There will also be a retractable holder with a non-slip surface at the passenger’s eye level where smartphones and tablets can be rested, and each seat will have USB A and C charging ports.
Work will begin soon to refurbish the fleet, with the first retrofitted aircraft set to enter service in the autumn.
Business class will be separated from the rest of the cabin by a mobile curtain, and from January 2025 (presumably when the retrofit ptoject has been completed) all Embraer 190 business class customers will benefit from having an empty seat next to them.
Air France said that the seat – which is being provided by French manufacturer Expliseat with design by Andrea Mocellin – is made from carbon fibre and titanium and is 30 per cent lighter than the current model.
The carrier’s decision to densify its Embraer 190 fleet follows a similar move by British Airways to refit its fleet of 20 Embraer 190 aircraft with new slimline seats, increasing capacity from 98 to 106 seats.