Air France unveiled its latest first-class cabin offering: the new La Première first class product. The carrier has been developing this first-class experience for three years to meet the growing demand for ultra-high-end travel, particularly from the US. Fittingly, the first route to have the new suites this spring are to and from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).
According to Air France, the first-class suites are on a select number of Boeing 777-300ERs and have 24 percent more space than the existing cabins. Notably, the overhead bins have been removed and carry-on baggage goes in a drawer.
What to expect from Air France’s new first-class cabin
Planes that feature La Première will have four suites, each will be almost 38 square feet with five windows and a soft grey and white colour palette, with accents of red. A seat and chaise lounge inside turns into 6.5-foot-long beds that are nearly 2.5 feet wide. Each cabin comes equipped with two 32-inch 4K screens, a tablet with suite controls, high-speed Wi-Fi, Jacquemus-designed pyjamas, and a gift box of Sisley products.
Nearly a dozen chefs of Michelin acclaim, including Emmanuel Renaut and Dominique Crenn, have collaborated with the airline to deliver unique dining experiences. Even the table settings represent the height of French production — the plates are Limoges porcelain, the cutlery is Christofle, and the metalwork by Degrenne.
Air France is maintaining another significant part of the La Premiere experience — what happens on the ground. The airline arranges pick-up and escorts guests through the airport to the elaborate La Première lounge and then to the plane.
While pricing will vary depending on route and seasonal demand, La Première is priced significantly more than business class but a lot less than flying private. In fact, Ben Smith, Air France-KLM’s CEO, said the airline is surprised to find many customers who normally fly private are buying up all four suites instead, as an affordable alternative.
Smith said the next routes to get the new suites are Los Angeles, Singapore, and Tokyo.
(Feature Image Credit: Air France)
Note:
The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.
