On 20 June 2023, at the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget in France, the Skytrax World Airline Awards 2023 ceremony saw Air France receive several awards.
For the third year running, Air France was voted best airline in Western Europe. Air France also continued its journey upwards in the World Best Airline ranking, moving from the 8th to the 7th position this year.
The airline took first place in 3 categories linked to its La Première service: Best First Class Airport Lounge, Best First Cass Airline Lounge Catering and Best First Class Onboard Catering.
«All our Air France teams are extremely proud of these awards, which recognize the excellent travel experience we offer our customers, particularly regarding our La Première offer, which is once again among the best worldwide. This exceptional service is part of our DNA and enables us to promote the best of French lifestyle throughout the world. On behalf of Air France, I would like to thank all our customers who voted in this year’s competition, demonstrating their attachment to our brand and its products and services», said Air France CEO Anne Rigail.
With its La Première service, Air France provides a unique, tailor-made travel experience for customers who appreciate the smallest details. On arrival at Paris-Charles de Gaulle, La Première guests are welcomed in a dedicated lounge in terminal 2E. Designed by architect Didier Lefort, the Air France La Première lounge is an exclusive 1,000 m² space offering calm and serenity, and the promise of an exceptional travel experience. Gastronomy naturally takes pride of place here, with a menu and wine and champagne list designed by Alain Ducasse and his teams. The prestigious menu includes the chef’s famous coquillettes with ham and black truffle and his rum or Armagnac baba, just like in Monte Carlo. At the heart of the lounge, Air France also offers its customers a Sisley treatment area, a French pioneer in phytocosmetology, providing a moment of relaxation celebrating the French travel experience. Before a day or night flight, or between two flights, this «Sisley La Première area» provides Air France La Première customers with all the expertise of the Sisley brand, with a range of treatments adapted to their time available in the lounge.
The prestigious spirit of La Première is then expressed on board in four private suites available on a selection of Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft. Each La Première suite offers a vast private space and promises optimum wellbeing. You can be totally or partially isolated in absolute comfort, move freely around the cabin and sleep as if you were in your own bed. On departure from Paris and certain international destinations, Air France works with talented chefs who bring French haute cuisine to life on board. They offer passengers tasty dishes to enjoy on board. Working with rigorously selected seasonal produce, vegetarian options and, on departure from Paris, meat or poultry of French origin or fish from sustainable fisheries, the chefs come up with ever more refined creations for the airline’s customers. And to complete the culinary experience, a range of exceptional pastries and a wine and champagne list designed by Paolo Basso, world’s best sommelier in 2013, is also available. Last but not least, each meal is served in tableware created especially for the airline by some of France’s finest designers.
With Air France La Première, well-being and relaxation go hand in hand to ensure an exceptional travel experience. A world in which everything has been thought out to offer Air France guests a moment of privacy, comfort and unrivalled sophistication. La Premiere Air France’s teams provide attentive, personalised service, listening to the wishes of each and every customer, from the dedicated pre-flight phone line right through to arrival at their destination.
Air France is currently working on the design of a completely new La Première travel cabin which will take to the skies in 2024. The future cabin will be the longest on the market and will offer up to 3 modular and totally private suites for an even more exceptional journey, with a seat, a chaise longue and a fully flat bed. It will be available on a larger number of aircraft than at present.
