Air France Plans New York-JFK Debut For Brand New First Class

Air France

has unveiled its long-awaited brand-new first class suites to be fitted on its long-haul Boeing 777

fleet. The airline hopes to deploy the new product on services to a select few long-haul destinations over the next few weeks, beginning with New York JFK Airport

. The new product reflects a fairly significant upgrade to the carrier’s first-class offering, incorporating “French elegance and art de vivre [the art of living].”

Longest first-class seat

Air France’s first class product is known as La Première, French for “the first”. The new suite comes with a fully adaptable design, including a seat and a chaise longue that transforms into a two-meter fully lie-flat bed. The bed is 75 centimeters wide.

Air France says that the seat took three years of development. It is the longest first class seat on offer, spanning five windows with an area of 3.5 square meters. This represents a 25% increase in space compared to the airline’s current La Première. Air France’s CEO, Anne Rigail, said:

“In just a few minutes, what began as an idea, then sketches and 3D models, came to life. It’s the culmination of three years of work to reinvent our offering, both on the ground and on board.”

Each aircraft to be retrofitted will feature four of the suites.

Notable characteristics

Key features of the new suite include the following:

Advanced technology, including two 4K screens and a mobile tablet to control the suite, including the window shades and recline.

Wireless charging is available thanks to 110V/220V electric outlets and USB-A and USB-C ports. The suite also features charging stations with dedicated holders for phones and tablets.

Free WiFi connectivity which will be further improved as of summer 2025 as the airline rolls out new ultra-high-speed connectivity across its entire fleet. WiFi will be offered free of charge for loyalty program members (Flying Blue) and La Première customers.

Privacy which extends not only to the individual seats on either side of the plane, but also to the two adjoining seats in the middle of the cabin. These two allow “for shared travel while maintaining privacy thanks to a full-height, electric sliding partition” that is button-activated.

Michelin 3-star cuisine is offered by chefs onboard in the air, providing personalized and gourmet meals.

Plenty of storage space including floor-level compartments for carry-on baggage (up to two suitcases) and a second drawer under the chaise longue for footwear. The airline says there is additional space elsewhere for smaller personal items, “along with an individual wardrobe.”

The color scheme is organized to create a “harmonious” atmosphere, based on shades of gray to complement the leater finishes and fabrics that adorn the suite. The lighter colors contrast with opaque drops of red that feature on things such as the blanket, menu and other less spatially significant items. Air France says the red is “reminiscent of haute couture,” which adds “character and distinction” to the product.

Gradual roll-out across the Boeing 777-300ER fleet

Air France’s decision to introduce a brand-new first-class cabin reflects continued demand for high-value travelers. The airline says that the product is responding to changes in passenger dynamics across its premium cabins.

In particular, it notes that the types of customers traveling in its business and first-class cabins have changed. Interestingly, it says the number of passengers traveling in these cabins for leisure purposes has increased by 24% over the last ten years. Rigail notes that they now make up the “majority” of the cabin, which she puts down to the appeal of travel to Paris and France. The CEO continues:

“A huge congratulations to all the teams who worked behind the scenes on this project, which is part of our upmarket strategy. From the design of this new suite to its installation on board our aircraft, several hundred of our employees contributed to the development of this new product.”

Éparnay, a Boeing 777-300ER registered F-GZNQ, will be the first to feature the new suites. FlightRadar24 data suggests the plane has been undergoing interior upgrades at Paris Orly Airport since December. The new hard product on the 9-year-old airframe will debut on flights to New York in a few weeks.

Select flights to the following cities will also benefit from the new first-class product as of this summer season.

Los Angeles

Singapore

Tokyo-Haneda

Overall, Air France hopes to invest €1 billion ($1.1 billion) over the next five years in improving its passenger experience, in addition to spending related to aircraft orders.