What Is It Like to Fly on Air France’s Airbus A350 in Business Class?

Air France operates a fleet of 34 Airbus A350-900 aircraft, with some originally intended for use by JOON, Air France’s former low-cost carrier. At present, 20 of these jets feature a business class cabin boasting 34 seats without sliding doors, most of which are utilized for flights to the U.S.

Meanwhile, the newer aircraft are equipped with 48 luxurious closed-door suites. In both cabin configurations, passengers can bask in the unique sensation of “France is in the air,” encapsulating the essence of French sophistication and elegance.

Check-In

For the Los Angeles (LAX) to Paris (CDG) flight, the check-in took place at the Tom Bradley International Terminal.

Photo: Terminal TBIT. Courtesy of Los Angeles International Airport

Business class passengers had access to the SkyPriority counters and the recently opened Air France lounge in the satellite terminal.

Boarding

The gates in the satellite terminal employ electronic doors, by which people need to scan their boarding passes and wait for the sliding plexiglass panels to open.

Photo: Courtesy of Air France

The premium passengers would queue up by the Zone 1 sign and proceed to board through door 1L of the plane.

The Seat

Traveling with my parents, we chose the first three window seats on the port side, near the forward galley and the lavatory by the flight deck.

Photo: Courtesy of Benjamin Chiang

The plane has 34 Safran Optima seats, set up as pairs of four across the cabin. Each seat is 20 inches wide and provides direct aisle access. The seat’s length extends to 6 feet 7 inches in its flat-bed mode.

On the gray cushion of the seat, there was a pillow, a packaged comforter, and a coat hanger. The side table held an enclosed cupboard containing a water bottle, headphones, and an amenity kit.

Photo: Courtesy of Benjamin Chiang

The cocooned seat also includes useful features such as a universal AC power outlet, USB-A sockets, seat adjustment buttons, a remote control, and a reading light. It is worth noting that the headphones were not of the best quality, as one side broke off at the end of my journey.

The 18.5-inch HD touchscreen offers a wide variety of entertainment. Personally, I enjoy watching French cinema when flying with the French flag carrier.

Photo: Courtesy of Benjamin Chiang

Additionally, the tail camera provides live streaming of takeoff and landing to the monitors. However, the most impressive feature of this plane is the window blinds, which are controlled by pressing the up and down buttons above the windows.

In the section right behind the mid-galley, you can find the premium economy class, which consists of 24 Recaro seats arranged in a 2-4-2 configuration. These seats offer lumbar support, footrests, and 11.7-inch HD touchscreen displays.

Photo: Courtesy of Benjamin Chiang

Each seat is 19 inches wide, has an 8-inch recline, and a 38-inch row pitch. The economy class is divided into two sections, with 266 Safran seats arranged in a 3-3-3 layout located over the wings and the aft of the plane.

The Flight

As the passengers settled in, the cabin crew went down the aisles to hang jackets, serve champagne and juice, and take lunch orders on this mid-afternoon departure flight.

Photo: Courtesy of Benjamin Chiang

Once the plane reached cruising altitude, the attendants distributed warm towels, rolled out drink carts, and covered the tray tables with white linen cloths, serving cheese crackers and skewered shrimp as appetizers. I enjoyed the appetizers as I admired the view of the gracefully curved wingtip of the Airbus A350 against the Californian blue sky.

Subsequently, the attendants brought out a tray of starters, which included scallop mousseline and smoked salmon, fennel and tomato salad, warm bread, and butter.

Photo: Courtesy of Benjamin Chiang

For the main course, I opted for the Breton fish stew, a creamy dish containing two types of fish, shrimp and potatoes. Although the presentation might not have been appealing, the taste was delectable.

Photo: Courtesy of Benjamin Chiang

It’s worth noting that Air France partners with Michelin-starred chefs to create their seasonal menus. Following the savory food, two types of desserts were presented on white rectangular plates: a trio of cheeses and three small cakes and macarons. Unlike some airlines, Air France offers multiple dessert options.

Photo: Courtesy of Benjamin Chiang

The drink list was extensive, offering French wines (two red and two white), spirits categorized as apéritifs and digestifs, aromatic teas and coffees, and the usual sodas, still and sparkling water, and juices. I would have liked to sample more, but I tend to be a lightweight when it comes to alcohol.

After the satisfying meal, I slept on this ten-hour flight in the extremely comfortable 180-degree flat seat. The attentive staff also arranged a selection of snacks and beverages in the mid-galley, with champagne readily available at all times.

Photo: Courtesy of Benjamin Chiang

Approximately 90 minutes before reaching Paris, the crew adjusted the lighting to a rose gold hue and began the breakfast service, offering a warm or chilled option: mushroom and goat cheese omelet or smoked salmon, cream cheese, and a bagel. The meal also included fruit, yogurt, and flaky pastries.

Arrival

The aircraft landed smoothly at Charles de Gaulle Airport. As my parents and I had a longer layover before flying to Geneva, we exited the secured area and took the air train to the terminal where we could store carry-on luggage. We headed to the city for some summer sightseeing.

Verdict

Charles de Gaulle is not the best airport for connecting flights due to its inefficient terminal design and multiple security checkpoints. However, the onboard experience in Air France business class exceeds the standard. There’s just that certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ French flair.