Airlines

Air France’s new standard of travel coming soon to the Airbus A350

Air France provided an exclusive first glimpse at its brand-new Business seat at the Aircraft Interiors Expo 2023 in Hamburg (Germany). The seat incorporates a sliding door that allows passengers to create a completely private space and the seat converts into a full-flat bed reaching almost two metres in length..

It also features the highest industry standards in terms of comfort and on-board technology. The seats in the middle of the cabin are provided with a central panel that can be lowered to create a convivial area and make the most of the flight together, giving those travelling together a better sense of isolation.

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The new Airbus A350s that the business will add to its long-haul fleet between now and 2025 will include this seat, which was created specifically for Air France. The Airbus A350 will have new cabins in all travel classes in this configuration, including 48 Business seats, 32 Premium Economy seats, and 212 Economy seats.

Air France is pursuing the roll-out of its most cutting-edge travel standards in terms of in-flight comfort with this most recent strategic step in its march upmarket, expanding on what the firm has already implemented on 12 Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft.

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Air France has purchased a total of 41 Airbus A350-900s, which are currently being delivered at a steady rate. Twenty of these planes have already been delivered to the corporation. The first A350 with this redesigned cabin layout will be the 21st model, “Aix-en-Provence,” which will launch on commercial flights in July 2023.

The “three Fs” concept, which guided the design of the 48 roomy business seats, stands for Full Flat, Full Access, and Full Privacy. Full Flat refers to the seat’s ability to convert into a bed that is 53 cm broad and over 2 metres long. Passengers can now create a completely contained room that is hidden from other passengers in the cabin via a new sliding door.

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The largest business cabin on any Air France long-haul aircraft, each seat has a wide 20-inch 4K Ultra High Definition anti-glare screen, providing passengers with over 1,500 hours of entertainment on a cutting-edge graphical user interface. Passengers can use their own headphones to enjoy the entertainment system with to a Bluetooth connection.

There are 212 seats in the Economy cabin that were created in partnership with Safran Seats. Each seat has a 119 degree recline, a 46 cm wide seat pan, and 79 cm of legroom. The backrest’s cushions provide reinforced lateral support and have an ergonomic design. In addition to the USB-A port, the seat now has a USB-C port as well as a personal smartphone or tablet holder built into the backrest.

Airlines

Sanctions & Engine Issues Ground Half of Russia’s A320neo fleet

Russia’s aviation sector, already strained by Western sanctions, faces another setback as nearly half of its Airbus A320neo family aircraft are grounded due to unresolved engine issues.

This development highlights the growing challenges for russia commercial aircraft in maintaining their fleets under the weight of global restrictions and limited access to spare parts.

Out of the 66 Airbus A320neo and A321neo jets in Russia, 34 are now out of service, according to the Kommersant business newspaper. These planes are powered by engines manufactured by Pratt & Whitney, a subsidiary of RTX Corporation.

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The engines are affected by a previously identified defect in the metal used for certain parts, prompting accelerated inspections and maintenance.

Sanctions have compounded the issue, blocking the supply of essential components from major manufacturers like Boeing and Airbus. Without proper maintenance, experts warn that these aircraft may face decommissioning as early as 2026.

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Airlines like S7, which operates a significant portion of these grounded jets, plan to conserve the engines for future use during peak travel seasons. However, reports suggest that over 20 of S7’s Airbus planes have engines that have already reached the end of their operational lifespan. Recently, russia seeks assistance from kazakhstan’s airlines to bolster its domestic flights.

While some A320neo and A321neo planes in Russia are equipped with French-made LEAP engines, which are seen as less problematic, the challenges remain daunting.

The situation underscores the long-term impact of sanctions on Russia’s aviation sector and the increasing difficulties in keeping its modern fleets operational.