Air France has revealed its new cabin design for Embraer 190 aircraft operated by its regional subsidiary HOP!, with the first refurbished aircraft expected to take to the skies this autumn.
The new-look cabins, unveiled this week at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, are fitted with 110 leather-upholstered seats arranged in a 2-2 configuration. Each seat features a tray table, USB A and C ports, removable armrests and a coat hook as well as a headrest that is height-adjustable with adjustable wings. There’s also a retractable holder for a smartphone or tablet.
To provide a business class offering, the carrier said seats at the front of the aircraft will be separated from the rest of the cabin with a mobile curtain and, from January 2025, each business class traveller will have an empty seat next to them.
The move comes as Air France continues the rollout its new business class and premium economy cabins, first unveiled in 2022, on more long-haul routes.
The new Embraer 190 seats are custom made for Air France by French manufacturer Expliseat and designer Andrea Mocellin. Each seat is made of carbon fibre and titanium, incorporating “as little plastic as possible”, and is 30 per cent lighter than the current model, according to the carrier.
The carrier said its ongoing fleet renewal is part of an overall strategy to reduce carbon emissions, which includes ‘fundamental levers’ such as the increased use of sustainable aviation fuel.