On September 1st, Air France inaugurated the very first flight operated by an Embraer 190 equipped with a new travel cabin. Flight AF1602, operated by its regional subsidiary HOP!, flew from Paris-Charles de Gaulle to Hambourg in optimum comfort. On board, Business and Economy customers enjoyed new, lighter and more comfortable seats, a free high-speed Wi-Fi connection and a bright, elegant cabin.
By summer 2026, all Air France’s Embraer 190s will be refitted. In this way, the airline is continuing to move upmarket and standardise its product and services on its short and medium-haul network.
New, more comfortable and innovative seats
The Air France Embraer 190 now has 110 new seats in a 2-2 configuration. Each seat is upholstered in leather and has ergonomic seat foam for greater comfort and durability. Reclining by up to three inches, the seat is 46 cm wide and features a tray table, optimized storage space, comfortable fold-up armrests and a coat hook. The headrest is height and side adjustable.
At eye level, everyone has a retractable stand for their portable device with a ribbed surface to position their smartphone or tablet securely. USB A and C ports are available for recharging their devices, including laptops. A double cup holder has also been integrated for added practicality.
On board, Business customers can sit in the front rows of the aircraft. For added comfort and privacy, a mobile curtain isolates this cabin. From October 2025, each Business customer will have an empty seat next to them.
During their flight, all customers will have access to ultra high-speed Wi-Fi. This new and exclusive service on this aircraft is completely free of charge by connecting to your Flying Blue account, the Air France-KLM group’s loyalty programme. Air France is gradually equipping all its aircraft with this cutting-edge technology, including its regional fleet.
A bright, elegant cabin
Like that of the Airbus A220, the Embraer 190’s cabin features Air France’s signature colours, with shades of blue, a strong presence of white providing light and contrast, and touches of red embodying the airline’s excellence and expertise. Each seat back features a symmetrical stitching pattern accentuated in the centre with grey embroidery thread, creating an upholstered effect for optimum comfort. The headrest is embroidered with the Air France trademark accent, also adorning the rear cabin walls of the aircraft, giving perspective to the whole. The carpet on the floor revisits the traditional ornamental herringbone pattern, symbolising the legendary Haussmann-style world of Parisian apartments.
Lighter seats, designed and manufactured in France
To design these seats, produced in Angers (Maine-et-Loire), Air France has teamed up with French manufacturer Expliseat, working with Andrea Mocellin, a designer familiar with top-of-the-range products.
Made from carbon fibre, titanium and aluminium, the seat structure is both ultra-light and particularly robust. It incorporates mostly recycled elements, helping to promote a circular economy in the aerospace industry.
Each new seat is 30% lighter than the current model, helping to reduce the overall weight of the aircraft, thereby cutting fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. This initiative is part of the airline’s strategy to reduce carbon emissions, alongside fundamental actions such as fleet renewal, increased use of sustainable aviation fuel, operational measures such as eco-piloting and the development of intermodality.
