Air France launches new business class suite with doors

Air France has launched a new business class suite design with doors.

According to Air France, the business seat “marries refinement and privacy.”

The business cabin contains 48 of the new suites, with seats which can be made into 2m long beds that lie fully flat.

The airline debuted the new business seats on a  Boeing 777-300ER aircraft scheduled to fly from Paris CDG-New York JFK airport. 

Named “Fontainebleau”, this aircraft is serving Rio de Janeiro airport in Brazil as of 21 January and Dakar in Senegal as of 22 January.

Suites will be rolled out on 12 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft in total, flying international routes during 2023.

Air France’s new business cabin features Cirrus herringbone seats, which point away from the aisle. The suites have been designed to include a sliding door, and feature aluminium details and full grain French leather.

Air France has described the layout as a “3F concept”, because there is a fully flat bed, full private access to each passenger’s row and full privacy from the sliding door.

Additionally, for passengers who are travelling as a pair, central seats will have an adjustable wall which can be lowered to have a closer proximity and the ability to make their connecting tables a shared space.

Further key features within the suites include seats designed to enable optimum back support, remote panels for lighting and 17.3in 4K TV screens with bluetooth, wifi connectivity and USB ports. There’s a do not disturb button and noise-reducing headphones are provided too.

Other airlines offering business seats with doors include Qatar and Delta. British Airways added the feature in 2021 with the Collins Aerospace Super Diamond seat.

The Air France business class change was originally announced in May 2022, but the launch was delayed.