Air France is set to increase the size of luggage compartments in the cabins of its Airbus A320 fleet after signing an agreement with Safran Cabin.
The new compartments will be available on the airline’s domestic and European network, with 40 A321s and 11 A321s due to be fitted between September 2020 and September 2022.
According to Catherine Villar, SVP of customer experience, Air France is the first airline in the world to choose Safran’s new Ecos (Efficient Cabin Open Space) luggage compartments, which do not require aircraft modifications to install.
The compartments increase luggage capacity by 60 per cent and enable on-edge stowage with wheels at the back. Current models can hold 104 bags on the A320 and 113 on the A321, while the Ecos will be able to hold 166 and 192 items, respectively.
In addition, Air France says the compartments feature “easy-to-reach doors which do not encroach into the cabin aisle”, as well as a lower shelf height, making it easier to load luggage.
Catherine Villar, SVP of customer experience, commented: “[These compartments] will enable us to meet the high expectations of our customers wishing to travel with cabin bags only to save time during their trip. Boarding will be smoother and faster, both for them and for our crews. This represents a significant improvement in comfort and operational efficiency.”
The news comes after Air France announced it would begin offsetting the emissions from all of its domestic flights starting 1 January 2020.
airfrance.co.uk