Air France Enters A New Era

Air France is entering a new era, with an inaugural flight on September 1st operated by an Embraer E190.

The inaugural flight served by the Embraer aircraft was equipped with a brand-new travel cabin, marking a significant overhaul of single-aisle operations.

Regional subsidiary of HOP! flew the all-new cabin from Paris-Charles de Gaulle through to Hamburg before continuing across the established network.

The retrofit process for the Embraer E190 fleet across Air France is expected to be completed by the summer 2026 season.

Therefore, the new onboard product will be felt across the business with greater harmony on the short to medium-haul network, a move towards more upmarket and standardised products, it says.

The New Air France Cabins

With the changes being implemented, Air France‘s Embraer E190 product now features 110 seats in a 2-2 configuration, which means no middle seats.

Embraer’s no-middle-seat configuration has been a selling point for many airlines that have designed their cabins in this manner.

Each seat in the cabin features upholstered leather and comes with an ergonomic seat designed to offer customers greater comfort while providing the airline with higher durability over the long term.

The seats in economy class, which recline by three inches, also feature a width of 46cm. Each seat is equipped with a tray table and storage space that has been optimised, paired with fold-up armrests and a coat hook.

The aircraft features USB A and C ports for recharging passengers’ devices, such as laptops and phones, while a double cup holder is also included.

Across business class, the added comfort and privacy curtain allows for separation between the cabin and the aisle, as Air France is committed to ensuring each business customer’s seat is next to them, providing a more private experience.

During each flight, Air France says it’ll offer customers high-speed Wi-Fi, which is an exclusive service free of charge once you connect your Flying Blue account, which is the Group’s loyalty programme.

Overall, each new seat is 30% lighter than the current model, representing a reduction in aircraft weight that, in turn, helps lower fuel consumption.

Air France is placing greater emphasis on reducing emissions and renewing its fleet, both in terms of aircraft deliveries and retrofit programs, as these are crucial in its efforts to achieve this goal.