Mar 12, 2018, 1:46 pm
Last edit by: N515CR
This wikipost presents an updated summary of AF plans for retrofitting the long-haul fleet with new J (and W) seats. For more details, please refer to the thread below
Last update on 23 APR 2024
B772
21 planes. All B772 are already retrofitted with the BEST cabins (Zodiac Cirrus seat). A refit programme is underway to standardise the 772 fleet with a 28J 32W 268M configuration, with refits expected to be complete before summer 2024.
- Seating config 1: C28W32Y268
- Seating config 2: C28W24Y260
- Seating config 3: C40W32Y216
B77W
Version with P (19 planes out of 43 77W): 19/19 completed (F-GSQA, F-GSQB, F-GSQC, F-GSQF, F-GSQG, F-GSQH, F-GSQI, F-GSQJ, F-GSQK, F-GSQL, F-GSQM, F-GSQU, F-GSQV, F-GSQY, F-GZNA, F-GZNB, F-GZNC, F-GZND, and F-GZNE)Last update on 23 APR 2024
B772
21 planes. All B772 are already retrofitted with the BEST cabins (Zodiac Cirrus seat). A refit programme is underway to standardise the 772 fleet with a 28J 32W 268M configuration, with refits expected to be complete before summer 2024.
- Seating config 1: C28W32Y268
- Seating config 2: C28W24Y260
- Seating config 3: C40W32Y216
B77W
- They are already all retrofitted with the BEST cabins (Zodiac Cirrus seat).
- Seating config: F4C58W28Y206
COI version (14J) (12 planes out of 43 B77W): all retrofitted (F-GSQO, F-GSQP, F-GSQT, F-GSQX, F-GZNG. F-GSQS, F-GZNF, F-GSQR, F-GSQN, F-GZNO, F-GZNL and F-GZNN).
- The J seat is Zodiac Optima (same as chosen for the A350), similar to the UA Polaris seat. The config is 1-2-1 and total 14J.
- The W seat is the same as in the B789.
- Seating config: C14W32Y422
Remaining 77W (the 12 planes in NEV4 "loisirs" config (42J)): 10/12 completed (F-GZNK, F-GZNP, F-GZNQ, F-GZNS, F-GZNT, F-GZNI, F-GZNR, F-GZNU, F-GZNJ, and F-GZNH)
- The new seat will be a slightly improved version of the BEST seat, with a door for privacy.
- Retrofits started in March 2022 and were projected to finish by the end of 2023, but they are late.
- Aircraft in retrofit: F-GSQD (arrived @ ORY 28 Feb), F-GSQE (arrived @ ORY 19 Apr)
- Seating config: C48W48Y273
- Old config: C42W24Y315
B789
- Direct deliveries with BEST cabins (Zodiac Cirrus seat, slightly smaller than the 777 one, due to fuselage width limitation).
- Ten planes have been delivered to AF (F-HRBA to F-HRBJ).
- AF initially ordered 15 B789, with the remaining to go to KL.
- Seating config: C30W21Y228
A332
- 15 planes. Retrofitted in 2-2-2 with the Stelia Equinoxe seat. A similar seat can be seen in the UX B787. Also, the W seats are the same as the B789.
- Seating config: C36W21Y167
A343
Remaining 77W (the 12 planes in NEV4 "loisirs" config (42J)): 10/12 completed (F-GZNK, F-GZNP, F-GZNQ, F-GZNS, F-GZNT, F-GZNI, F-GZNR, F-GZNU, F-GZNJ, and F-GZNH)
- The new seat will be a slightly improved version of the BEST seat, with a door for privacy.
- Retrofits started in March 2022 and were projected to finish by the end of 2023, but they are late.
- Aircraft in retrofit: F-GSQD (arrived @ ORY 28 Feb), F-GSQE (arrived @ ORY 19 Apr)
- Seating config: C48W48Y273
- Old config: C42W24Y315
B789
- Direct deliveries with BEST cabins (Zodiac Cirrus seat, slightly smaller than the 777 one, due to fuselage width limitation).
- Ten planes have been delivered to AF (F-HRBA to F-HRBJ).
- AF initially ordered 15 B789, with the remaining to go to KL.
- Seating config: C30W21Y228
A332
- 15 planes. Retrofitted in 2-2-2 with the Stelia Equinoxe seat. A similar seat can be seen in the UX B787. Also, the W seats are the same as the B789.
- More info on A332 retrofit can be found in this thread: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/air-...-retrofit.html
- Since October 2020, all aircraft have the new cabin.- Seating config: C36W21Y167
All retired per ch-aviation.
A359
- Overall, AF will have 38 A359. 22 planes have been delivered as of 22/09/2023:
First batch (20): F-HTYA/B/C/D/E/F/G/H/I/J/K/L/M/N/O/P/Q/R/S/T
- Direct delivery with Zodiac Optima, similar to UA Polaris seat (see above B777 COI). Config 1-2-1.
- The W seat is a Recaro recliner seat.
- All the A359 ordered for both AF & KL are finally going to AF (while KL will receive all the B789 remaining to be delivered on the AF sub-order).
- As per an information post by frausflyer , the 20th A350 (likely F-HTYT) to be delivered to AF will have a P cabin. https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/33283076-post467.html. However, this eventually did not happen, and F-HTYT has the same cabin as the 19 aircraft that preceded it.
- Seating config: C34W24Y266
Second batch (7/18): F-HUVA/B/C/D/E/F/G
- The 21st A359 (F-HUVA) has the new 48J cabin with small differences compared to the B77W one. According to Aerolopa, it and 17 A350s to follow will not have P.
- Seating config: C48W32Y212
All A380 will leave the fleet by 2022 and so, will not be retrofitted with new seats. F-HPJB is the 1st to leave the fleet : it has been returned to the lessor in January 2020.
All retired June 26 2020 due to COVID-19.
updated information about new J seats deployments and other information
Mar 19, 2018, 12:25 pm
#61
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Mar 30, 2018, 11:25 am
#62
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Looks like SFO is getting more BEST seats!
I have a CDG - SFO flight this Dec and was booked on the 777-300 with 2-3-2 NEV4 seating. For the past year, I've been tracking the deployment schedule of the new cabins. Ultimately, I decided the nonstop over-rode other considerations and booked it. Enough people here said the NEV4 was fine for lounging and this wasn't an overnight.
Based on all the updates here about the 777-300 fleet retro-fit being done and the NEV4 configuration being assigned to SFO, my only chance to experience the new seats would be equipment substitution. Which didn't look like it happened often.
Yesterday, I went to check flights for next summer and noticed the additional summer flight was showing 777-200 with Best. Primary flight was the A380. But that's different than this past summer where they've used an A380 and a 777-300 with NEV4. I then checked my Dec flight and sure enough, our seat maps had been changed to 1-2-1 on a retro-fitted 777-300 with La Premiere.
I checked the 3 days before and after and they're all showing BEST. When I went back to check next summer, it showed 6 days a week in July with BEST config and just one day a week with NEV4.
I only had time to check the one week in Dec and the one week in July next year but certainly looks like they've deployed new config to SFO. At least for that time period.
I have a CDG - SFO flight this Dec and was booked on the 777-300 with 2-3-2 NEV4 seating. For the past year, I've been tracking the deployment schedule of the new cabins. Ultimately, I decided the nonstop over-rode other considerations and booked it. Enough people here said the NEV4 was fine for lounging and this wasn't an overnight.
Based on all the updates here about the 777-300 fleet retro-fit being done and the NEV4 configuration being assigned to SFO, my only chance to experience the new seats would be equipment substitution. Which didn't look like it happened often.
Yesterday, I went to check flights for next summer and noticed the additional summer flight was showing 777-200 with Best. Primary flight was the A380. But that's different than this past summer where they've used an A380 and a 777-300 with NEV4. I then checked my Dec flight and sure enough, our seat maps had been changed to 1-2-1 on a retro-fitted 777-300 with La Premiere.
I checked the 3 days before and after and they're all showing BEST. When I went back to check next summer, it showed 6 days a week in July with BEST config and just one day a week with NEV4.
I only had time to check the one week in Dec and the one week in July next year but certainly looks like they've deployed new config to SFO. At least for that time period.
Most of the flights between SFO and CDG now have BEST cabins?
Mar 31, 2018, 8:09 am
#65
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As for summer, its easy to check. Just try to do a booking on Air France website. If it has a blue box that says Design +, you'll be in BEST. I just looked at a random June 6th date and the 8:30 pm is BEST. The 3:05 departure is on an A380 so not BEST and none of those have been re-fitted.
If you click on the Design+ logo, it will show you the flight details. Under the onboard section, you'll see 'the new business seat'.
If the late timing doesn't work for you, I recall most of the LAX departures were BEST. So you can do a quick connection down to LAX and fly out earlier.
Mar 31, 2018, 12:51 pm
#68
Join Date: Dec 2014
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Last summer it was B777-200 with BEST on some flights and B777-300ER with NEV4 on other flights. They actually made the change to BEST from this winter season. From what I see this summer all B777 have BEST (incl. B777-300ER with P) but there are also A380 where you can get NEV3 / NEV4. Was about time though 
May 18, 2018, 8:36 am
#70
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: BER
Posts: 512
Is the Zodiac Cirrus seat on the AF 789 identical, apart from its look, to the version installed on KLM? The AF BEST seat on the 777 is one of the nicest products in my opinion, but for some reason I did not find the new KLM seat as nice. Not only is it narrower (fine with me), but there's also sort of an uneven surface near my hip when in bed mode.
May 18, 2018, 4:06 pm
#71
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Is the Zodiac Cirrus seat on the AF 789 identical, apart from its look, to the version installed on KLM? The AF BEST seat on the 777 is one of the nicest products in my opinion, but for some reason I did not find the new KLM seat as nice. Not only is it narrower (fine with me), but there's also sort of an uneven surface near my hip when in bed mode.
- the lateral storage place is smaller
- the tablet is much smaller (too small IMO) and this is a consequence of the previous point
This is due to the smaller cabin width for the 787 compared to 777.
May 23, 2018, 11:54 pm
#72
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Is the Zodiac Cirrus seat on the AF 789 identical, apart from its look, to the version installed on KLM? The AF BEST seat on the 777 is one of the nicest products in my opinion, but for some reason I did not find the new KLM seat as nice. Not only is it narrower (fine with me), but there's also sort of an uneven surface near my hip when in bed mode.
May 24, 2018, 8:17 am
#73
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: BER
Posts: 512
They are absolutely the same seats. I also found them not that nice because I cannot sleep very well in these seats. And in my opinion they are from bad quality. I flown a lot the KLM 787 and some AF 787 and about 40% of the seats had a damage. And what for me is ridiculous, that some month later there are still the same damages. I report after all flights the damage got always some miles or voucher but when I had the same seat on the same airplane some month later the same damage still exists. All airplanes are relatively new so that the seats should be in perfect conditions.
May 24, 2018, 8:12 pm
#74
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if you love AF BEST in the 777, there is no reason for you to not love the BEST in the 787. The seats are the same and differences lie with a smaller tablet and slightly smaller lateral storage area.
Jul 2, 2018, 9:41 am
#75
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 22
Does anyone have any idea about how often they change a flight that is scheduled to have the new seats to the old configuration for flights that fly out of LAX specifically?
I've been reading a lot of posts around here talking about those changes happening and it's making me think I'd be better off choosing another airline.
I've been reading a lot of posts around here talking about those changes happening and it's making me think I'd be better off choosing another airline.