Air France's new first class - La Première 'A Designer Suite'

The new suite has been developed by designer Priestmangoode together with the design firm Brandiage, while American firm, B/E Aerospace, is the manufacturer. The suite is 2 metres and 30 centimetres wide and occupies an area of ​​about 3 square meters. Air France has, however, reduced the number of suites on their aircrafts. Previously there were eight suites on the Boeing 777-300, two rows in a 1-2-1 configuration, this has now been reduced to only one row of four suites.

The new La Première Suite The interior is made up of soft colours, light grey and ice blue with details in Air France’s characteristic red. The colour choices are basically the same as before but slightly softer. The grey is brighter and the red stronger. Only the strong red colour is a recurring theme with anything concerning the new La Première. According to Catherine Betsch, they have drawn much inspiration from hotel environments with a design and colour choice that should reflect the French elegance, which goes hand in hand with the advertising campaign 'France is in the air'.

Design in light grey and ice blue The cabin walls are lined with leather, the same leather which is also used on the armrests and the headrest of the seat. The seat is covered in woven tweed. A nice touch is the ornamental lamp that is positioned next to the chair that helps to create a relaxing atmosphere. Next to the seat there is also a red blanket.

The nice ornamental lamp In front of the seat is an ottoman that can be used as a visitor's seat, for example if you have a travel companion and want to dine together. Otherwise the ottoman can be used as a footrest. Under the ottoman is a drawer where you can store your shoes, the same storage that is available under the ottoman in current La Première seats.

Ottoman and blanket

Magazines, HD-TV and entertainment

At the side of the seat is a shelf for newspapers and magazines and along the panel there is a large compartment with space for personal belongings.

Storage for newspapers and magazines In front of the seat there is a large 24-inch TV with HD resolution and touch screen. The touch screen functionality is perhaps somewhat unnecessary given the distance from the seat to the screen is nearly two meters, but it is feesable to directly tap the screen if you wish. All aircrafts with the new seats also have a new entertainment system from Panasonic with over 1000 hours of entertainment and a menu in 12 languages​​. The new entertainment system is very nice, especially the way the menus are designed and constructed.

24-inch HD TVs in first class The remote control is the same model used in the new business class and is designed as a smartphone with a large part of the menu visible on the screen. You can choose whether to use the buttons or touch the screen directly.

The remote control The remote control is stored in a hatch at the side of the seat. There are also power sockets, a USB socket and storage for the noise cancelling headphones. There are two control panels to control the seat functionality. To the side of the hatch there are hotkeys to quickly find preset seat positions. Should you wish to find a suitable seating position yourself, there are more buttons under the lid to the hatch. Both control panels are visible on the right in the picture below.

Seat controls, sockets and remote control

Fully-flat with unique curtains that shield

Possibly the biggest change takes place when it is time to go to bed. When the new seat is in the folded position, it is completely horizontal and creates a bed that is just over two metres long. When the armrests are also folded down, it creates another 20 cm seat width with a total bed width of 77cm. The bed is then equipped with a mattress, pillow and quilt. The same bedding is used in the Accor hotel chain Sofitel in their 'My Bed' concept.

The preferred curtains in the suite To create a good sleeping experience, thick curtains are available next to each suite, which once drawn for the night create total seclusion from the cabin and the other passengers. During the rest of the flight, the curtains are attached to the wall, just like the traditional curtains between the different cabins. This is a concept that is unique to Air France and that has never before been tried in the industry. Today's La Première Suite is completely open with minimal privacy from other passengers. Catherine Betsch tells us that the curtains have been developed following requests from several travellers who asked for an open and airy floor plan onboard, without the feeling of being confined in their suite, while most want privacy when it is time to sleep. The new suite offers the best of both worlds. Coming to this solution, which also required approval by the authorities, was a very protracted process according to Betsch, but Air France was finally given the required certification.

Diagram showing how the curtains works Unfortunately there was a technical problem with the mock-up seat during my demonstration which made it impossible to recline it all the way to a full bed. However, I did try the curtains and experienced the feeling of having them closed. It did not feel at all confined but instead rather relaxed and homey. In practical terms, there are two curtains that are attached in the middle with velcro. We asked Catherine Betsch if Air France considered having a separate bed in first class, separate from the regular seat. She told us that she was positive towards the idea and was impressed by what Lufthansa has implemented ​​on some of its Boeing 747 aircrafts, with a separate bed next to the seat. She was more doubtful, however, with regards to Singapore Airlines approach to Suites. It is not just about comfort but also about durability, the seat will withstand many years of wear. In addition, the bed should handle big people, both in terms of comfort and durability.

One of the two wardrobes Each suite also has two closets, a larger one in front of the suite for storing extra hand luggage, and a small one behind the suite where you can hang up clothes during the night. The window blinds in first class are completely electronic and are controlled by a button. There are two modes, an intermediate position for protection against strong sun but also with some natural light coming through, and a fully closed position in which all light is shut out. There are only a few airlines that have this today, of which Emirates is the only airline I have experienced this on.

New chinaware, new amenity kit and new uniform for the staff

The end of the year sees completely new chinaware introduced in first class with a brand new design. The china is developed by Jean-Marie Massaud and consists of 40 different parts to create an elegant atmosphere during meal service.

The new chinaware in La Première One change is that real wine and champagne glasses are being re-introduced in first class, as previously wider drinking glasses were used for wine and champagne, the same as used in business class. Several passengers have however asked to get real wine and champagne glass back. Catherine Betsch says, however, that the decision was tricky as there are also many passengers who believe that the broader beverage glasses bring out the flavours and aromas better, especially for more expensive wines.

New wine glasses and champagne glasses in La Première Along with the new chinaware, a new food concept is being introduced, with the introduction of caviar served on departures from Paris starting in October. The new food concept is developed by famous French chefs such as Joël Robuchon, Régis Marcon, Guy Martin, Michel Roth and Anne-Sophie Pic. The desserts will remain from Lenôtre. The table is stored in a slot along the panel and is roughly comparable in size to the previous table. A new amenity kit is also introduced this autumn with contents from Givenchy.

New toiletry bag from Givenchy The pyjamas will also continue to be used, now in a blue model.

Pyjamas in Air France first class Even the cabin crew who work in, or with, La Première take on a new look. The uniforms will have the same basic concept as previous, with dark blue uniforms during most of the year and for the female cabin crew, a thinner light blue uniform during the summer months. However, all staff who work with La Première now have a new red scarf, alternatively a red tie, and a special red badge.

New accessories for the staff in La Première

Schedule and Cost

The suite will be gradually introduced on 19 Boeing 777. The first aircraft with the new suites will start flying in September 2014 and the first route will be Paris-Singapore-Jakarta. Many airlines do not like to talk about costs when it comes to new seats, cubicles and aircraft, but we put the question to Bruno Matheu, Chief Officer of Long-Haul Passenger Activity, and actually got a response. The cost of the 76 suites is approximately 50

million euros, consequently 650,000 euros, or £515,000, per suite. The fact that it is a brand new model, developed from scratch, shows how the high costs have been reached. It is cheaper to purchase a fully developed model. We may assume that the price per suite also includes the development costs. Catherine Betsch says that the suite has taken four years to develop. It may seem a long time but Betsch tells us that it is the time it takes if you want to develop something from scratch. There are many small details to look at and all parts must function as a whole. La Première is, after all, Air France's flagship product. Certifications are also required to ensure the seat meets all safety requirements.

Another first class suite on its way

At present, the Boeing 777 will be equipped with the new long-haul seats, of which 19 aircraft will have the new first class suites. Later, the rest of the long-haul fleet is to be reviewed, such as the Airbus A380, which also has first class. Will it get the same suites? Catherine Betsch reveals that it has not been decided and that it is in fact quite likely that the A380 will get a new model, a new suite in other words. She did not wish to reveal much more than that. The upgrade of the Air France Airbus A380 will begin in the second half of 2017.

What BusinessClass thinks?

It is a very attractive product with a stylish, minimalist decor, an appealing colour selection and a carefully considered design. It feels fresh and modern. The flat-screen TV is great as well as the entertainment system, which I got to test properly in business class. What type of seat one prefers is understandably an individual preference. Myself, I like to have an open cabin layout as I want to be able to make contact with other passengers and see what happens in the cabin. I would also like to have privacy when I am asleep. Therefore, the new concept with the curtains works very well for me.