Design

Air France has unveiled its new cabins available on board its Boeing 777-300, mainly serving destinations in the Caribbean and Indian Ocean.

The aircraft’s 472 seats (14 in Business, 28 in Premium Economy and 430 in Economy) have been completely redesigned, and are already flying on the first aircraft. Throughout the year, Air France will gradually install these new cabins on all its 10 Boeing 777-300s mainly dedicated to this network, as part of an overall investment of 120 million euros.

Seats in the Air France Business cabin recline to become a bed nearly two metres long. It also offers a new predefined “relax” position. With a seating arrangement of four seats per row (1/2/1), all customers have direct aisle access. The new configuration of this cabin can be adapted to the customer’s wishes, whether they are travelling alone or with a companion.

A removable partition and a “do not disturb” sign controlled via the seat give passengers privacy.

Each seat has a soft seat foam, a silky duvet and a comfortable pillow. In addition, there is a storage compartment with a mirror and noise-reducing headphones, an electric socket, two USB ports, an 18.5-inch HD screen, an individually adjustable reading light and mood lighting. A comfort kit in suede and leather, available in elegant colours, is also offered.

The Premium Economy cabin seat has a width of 48.8 cm, a seat recline of 130° inside a fixed shell, lumbar support adapted to different morphologies and additional legroom. The softer seat foams and wider leather armrests have also been redesigned. The footrests, leg and headrests are adjustable. Additional storage, an individual adjustable reading light, a digital tablet stand, power outlet and two USB ports are also offered.

Each customer has noise-cancelling headphones to access entertainment from their individual 13.3-inch HD screen. The comfort kit is renewed every six months, whilst a red feather pillow and a navy blue blanket accompany them throughout their trip.

The Economy cabin offers a seat width of 43 cm, a 118° recline, soft adjustable headrests and ergonomic seat foam. A latest-generation 11.6-inch high-definition individual screen, audio headphones and a USB port accompany a larger seat table. A red blanket and a collection of five cushions inspired by the Air France accent are also available.

On board the redesigned Boeing 777-300s, customers can enjoy on-board Wi-Fi with Air France CONNECT.

By the end of 2020, the entire Air France fleet will be equipped with Wi-Fi. Three different passes are available:

A free “Message” pass for all, to send and receive messages during the entire flight;
A “Surf” pass, costing between €8 and €18 (6,000 Miles) to surf the internet, read and send emails;
A “Stream” pass, costing €30 (10,000 Miles) for high-speed internet access, streaming and downloading, including the “Message” and “Surf” passes.

Aston Martin Lagonda and Airbus Corporate Helicopters have revealed the ACH130 Aston Martin Edition, the first offering from their recently announced partnership.

The aeronautical designers at Airbus Corporate Helicopters (ACH) and the automotive designers at Aston Martin worked closely together for over a year on a range of four interior and exterior designs generated by Aston Martin.

Available in four external liveries with complementary interiors, the helicopters are embellished with Aston Martin signature elements, starting with the iconic Aston Martin wings, which are embossed onto luxury leather features, positioned throughout the cabin.

The Stirling Green-themed external scheme, which is already flying on the first aircraft, features a painted gradient, which fades down into Jet Black on the underside of the helicopter with Skyfall Silver around the cowlings. Further external liveries are available with other Aston Martin paint colours including Xenon Grey, Arizona or Ultramarine Black exteriors.

Inside, the automotive-inspired cabin, which offers a higher level of comfort, is trimmed in Pure Black ultra-suede with a palette of selectable leathers comprising Oxford Tan, Pure Black, Cormorant and Ivory.

On the rear of the front seats the same brogue detailing that is found in a DB11 runs down the centre of the seat and the doors have been trimmed with leather to provide passengers with comfortable touch points during their flight. By using materials from the Aston Martin automotive palette the interior of this special edition of the ACH130 sits in harmony with the interior of Aston Martin sports cars.

Each of these special edition helicopters will have a plaque included on the instrument panel which shows the partnership logos, the edition number and the owner’s name, should they wish to have it included.

Aston Martin Vice President and Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman, said: “We have our own set of automotive design principles but in recent years we have been learning how to apply our principles to other areas of design, such as architecture, motorcycles and now helicopters. This first application of our design practices to a helicopter posed a number of interesting challenges but we have enjoyed working through them. Beauty is of vital importance to Aston Martin and to our customers and we think the ACH130 Aston Martin Edition is an inherently beautiful machine. It provided a wonderful canvas for our team to work on so we now look forward to seeing everybody’s reaction.”

Frédéric Lemos, Head of Airbus Corporate Helicopters, also commented: “The ACH130 Aston Martin Edition is optimally positioned in the market for hands-on owners who draw satisfaction from personally piloting their aircraft and it generates strong brand-loyalty. In the same way Aston Martin’s products are cars for drivers who relish being at the wheel and they inspire a comparable attachment to the brand. So they are the perfect partner for us in developing this superb new ACH130 Aston Martin Edition.”

AIM Altitude has announced it was responsible for the new front-row monuments (FRMs) for LATAM, on its refreshed fleet of 767 and 777 aircraft.

Following the design concept originated by PriestmanGoode, the front-row monuments mimic the features of the seats, manufactured by Thompson Aero Seating, to create a seamless look throughout the cabin. Referencing the commonalities in landscape across the countries encompassed by LATAM airlines group, the cabin design is modern and aims to offer great comfort. Contemporary, luxurious finishes, in tan and grey tones, set the scene for relaxation.

Hard-wearing materials were selected for high-wear areas, with easily replaced parts in case damage occurs, and for easy refresh.

Stowage was maximised by using an upper literature pocket with wash lighting to promote LATAM’s in-flight magazine – Vamos. A lower stowage pocket provides space for personal goods, and footwell stowage was also created for shoes.

The engineering design of the FRMs was undertaken by AIM Altitude in New Zealand and the monuments were manufactured by AIM Altitude Cabin Interiors in the UK. The first of the new interiors is now in service, with AIM Altitude producing 21 ship sets in total. The seats were manufactured by Thompson Aero Seating in Northern Ireland.