Air France: new Full Flat cabins on A330s, but not Full Access!

As part of the upmarket strategy initiated by Ben Smith, Air France has just deployed its first A330 with new cabins.

A Full Flat Business Class… But not Full-Access

For its A330s, Air France has chosen a 2-2-2 configuration, favoring density over comfort.

Unlike what it offers on some Boeing 777-200s and 777-300ERs, Air France will not offer Full-Access on its A330s. This means that passengers sitting at the window will have to “step over” their neighbors to access the aisle. Suitable for couples, this configuration is not adapted to solo travelers and therefore to lines with a high number of business customers… This is unfortunately the case on many routes operated by A330.

New softer tones using a blue cameo instead of the traditional red of the comma

The tones chosen are however elegant.

A rather elegant cabin harmony… And close to that of Lufthansa!

Hardly acceptable however, in a world where Full-Access is commonplace.

Premium Economy, a refresh?

In Premium class, the concept remains the same: a shell seat allowing a “non-invasive” recline for one’s neighbor. The result is a difficult sleep for the tall ones, who cannot try to sleep in a position other than on their back.

A shell seat that slides… And leaves little leg room for the taller ones.

Moreover, the direct competition has adopted a more traditional and comfortable recliner:

The recliner, like the one shown here from Lufthansa, is more adapted to tall people in Premium Economy

The cabin tones are, in any case, reminiscent of those of the Business:

Like its comfort, the Premium Economy cabin’s tones are halfway between those of Business and Economy

Economy: Goodbye to sobriety

Like it or not: in any case, at TravelGuys, we are quite convinced by the new tones of the Economy cabin, more modern without being extravagant:

The colored headrests give relief to this large Economy cabin of the A330

We really love the tones of the accessories, particularly elegant:

In conclusion: successful refresh, but disappointment on the Full Access. Now it’s the A380’s turn?

Olivier Delestre-Levai
Olivier Delestre-Levai
Olivier has been into airline blogging since 2010. First a major contributor to the FlyerTalk forum, he created the FlyerPlan website in July 2012, and writes articles with a major echo among airline specialists. He now co-runs the TravelGuys blog with Bertrand, focusing on travel experience and loyalty programs.
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