In this post, I’ll be reviewing my experience on Air France’s new business class aboard their Boeing 777-300ER. On this journey, I flew Montreal - Paris - Johanesburg on Air France followed by a short hop on Airlink to the stunning Manyeleti Safari Reserve in South Africa.I flew the first leg in economy until Paris and after a very long layover at CDG Airport during which I had time to visit the Air France Lounge (complimentary for business class passengers), it was time to board my flight to South Africa. It had been over 20 years since I left South Africa and I was very eager to be back to go on Safari at the Manyeleti Private Reserve followed by the famous Kruger National Park.
Boarding
Boarding started on time with zones 1 and 2 and was quick. There were 3 boarding lines; Zones 1 and 2 shared a line while Zone 3 had its own boarding line. Zones 4 and 5 were combined. As a business class passenger, I was in zone 1.
New Cabin & Seats
Air France has added some thoughtful upgrades in this newly renovated cabin. The seats are still laid out in the same 1-2-1 pattern but the business pods now have sliding doors that close to offer more privacy. Wireless charging has been added directly onto the side table where you’d usually rest your phone. Bluetooth has also been added to the PE system (more on that below). The seats in the first row are the best in my opinion as they offer far more space since there are no seats in front protruding into the suite.
Waiting for me at my seat was a pillow and blanket along with some slippers and a bottle of Evian water. There was also a hanger on which I placed my jacket and it was later stowed away by a flight attendant for the remainder of the flight. The flight was very busy during boarding and there was no welcome drink offered. It was towards the end of boarding that we were offered a choice of champagne or orange juice along with a hot towel. No menus were provided during boarding either.
The complimentary noise cancelling headphones looked more padded than the older ones but since I always travel with my own Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones, I can’t comment on the quality of the Air France headphones. The Sonys do an excellent job at turning the engine rumble and cabin noise into a quiet whisper and I never fly without them. I highly recommend getting a pair of noise cancelling headphones if you fly a lot and don’t have one yet. It significantly improves flight comfort.
Leg room was adequate for someone like me at 178 cm. The footwell does tend to narrow towards the end which may be less comfortable if you are very tall.
In-Flight Entertainment and Connectivity
The new TVs are a welcome improvement as Air France’s older business class was becoming outdated. The touchscreen is now bigger, more snappy and responsive. This new system also includes bluetooth which allowed me to pair my own headphones wirelessly to watch movies. The connection was stable and worked well during the flight. Unfortunately the screen had a bug where the cursor was stuck in the middle and was registering a phantom click every few seconds. This made it very distracting in flight as the menu bar around the screen would constantly disappear then reappear as if someone was tapping on the screen. I did ask the flight attendant for help and while the first one didn’t understand my issue, her colleague mentioned it was a known bug and she tried to restart the entertainment system for me.
The new inflight entertainment systems can now pair directly to your personal bluetooth headphones!
The addition of the wireless charger surprised me. Wireless charging has been around for over a decade but it seems it is only now becoming popular. I tested it with my iPhone 16 Pro and the camera bump always make it awkward to properly position the phone when the charger is not magsafe compatible. Charging was slow and the phone had to be placed in a precise position. Brushing my phone with my arm or turbulence caused the phone to become misaligned and charging would frequently stop. I didn’t find it very useful as every time I picked up my phone, I had to carefully place it back in the correct position. It was more reliable to just plug in the charging cable.
A wireless charger has been added to the side console
I also received an amenity kit consisting of a toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, a pair of socks, eye mask, pen, earplugs and a tube of hand cream. I also received a hot towel to freshen up.
Food and Dining
There were several dinner options to choose from as well as a wine list and several aperitifs and digestifs.
Lie-Flat Seats
After dinner, I converted the seat into a lie-flat bed using the seat buttons to retreat for the night. I found it comforting and spacious. I loved the addition of the new suite doors which slide close to provide privacy. It is especially noticeable when laying down.
The doors make the suite feel more enclosed, almost like a cabin
After dinner, I dozed off for a bit and unfortunately woke up with several hours still to go on this 12 hour flight. While the lie-flat seat was comfortable, I often have trouble sleeping on planes anyway.
In between meals, there is a snack stand and mini-bar set up up front in the galley. I went for a stroll and grabbed a few snacks to enjoy with my movie. You can refer to the “Buffet” section of the menu above for the selection available.
Breakfast
For breakfast, I had some warm pastries, yogurt, fruits and a smoked salmon bagel. The bagel was mushy and unappetizing but I really enjoyed the fresh pastries and cold fruits. I ordered a cappuccino to complete the meal.
Overall I enjoyed my experience in Air France’s new business class and I am very happy to have picked business over economy for this long flight. The seat was comfortable and the food and drinks were delicious. I liked the new entertainment system although the new TV was glitchy. The renovated cabin was an improvement over their older ageing business class.
After breakfast, my excitement grew as we approached Johannesburg. While I had been on Safari before, I had never seen a lion in the wild and it was the one thing I was most excited to see on my Safari Trip!
You might be interested in these related posts:
A detailed Air France Boeing 777-300ER new business class review from Paris (CDG) to Johannesburg (JNB). Seat, food, lounge, and full experience.