Air France’s First A380 to Seat 538 in Three Class Layout

Air France’s first Airbus A380 this week moved a step closer to delivery. The aircraft, which  has just been painted with the airline’s new livery in Hamburg, will start operating a daily Paris-Charles de Gaulle - New York-JFK route in November 2009.

Air France is the first European airline to offer its customers the comfort of the Airbus A380 super jumbo, and the first airline to offer transatlantic flights between Europe and America on this new very wide-bodied aircraft.

On board Air France’s first A380, there will be three cabin classes capable of seating a total of 538 passengers: 80 in the Affaires cabin and 106 in Voyageur (economy) on the upper deck, 9 in the Première cabin and 343 in Voyageur on the main deck.

Equipped with four GP7200 engines specially designed by Engine Alliance, the Air France A380 will carry passengers over a maximum distance of 13,000 kms.

“The A380, particularly well-suited to the current economic context, will enable Air France to offer its customers an even better quality of service whilst at the same time limiting costs. This aircraft is also in line with Air France’s aim to reduce its carbon emissions. We are looking forward to welcoming the A380 into our fleet,” said Pierre-Henri Gourgeon, CEO of Air France.

Air France has 12 Airbus A380s on order, four of which are scheduled to start operating in winter 2009 and spring 2010.

Depending on configuration, the A380 could, if an airline desired, seat an absolute maximum of just over 800 passengers.

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