A CABIN PRODUCT DECISION EXTENDED BELOW THE PREMIUM CURTAIN

Air France has unveiled a new cocktail offer available on all its long-haul flights and designed for customers in all travel cabins, continuing its collaboration with chef mixologist Matthias Giroud. Both new cocktails are made with what the airline describes as high-quality, 100% French ingredients, presented as a celebration of the art of mixology and French expertise. The commercially notable element is the scope: signature cocktail programmes developed with a named mixologist have generally been confined to premium cabins across the industry, and extending the offer into Economy represents a deliberate widening of where cabin product investment is directed.

In the long-haul Business cabin, Giroud has designed Quintessence, which reinterprets the Boulevardier — a classic cocktail that originated in France in the 1920s. It blends French cognac with red vermouth, an Alpine bitter liqueur and a hint of fig, and is intended to be served with ice as an aperitif or without ice at the end of the meal as a digestif. In the Premium and Economy cabins, Giroud has created L’instant Cassis, a modern twist on the Kir Cassis, blending Chardonnay white wine with Burgundy blackcurrant liqueur and a hint of elderflower. It is offered alongside other beverages during the main meal service and is served with ice. The Premium and Economy offer excludes flights to and from the Caribbean and Indian Ocean, where punch is served instead.

LA PREMIÈRE: THREE COCKTAILS IN A CUSTOM BOX

The new offer sits alongside an existing collection introduced in the La Première cabin in March 2025, comprising three signature cocktails presented in a custom-made box. Belle Époque is a bitter and zesty alcoholic cocktail reinterpreting the Negroni with orange hydrosol. Parfum de France is a sweet and fruity low-alcohol cocktail inspired by the world of wine, combining Chardonnay and Muscat with raspberry liqueur and a hint of verbena. L’Éveil is a tangy and spicy alcohol-free cocktail made from cranberry juice infused with mint, lime juice, an aromatic leaf bouquet and ginger. The inclusion of a low-alcohol and an alcohol-free option within a premium collection reflects a broader shift in cabin beverage provision, where non-alcoholic offerings have moved from afterthought to designed product.

THE MIXOLOGIST

Matthias Giroud began his career at sixteen in Toulouse at the Papagayo bar, joining the Bar Fly Group in 1998. After four seasons working in France and Europe he returned to the group as head mixologist for Buddha Bar, Barrio Latino and Barlotti, and in 2008 was named Global Executive Bar Chef of the Buddha Bar Group. He has since developed bar concepts internationally and trained teams in more than 32 countries. Nicknamed L’Alchimiste by his peers, he co-founded L’Alchimiste Drink in 2019. He maintains a collection of over 150 flavours including herbs, flowers and peppers, works with Michelin-starred chefs and luxury hotels, and applies a zero-waste philosophy to ingredient use.

Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health. Consume it in moderation.