CELESTE® BUSINESS CLASS SEAT © Franck Socha
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OPERA® WB BUSINESS CLASS SEAT © Franck Socha
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OPERA® SA BUSINESS CLASS SEAT © Franck Socha
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On July 8th, STELIA Aerospace was honoured with the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2025 in the Sustainable Design category for its unique OPERA® ESSENTIAL premium Business Class seat. The Red Dot Award is amongst the world’s most distinguished design competitions, having celebrated products of exceptional design quality since 1955. An independent jury assesses each entry against the four fundamental principles of good design: function, appeal, usability and responsibility.
The aeronautics industry is on the precipice of transformative change, bracing for significant challenges as it confronts the climate imperative. OPERA® ESSENTIAL, the latest addition to STELIA Aerospace’s acclaimed OPERA® family, has been meticulously conceived in accordance with eco-design principles. Its advanced design serves a dual purpose: to provide a pioneering solution that establishes a new benchmark for sustainability in aviation, whilst continuing to deliver unparalleled comfort and luxury to passengers.
Embracing this paradigm shift and breaking new ground, STELIA Aerospace hereby presents a revolutionary concept: a sustainable and entirely autonomous seat that responds to the passenger’s own movements. Culminating from two years of rigorous life-cycle analysis and environmental impact assessment, and inspired by its sibling product, OPERA® Single-Aisle, the design approach for OPERA® ESSENTIAL is founded upon four key pillars: mass optimisation, streamlined electrical components, incorporation of recycled and recyclable materials and preservation of the luxurious comfort expected of a long-range Business Class seat.
A key innovation of this new design is the removal of the electrical actuator and its Electronic Control Unit (ECU). This not only reduces the seat’s weight and consequent environmental impact but also allows passengers complete control over their comfort, offering an infinite number of positions and a more rapid transition to the full-flat bed mode.
“Following our success with the Green Good Design Award in March, we are delighted to be honoured with the prestigious Red Dot Award: Product Design 2025 for OPERA® ESSENTIAL. It is a privilege to be selected from amongst such design-led companies who are at the forefront of innovation and sustainability.” says Thierry Kanengieser, VP Cabin Interior at STELIA Aerospace. We continuously work to innovate and shape the future of a sustainable aviation seating industry while offering a premium passenger experience. Such recognition is a great source of motivation for our teams, fuelling our continued pursuit of excellence”
STELIA Aerospace is committed to driving innovation in premium aircraft interiors, offering eco-designed solutions that elevate the travel experience for passengers worldwide while delivering maximum profitability to airlines.
STELIA Aerospace, number 2 worldwide in premium passenger seating, is honored to have been chosen by Air France to design and manufacture its next-generation First Class cabin, ‘La Première’, unveiled on 18 March.
Already celebrated worldwide for its exceptional luxury and exclusivity, Air France’s First Class suite represents the pinnacle of premium air travel. In its quest to push the boundaries of excellence even further, the airline has once again turned to STELIA Aerospace, a long-standing partner renowned for its expertise in bespoke Premium Business and First Class seating. Sharing the same commitment to “luxe à la française”, this collaboration was a natural continuation of the two companies’ shared pursuit of elegance and refinement.
This latest collaboration further strengthens an eight-year partnership between Air France and STELIA Aerospace, exemplified in 2023 with the airline’s customised OPERA® WB Business Class seat for its A350 fleet. It also underscores STELIA Aerospace’s position as a leading provider of high-end, tailor-made cabin interiors, crafted to meet the most exacting standards of luxury and comfort.
From concept to reality, STELIA Aerospace has helped Air France deliver even greater exclusivity, space, and comfort for long-haul travellers. The two companies have worked hand in hand since 2021 on this prestigious project.
A New Benchmark in First Class Luxury
‘La Première’ introduces unprecedented, exclusive features, setting a new benchmark in ultra-premium air travel:
“For eight years, STELIA Aerospace and Air France have been sharing a vision of elegance, refinement, and excellence – the very essence of ‘luxe à la française.’ Our collaboration on the new ‘La Première’ suite is a testament to this deep partnership and our mutual commitment to crafting an unrivalled flying experience. Air France has always been a global symbol of French luxury, and at STELIA Aerospace, we take immense pride in bringing our expertise in high-end cabin interiors to elevate that legacy even further,” said Thierry Kanengieser, VP Cabin Interiors at STELIA Aerospace.
“We are extremely proud of this 3-year partnership, during which we rose to the challenge of transforming a vision into a reality for our most demanding customers, with a level of quality that rivals that of a luxury hotel suite. Stelia joined us on a mission to take elegance and excellence to its highest level, with a state-of-the-art product, designed and made in France, as a symbol of French savoir-faire and innovation!” said Fabien Pelous, SVP Customer Experience at Air France.
A signature of Air France’s distinctive First Class experience, ‘La Première’ is also the only First Class cabin in the world to feature elegant partition drapes instead of doors, ensuring a uniquely refined and intimate atmosphere.
A Legacy of Excellence in Premium Cabin Interiors
With this latest innovation, STELIA Aerospace continues to redefine the future of First and Business Class travel, setting new benchmarks in comfort, design, and exclusivity. This collaboration with Air France once again highlights STELIA Aerospace’s expertise in crafting bespoke seating solutions, seamlessly blending luxury, innovation, and French savoir-faire.
STELIA Aerospace has officially launched the next-generation RENDEZ-VOUS®, setting a new benchmark for luxury, flexibility, and comfort in business class seating. Unveiled today at Aircraft Interiors Expo 2025, this reinvention of the 2023-launched RENDEZ-VOUS® is not just an upgrade—it’s a transformation, designed to cater to the evolving needs of modern air travel.
Retaining its signature “sofa” layout and renowned spaciousness, the new RENDEZ-VOUS® delivers unparalleled comfort and an exclusive “home-in-the-sky” experience. However, the 2025 edition brings a host of groundbreaking enhancements, including:
“This new version of RENDEZ-VOUS® is a true game-changer,” says Thierry Kanengieser, VP Cabin Interior at STELIA Aerospace. “We have taken the concept of a business-class seat and elevated it to an entirely new level—delivering the perfect balance of space, privacy, and sophistication, all while integrating smart, future-ready solutions for airlines.”
With its ability to adapt to multiple aircraft platforms, from Airbus to Boeing widebody fleets, the new RENDEZ-VOUS® is versatile, efficient, and tailored for next-generation premium travel.
Want to experience the future of luxury travel?
Visit STELIA Aerospace at AIX 2025 – Stand 7A30, Hall B7.
