JOUY31

Last update 2007 Fleet update


AF is renewing its premium cabins in 2004. Code-named "Ulysse", this project introduces seats which can fully recline on long-haul flights in Business Class aboard A340s, A330s & 777s, and limits the new First Class to 777s :

- the new "lie-flat" seats are similar to those already in use on CX
- seat pitch rises from 48" to 61"
- the new enhanced First Class will be introduced in April 2004 with the arrival in the fleet of the 777-300

The following upgrade of premium cabins is scheduled for 2007, with the arrival of the A380, which will also feature a First Class cabin.

On medium-haul flights, a new seat "6/4" will be introduced which will offer more comfort for Business Class passengers when transformed from a 6 seats per row seating to a 4 seats per rows seating.



[This message has been edited by JOUY31 (edited 01-31-2003).]

celbrian

Finally!

Thanks for the news. Of course no mention whatsoever of upgrading the 747s... (the main reason why AF is not my carrier of choice)

JOUY31

With the introduction next year of the 777-300ER, the 747-400 will be moved to the Caribbean Indian Ocean network and the 747-200 will be phased out. The 747 family should leave the AF passenger fleet with the arrival of the A380. I guess we will be seeing you more and more.

The 747-400 F is being introduced for the cargo fleet.

jeffreyt

I flew F last week on a 777 on AF. Does that product remain unchanged?

GrapeDane

What will they do with California (SFO & LAX)? Will AF keep the 744 for the summer or perhaps have two 343/777 flights a day for SFO?

Which routes are planed to use the 380?

JOUY31

Fewer details are available on the new enhanced First Class product. It is said that there will be a large working space and a very upscale service.

These new premium cabins will be officially unveiled sometime in the fall. So there is still some fine-tuning of the products being done.

JOUY31

AF Press release, with photographs

http://www.airfrance.com/double6/Y1/...p?OpenDocument

L'Espace Premiere enhancements
- 8 seats instead of 12, an extra 50% personal space,
- a real bed with a proper mattress,
- an exceptionally refined service.

L'Espace Affaires long-haul enhancements
- 27% more personal privacy.
- "lie-flat" bed, which reclines to 180°. Its rigid shell guarantees a volume of personal space enabling the passenger to stretch out for optimum comfort.

Tempo long-haul enhancements (does this apply to Caribbean Indian Ocean flights ?)
- revamp of the cabin colour scheme
- the SK3 seat, introduced with the first A330-200,
- individual digital video

Investment :
- 300 million euros
- five years of work to bring this project to fruition,
- 300,000 working hours to refit 69 aircraft,
- 15 new fully-equipped aircraft,

Timetable
- first bi-class aircraft to be equipped in November, 2003 : an A340
- first tri-class aircraft to be equipped, a 777-300 in April, 2004
- 50% of the long haul fleet before November 1st, 2004
- 90% of the long-haul fleet in April 2005

Long-haul fleet structure in April 2005
- 33 three cabin aircrafts (777-200 & 777-300)
- 51 two cabin aircrafts (A330, A340, 747-400)


[This message has been edited by JOUY31 (edited 09-26-2003).]

daved

Thanks for the update, I've been waiting for AF improvements for a while.

First looks wonderful, but looking at the pictures, it doesn't appear that the l'Espace Affaires (Business) seats fully recline. To me, it'd be a shame to spend all this money and then not be near the top in seat comfort.

JOUY31

Agreed. It says, deep in the third document (page 10), that the position (lie-flat) has a 13° angle to the ground.


[This message has been edited by JOUY31 (edited 09-26-2003).]

teahan

First Class looks excellent however I am not so sure about Business. It looks a lot like the Virgin J2000 which wasn't particularly liked, especially with the screen fixed to the Seat Shell in front.

Jeremiah

hfly

Maybe they'll come up with a carp explanatory line about how NASA research in the sixties showed that a 13 degree incline was more comfortable (in a weightless environment).

hfly

I also read this to mean that Af is reducing 1st class seating by about 80% across their fleet and will be offering it to 40% of destinations and as I figure about 25% of their longhaul flights.

Sounds like everyone is following this strategy now.

Admiral Ackbar

From what I have read, the main routes that AF will use the A380 on will be:

CDG-Tokyo Narita
CDG-New York JFK
CDG-Hong Kong
CDG-Montreal
CDG-Los Angeles
CDG-Miami

synd

finally AF is going to catch up to the others... I have been waiting a while to hear this... might make me fly AF longhaul again, instead of others!

daved

Doesn't look like business class is going to catch up