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Designer: Design Investment

Completion Centre: Stelia Aerospace / Airbus

Photography: Frederic Tomasini

Design Investment has unveiled the Opera A350 business class seat for Air France, setting a new standard in premium air travel by seamlessly combining luxury, privacy, and intelligent space optimisation. The new design reflects a refined approach to passenger comfort while maintaining Air France’s distinctive French elegance and brand identity.

At the heart of the concept is the “3F” principle—full-flat bed capability, full privacy, and full aisle access—ensuring a consistent experience across all cabin positions. The design leverages the Airbus A350’s additional four inches of cabin width to enhance passenger comfort, allowing for a 21-inch seat cushion and an optimised four-abreast reverse herringbone configuration.

The front row seats stand out with an expanded ottoman area, offering superior legroom and a premium experience within an already high-end cabin. The vertical drop backrest mechanism optimises space between the seat and back-shell, ensuring a balance between privacy and openness. Instead of traditional solid dividers, the open-structure front row monuments maintain visual flow, enhancing the overall perception of space while delivering practical benefits such as additional storage and an enlarged footwell.

Passengers benefit from a 20-inch monitor, ample personal storage, and thoughtfully designed seating configurations that ensure maximum comfort in all positions. Meanwhile, operational efficiency has been carefully considered, with integrated storage solutions keeping crew service areas unobtrusive. The design also accommodates baby bassinets in the second cabin without compromising passenger experience, demonstrating the intelligent spatial planning behind the new layout.

Inspired by Air France’s existing Boeing 777 business class seat, the Opera A350 takes a significant evolutionary step by refining the design language and optimising spatial architecture. Every element has been carefully crafted to create a sophisticated and premium environment, ensuring a seamless blend of aesthetics and functionality.

By harmonising passenger comfort with operational efficiency, Design Investment has successfully reimagined business class for Air France’s A350, delivering a truly elevated travel experience.