Originally Posted by
AnaTFN
Intra European flights never have a bigger seat in business, always same seats throughout the cabin, it is only about more legroom and only for some airlines (and middle seat free if it is a 3-3 configuration).
I had a similar issue this summer with Lufthansa, that as part of a business class trip with multiple segments booked me and my family on one Brussels-airlines operated flight that only had economy class. We had zero business services (no priority boarding, no lounge, had to pay for seat, etc) and both airlines point at each other for any form of compensation so we've got nowhere. It is very possible that AF sold you an economy-only flight as business as Lufthansa did with us.
If I correctly understand your post you are mixing up two things:
1. The fact that sone European airlines do not have dedicated Business Class seats, but the same seats as in Economy - but nevertheless offer Business Class service, in a dedicated cabin separated by a curtain from the Economy cabin, with different catering (no BoB), lounge access, fast lane access, more frequent flyer miles, etc.
2. The fact that there are airlines in the world that do not offer Business class at all. Spirit, Ryanair, and also Brussels Airlines. What you describe is this second case. You were put on Brussels, which does not have Business Class, so not only the same seats as Economy, but also same (non-)food, no other privileges, etc.
With Air France, flights operated with the E190 aircraft are the first case: there is Business Class, except that - as everywhere in Europe with airlines offering Business Class - the seats are the same. The rest is different from Economy Class.
And indeed Air France belongs to those companies that sell you Business Class on the Embraer jets without blocking the neighbouring seat, which I actually find scandalous. KLM does the same. Had Lufthansa or one of their airlines put you on an Embraer jet flying for one of their airlines that offer Business (i.e., not Brussels, but LH or Swiss or Austrian) you would have had a free neighbouring seat.