For the last long-haul flight on my trip to South East Asia, I had the opportunity to try Air France’s newest business class product on a flight from Paris to New York, which first debuted on the Boeing 777-300ER in January 2023.
It isn’t everyday that you get to try out an exciting new product soon after its launch, so I was beyond excited to sample Air France’s latest innovation.
Moreover, having flown the already impressive Air France A350 business class a few years earlier, I was particularly curious to see how the airline’s newest refresh stacked up.
Air France 777 New Business Class – Booking
If you’re looking to book Air France business class on points, there are a few loyalty programs worth considering. Your best bet is to look to either Delta SkyMiles or Air France/KLM Flying Blue, and to keep an eye on Flying Blue Promo Rewards each month.
Flying Blue miles in particular are fairly easy to earn, as it’s a 1:0.75 transfer partner of Canadian-issued American Express Membership Rewards points and a 1:1 transfer partner of US-issued Membership Rewards points.
Additionally, it’s a good idea to look out for attractive cash fares, which are usually more affordable when travelling from Europe to North America, but not vice versa.
For this Paris to New York route on Air France’s new 777 business class, I was able to snag a seat by redeeming 55,000 Flying Blue miles plus $300 (CAD) in taxes and fees. This matched the lowest fare listed on Flying Blue’s chart for travel between Europe and North America.
Air France 777 New Business Class – Ground Experience
Upon my arrival in Paris from Hong Kong onboard Cathay Pacific, I had only a short layover before my next flight with Air France. Therefore, I wound up heading straight to the gate to board.
Typically, passengers travelling on Air France business class have the option to visit the Air France Business Class Lounge located in Hall L of Terminal 2E at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.
Air France 777 New Business Class – Cabin
Upon boarding the plane, I was directed to a separate jet bridge leading to the business class cabin, which spans across two sections.
Air France’s new business class cabin features a total of 48 Safran Versa reverse herringbone seats arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration, offering direct aisle access and sliding doors, which is a first among Air France’s various business class seat types.
The cabin comprises a forward section consisting of seven rows with 28 seats, and a rear mini-cabin with five rows and 20 seats.
The cabin’s design immediately captured my attention with its modern and innovative style. Drawing inspiration from the airline’s classic French heritage, the design concept presents a contemporary interpretation, which incorporates sleek curves, resembling those of a racing car, and fluid lines reminiscent of water.
The neutral colour scheme features Air France’s deep blue accented by touches of beige French leather, white seat shells, and soft mood lighting.
Notable details, such as the herringbone-patterned carpet evocative of Parisian Haussmann apartments, and the illuminated winged seahorse Air France logo, create a signature elevated style, which is visually stunning and unmistakably Air France.
Row 1 and Row 9 feature significantly more spacious seats, with a V-shaped bench and no footwell, utilizing the extra space at the bulkhead. Keep in mind, these coveted seats can only be reserved 72 hours in advance by all passengers, or earlier for Flying Blue elite members.
Those travelling solo may prefer the odd-numbered window seats, particularly Seats 1A and 9A in the bulkhead, which offer ample space and enhanced privacy.
Meanwhile, couples may opt for the middle seats, such as Seats 1D and 9D in the bulkhead. Additionally, travellers occupying the centre two seats of the 1-2-1 configured cabin can make use of the seat divider to adjust privacy levels or create more space, whether travelling alone or with a companion.
With only a third of the seats filled on this flight, the cabin felt pleasantly uncrowded. While I had initially chosen Seat 11A in the mini-cabin, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to later stretch out in the more spacious and exclusive bulkhead seats in Row 9, which were unoccupied.
Air France 777 New Business Class – Seat
Upon settling into the seat, you’ll be immediately captivated by the stunning 17.3-inch 4K entertainment screen. The display features an anti-glare coating, ensuring crystal-clear images and vibrant colours from all viewing angles, for an exceptional visual experience.
The high-definition screen can be effortlessly operated using either the touchscreen or the entertainment controller. (The latter, however, is somewhat redundant, as the touchscreen is conveniently within arm’s reach, allowing for easy navigation.)
Below the monitor, a spacious footwell awaits, while the literature pocket and a small water bottle holder can be found to the left.
The window-side panel houses a cleverly concealed storage compartment embellished with the Air France logo. With just a push of a button, it opens to reveal headphones and a vanity mirror.
The compartment’s interior is adorned with luxurious tan French leather, boasting a secondary logo on the door’s inner surface. Next to it, the entertainment controller can be unlatched and withdrawn for handheld use.
The seat is well-equipped in terms of connectivity, with a USB-A charger discreetly located below the seat’s storage compartment, a USB-C and universal charging port situated near the literature pocket, and a wireless charging spot on the surface space right next to you.
The left-hand side of the seat features a surface with a wireless charger, along with the seat’s control panel.
The panel offers four recline functions, facilitating effortless transformation between a fully flat bed and an upright seat.
Air France’s innovative business class tray table is particularly interesting, as it emerges from the seat console at an angle and folds into position, providing ample space for dining and working. Should you need to stand up during a meal, the table can be easily maneuvered around.
The aisle-side armrest can be lowered or raised to your desired level. Additionally, the console on the window side of the seat features an indentation, creating a comfortable alcove for resting the other arm.
A coat hook is provided on the aisle side panel; however, the attentive crew will gladly offer to hang up your coat at the front of the cabin, keeping it out of your way for the duration of the flight.
Lastly, a reading light and “do not disturb” button are conveniently placed near your shoulder on the window side.
The elegantly designed business class door slides smoothly into its holder at the edge of the seat and closes automatically with the press of a button.
Unlike some other airlines, there’s no need to brusquely maneuver the door on your own, and I thought this was definitely one of the finest business class doors I’ve encountered so far.
To open the door, simply pull it back manually. During takeoff and landing, the door remains securely locked in its open position.
Overall, with this new seat, Air France has truly created an exceptional hard product, equipped with cutting-edge technology, ample space, and an impressive sliding door.
Now, later on during the flight, I’d have the opportunity to try out the superior seats in the cabin, which are found in Rows 1 and 9.
These exceptional business class seats rival notable competitors such as Qatar Airways Qsuites and ANA’s The Room in terms of size, offering an abundance of space and eliminating the need for a restrictive footwell.
Instead of the usual compact footwell, these seats feature expansive ottomans, making them more spacious than even some First Class products currently on the market. The level of comfort and roominess is arguably unparalleled among business class offerings.
Note that these superior seats are also designed to accommodate baby bassinets, with a fixture conveniently located on the side.
Air France currently does not charge extra to reserve these eight premium seats, although this may always change in the future.
Air France 777 New Business Class – Amenities
Prior to boarding, a blanket, pillow, and coat hanger were thoughtfully placed at each seat.
As I settled in, a warm towel was provided, followed by a pre-departure beverage selection that included Champagne, orange juice, or water. Naturally, I opted for Champagne, which I enjoyed as I eagerly anticipated the journey ahead.
Air France has recently unveiled a chic, eco-friendly amenity kit that resembles a mini laptop case with a herringbone-patterned casing.
Each kit is filled with essentials like eyeshades, socks, earplugs, a cleaning cloth, and a dental kit. Additional items, such as a pen, shoe horn, and Clarins mini-moisturizer and hand cream, are also inside.
To conclude the pre-flight service, the crew members personally introduced themselves and handed out the in-flight menus. The business class menu was both simple and stylish, matching cabin itself perfectly.
Air France 777 New Business Class – Breakfast
Once we reached cruising altitude, the onboard meal service commenced. With the business class cabin only a third full, the service was notably efficient.
On this particular flight, the meal served was breakfast. I was somewhat disappointed to miss out on Air France’s signature dining experience, but alas, this new 777 business class product was only available on the morning departure out of Paris to New York.
Nevertheless, the breakfast served was of exceptional quality, with a menu that read as follows:
At this point, I switched from Champagne to a glass of orange juice, which was followed by the breakfast presentation.
The meal was presented beautifully on a tray, featuring a delectable bagel with smoked salmon and cream cheese, which struck the perfect balance of breakfast flavours.
Alongside the main course, a refreshing strawberry tartare was garnished with white chocolate shavings. A thoughtful addition of granola was provided for the yogurt, as well as a diverse assortment of bread, including croissants and Parisian brioche.
For the main dish, I ordered a scrumptious omelette accompanied by celery, spinach, and tomato sauce.
I think it’s fair to say that its taste, which was delicious, compensated for any shortcomings in its presentation.
After polishing off the dish, I ordered another black coffee, which was presented on a separate tray.
Air France 777 New Business Class – Bed
After the meal service, I spent some time working before converting my seat into a lie-flat position. Prior to settling in for some rest, though, I took a quick detour to the restroom to freshen up.
The restroom in the business class cabin was clean and complete, with a handy tray that folds out above the toilet, as well as Clarins lotion and perfume. The tasteful blue and white colour palette also harmonized nicely with the cabin’s overall design.
Upon returning to the cabin, I effortlessly transformed my seat into a lie-flat position with just a touch of a button. It’s worth noting that Air France doesn’t offer turndown service in business class, so you’ll have to make the bed yourself.
The bed was spacious, providing ample room to stretch out and relax.
Later, I inquired about trying out Seat 9H, one of the bulkhead business class seats that boasts significantly more space.
The generous space allowed for much easier movement during sleep, as I discovered during a brief nap here in the bulkhead row.
In fact, it felt akin to the sleeping experience in a full-sized First Class suite, except for the gap between the lie-flat seat and the V-shaped bench.
Air France 777 New Business Class – Snack Service
The rear of the cabin featured a snack galley, offering an assortment of bite-sized treats, soft drinks, and juices, as well as self-serve Champagne.
I opted to stick with the non-alcoholic beverages for a little while, though, trying a glass of the Fuze ice tea.
Later on, I decided to explore Air France’s famous wine selection, sipping on a glass of the exquisite Saint-Estèphe while working on my laptop and savouring the second meal during the final stretch of the flight.
The pre-arrival meal featured a puff pastry brioche with celery, fava beans, and pickled onion. The light, pleasant flavours of the base layers were enhanced by the intriguing twist of pickled onions.
Interestingly, both the first and second meals came with a strawberry tartare with white chocolate shavings. Although palatable, it didn’t particularly stand out to me enough to have it served twice.
Lastly, a small, delicate madeleine was provided as a finishing touch to the meal.
Air France 777 New Business Class – Entertainment
Air France’s reconfigured Boeing 777s have a fairly comprehensive entertainment system.
There’s a wide selection of more than 350 films, including new releases, and a modest but varied selection of TV shows. Additionally, the system has Bluetooth audio for easy connectivity with personal devices.
Then there’s the airshow with an interactive map feature, where I always appreciate keeping track of the flight’s progress in real-time.
Air France offers a few different types of Wi-Fi passes for its business class passengers: free messaging, “Surf” for one hour for €8, “Surf” for the full flight for €18, or “Stream” for the full flight for €30.
I purchased the Surf pass for the entire duration of the flight and had no trouble staying productive on my laptop, and was even able to switch devices to my phone by entering the voucher code.
Conclusion
Air France’s new business class product on the Boeing 777 is exceptionelle, and one that I’d highly recommend seeking out, particularly for transatlantic flights. And if you can manage to snag a bulkhead seat in Row 1 or 9, even better!
The seat is equipped with sliding doors and cutting-edge technology, setting a new standard for what we can expect from future iterations of business class seats, all housed within a gorgeous cabin with an unmistakably French look.
The bulkhead rows are especially impressive, offering an incredible amount of personal space and perhaps rivalling the best business class seats in the world, even those offered by top airlines from Asia and the Middle East.
While the brunch service didn’t overly impress on this particular flight, Air France’s lunch and dinner offerings are generally very well-regarded.
Overall, I’d rank Air France’s new 777 business class as a category-leading product in the transatlantic market, and a wonderful choice for your next flight to Paris or points beyond.
This story originally appeared on princeoftravel
