.

[IanFromHKG]

PierreAntoine, I don’t believe OW’s European partners are adopting the seats. But then neither are SkyTeam’s, are they? Even KLM – AF’s corporate affiliate – isn’t using them.

From the end of March, OW will have three airlines serving Europe with the seats – AA, CX, US – with planes already in operation. In addition, European-based members AY, IB, AB and BA already have fully-flat business class seats in operation. So do global members JL, QR, QF, LAN and MH. Or, to put it another way, most members of the alliance.

I’d say that far from “providing a better global offer than their competitors OW/SA”, as you suggest, AF and SkyTeam are a long way behind oneworld, at least.

[IanFromHKG]

BTW the TV in the new AF seats DOES swing out – if you go to this link and scroll down you will see a very clear picture of this: http://www.ausbt.com.au/first-photos-air-france-s-new-boeing-777-business-class-seats

One thing that isn’t clear to me is whether it is possible to connect one’s own device to the IFE, since there isn’t a clear picture anywhere of the connectors – that article does say there is a USB port and AC power, but nothing about connectivity.

Looking through the pictures, something else struck me. The side storage compartment isn’t there (there is just a low ledge instead), and the shoe locker isn’t there either – so there is a lot less stowage around the seat than on the CX and AA variants. So although I like the clean and chic lines (particularly what looks like a touchpad controller replacing the slightly cluttered control panel on CX/AA), I do wonder whether the seat is going to be as user-friendly.

[JohnHarper]

I wonder to what degree the new AF business class may spell the end of F?

http://ind.pn/1eeYYDH

Alexandre de Juniac seems to believe the days of F are over and of course the new C product is potentially better in hardware terms than the F product.

Amazing BA seem to want to keep their C+ product when it is mostly full of mileage redemptions and upgrades too.

[Vertrek]

Hi John,

AF will introduce their new F in April.
Also, there are still markets where F is still in demand. I still remember, EK decision to add another daily flight to AMS is due to good demand in F from AMS.

And so, the reason why BA, AF and EK to maintain F is just that.

Also, maybe the profit that are generated from a passenger in F would be 3 to 5 times as much as J and 20 to 30 times of Y?
On top of that, perhaps it is also used as a symbol of appreciation from the company to reward their loyal frequent flyers. I know that Flyingblue only offer F upgrades award to sIlver and above.

V

[Ab0dache]

I think Air France remains committed to having First Class at least on some aircrafts.

Currently the F layout is:
9 seats (in “3” rows with only one seat in the first row) on all A380;
8 seats (2 rows) on most of the B777-300 ER (excluding then the more leisure routes’ aircrafts);
4 seats (1 row only) on some of the B777-200 ER.

Only the A380 and the B777-300 ER will retain a First Class if I understand well what I have read in this last 12 months on different sources.
This means the B777-200 ER will all loose the First class cabin after refurbishment I presume.

And also some B777-300 and maybe some A380 too will loose one row of F seats. This is to say 4 less seats in the F cabin meaning some B777-300 ER planes with only one row of 4 F seats instead of two rows of 4 (=8).

The future will say if this is going to happen like this or not.

[Author]

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