Qatar Airways was the first airline to offer a business class seat with doors inflight. Delta was second. Since then it’s become de rigueur. The new British Airways business class seat puts doors on a Super Diamond. American Airlines plans to put doors on its new business class seat. And even United has been looking at door options for its next seat after Polaris.

Air France’s seat is a decade old, and a bit drab. But it’s the same basic Cirrus seat that Cathay Pacific uses and that American Airlines uses on its Boeing 777-300ER, among others. It’s an excellent seat.

Current Air France Business Class

Current Air France Business Class

Not to be left behind, Air France will retrofit 12 Boeing 777s with a new business class offering doors. They expect that it will begin flying in September, first on the New York JFK – Paris route. The planes won’t have first class, so presumably will swap with existing Boeing 777-200 frequencies that do not offer first either.

The new seats will be Cirrus reverse herringbone products – so very similar to what Air France offers today – with doors added. However Air France calls it a complete redesign of the seat. I do not see this from the photos, although I do note that the bulkhead seat is far more desirable than those behind it (as is the case in many new business designs).

New Air France Business Class, credit: Air France

New Air France Business Class, credit: Air France

New Air France Business Class, credit: Air France

The planes will have 48 business class, 48 premium economy, and 273 economy seats. Premium economy and economy seats will match what Air France is using on its Airbus A350s already. This project will likely mean more inconsistent seat offerings for some time to come, but at least we should see the product in the air in a matter of months.