While I was busy galivanting across Asia with the family, there were a few noteworthy news items that made the rounds. I’m not going to go back through all of them but, this one is worth a look, even if I’m a few days late. Air France announced plans to roll out new mattress pads in long-haul Business Class as part of its partnership with Sofitel.
Air France Partners with Sofitel on New Mattress Pads
Sofitel, the luxury hospitality brand of the French based Accor Group, worked with the French flag carrier to develop the new mattress pad through its Sofitel MY BED collection. The mattress pad will begin rolling out across Air France’s long-haul fleet starting July 2025.
According to the announcement, the new pads have been crafted to turn Business Class seats into cozy cocoons from takeoff to landing. The new pad was designed to be easy to install and tailored to fit all seat types—including Boeing 777, 787, and Airbus A330 and A350 aircraft.
The airline notes that the pad is paired with other amenities like a pillow, blanket, and slippers, which are arranged at each seat prior to boarding. They say that this allows for the ultimate comfort from takeoff to touchdown but, in reality, you’ll need to find a place to store most of this stuff at the beginning and end of the flight.
Air France did take ease of use into consideration when designing the new mattress pads. Each pad has a fitted end that goes over the headrest on the seat along with cutouts for seat belts across all Business Class seats in the carrier’s long-haul fleet.
Though the rollout is beginning in July 2025, it will take until the end of the year before you find the mattress pads on all of the airline’s long-haul flights.
Fabien Pelous, SVP Customer Experience at Air France, said this about the new partnership with Sofitel:
“We are delighted to join forces with the expertise of Sofitel MY BED, an exceptional partner, to continue making Business cabin travel a true haven of well-being in the sky. The introduction of a new mattress pad will further enhance the comfort offered on board, ensuring even more restful nights before arrival at destination, as well as greater relaxation during daytime flights.”
Xavier Royaux, Chief Marketing Officer of Sofitel Legend, Sofitel, MGallery & Emblems, added:
“Sleep has always been a cornerstone of the Sofitel experience. With the creation of Sofitel MY BED in 2003, Sofitel has offered an unrivalled quality of rest, based on deep expertise and true manufacturing craftsmanship. Today, thanks to our partnership with Air France, we are delighted to extend this experience to the skies, bringing each traveler unique comfort and softness for a truly restorative sleep.”
What to Expect in Air France Business Class
While the new mattress pad will be universal across the fleet, all Air France Business Class cabins are not created equal. The airline’s A330s feature the oldest product which is still configured in a 2-2-2 configuration. These are used more on leisure routes with less premium traffic.
The remainder of the fleet is configured in a standard 1-2-1 layout, though the seat type varies by fleet. The Airbus A350s and select Boeing 777-300s offer the newest seats, complete with a door for extra privacy.
When travelling with a companion on the A350 and select 777-300s, the seats in the middle of the cabin are equipped with a central partition that can be lowered, allowing couples to enjoy the trip together. These were the seats we were scheduled to fly in on our trip back from Istanbul before our flight was cancelled.
Summary
Air France is adding Sofitel-designed mattress pads to its Business Class cabins starting July 2025 with a full rollout by year end. This should help elevate the onboard experience but your overall comfort is more likely to be determined by the aircraft type you find yourself on.