Air France’s La Premiere Suite is on certain Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, including one route from San Francisco International Airport.

In the latest air travel developments, Air France has unveiled a new, super luxurious first class experience on a daily San Francisco-Paris flight as U.S. one-percenters demonstrate an ongoing demand for high-end trips; American Airlines unveils a big overhaul of its single-aisle domestic fleet, including the return of seatback screens and an expansion of premium seating; Delta is also pushing the premium envelope with larger Delta One cabins aboard new wide-bodies and expanded first class seating on some single-aisle domestic aircraft; the latest consumer price index shows that airfare increases are still the primary cause of higher travel costs; JetBlue clears a regulatory hurdle that should let it begin installing first class seats next month; San Diego’s airport announces the start of major construction work on roadways that could impact traffic; Sacramento International Airport opens three new food and beverage outlets.

There’s been a lot of press coverage this year about the continuing demand for high-end luxury travel from the wealthiest Americans, and now Bay Area one-percenters have a new way to satisfy those urges. Many global carriers have phased out first class seating as business class gets more luxurious, but over the past several months, Air France has been installing new super-premium La Premiere (first class) cabins on some of its long-haul 777-300ERs, and now it has deployed one of those planes on one of its two daily flights from San Francisco to Paris (the other uses an Airbus A350-900). The airline’s La Premiere experience starts at airport arrival, where a porter takes the customers’ bags and escorts them to a private check-in lobby; then they enter an exclusive La Premiere lounge with a gourmet dining area and other luxury amenities. As departure time approaches, staffers drive the first class guests from the terminal to the aircraft in a hybrid Porsche Cayenne. The aircraft has just four first class suites, each one equipped with five windows, a seat that “adjusts to each passenger’s body,” and a day bed that transforms into a 2-meter-long bad flat bed, Air France said. Each suite is enclosed by a thick mesh privacy curtain. Suites also have two 32-inch entertainment screens, Bluetooth, power and USB outlets and more high-tech amenities.

Article continues below this ad

Inside La Premiere Suite aboard select Air France flights, including a route to Paris from San Francisco.

A study earlier this year from the Resonance Consultancy found that people in the top 1% of U.S. household incomes take an average of six leisure trips a year, spending an average of $12,400 per trip, while the average consumer spends $3,700 per trip. Air France’s announcement didn’t mention what kind of fare La Premier customers can expect to pay, but it could test the limits of even the one percent. The San........

© SFGate