Air France Replaces Foreign Soft Drinks With French Alternatives In Premium Cabins

Crystal Travel | Travel News | 6 July 2026

La Première and Business Class passengers on long-haul flights from Paris will see international soft drink brands swapped for French-produced options.

Air France Adds French Soft Drinks to Premium Cabins

Air France has overhauled the non-alcoholic drinks menu served in its most exclusive cabins, replacing familiar international soft drink brands with alternatives produced in France. The change applies to La Première, the airline's First Class product, and Business Class on long-haul flights departing Paris, and forms part of a wider push to bring more French identity into the premium flying experience.

Air France Premium Cabin Drinks Menu Overhaul

Passengers used to being offered a can of Schweppes or Sprite on Air France long-haul flights will now find those replaced with beverages sourced from French producers. The airline has not published a full list of every brand swap, but the direction is clear: multinational soft drink names long considered standard on long-haul carriers are being phased out of its top cabins in favour of homegrown alternatives.

Air France Strengthens Its French Touch Onboard

Why Air France Is Prioritising French Brands Onboard

The move builds on an approach Air France has already applied to its food and wine service in La Première and Business Class, where French culinary partnerships and sommelier-curated wine lists are already a core part of the experience. Extending that same philosophy to soft drinks is a natural next step rather than a major departure, giving the airline another way to distinguish its premium cabins through small, tangible details rather than sweeping changes.

Airlines competing for premium long-haul passengers increasingly rely on these finer touches, from tableware to catering, to shape how a flight is remembered. A drinks menu built around French produce offers Air France a simple but effective way to reinforce that sense of national identity from the very first drink served.

What Business And First Class Flyers Should Expect

Travellers flying La Première or Business Class on long-haul routes out of Paris should expect a noticeably different soft drinks selection compared to previous flights. Passengers with a preference for a specific international brand may want to adjust expectations, though the change affects only the composition of the drinks list, not the overall quality or range of the onboard service.

It's worth noting this update is limited to non-alcoholic soft drinks. Air France's wine and champagne offering, already regarded as one of the stronger selections among long-haul carriers, remains unchanged.

The change is specific to long-haul departures from Paris, so passengers connecting through other hubs or travelling on short-haul European routes are unlikely to notice any difference for now.that

A Wider Shift Toward National Identity In Premium Travel

Air France's decision reflects a broader trend among flag carriers looking to use national identity as a point of difference in premium travel. As competition for business and first-class passengers grows, airlines are placing more weight on sensory details, what's poured on the drinks trolley as much as what's plated at mealtimes, to shape the overall flying experience. For Air France, swapping globally recognised soft drinks for French alternatives is a subtle but deliberate way of extending that identity beyond the menu.

Planning Your Next Air France Flight

For UK travellers booking long-haul business or first-class flights via Paris, this update adds a distinctly French touch to an already well-regarded onboard experience.

Those planning a premium journey with Air France can speak to the flight specialists at Crystal Travel, who can help find the right fare, cabin, and route to suit their trip.