Air France Removes All Foreign Drinks In First & Business Class… Except One

Soft drinks are known to be unhealthy . Wine and beer are known to be healthy . French Grey Goose L'Orange vodka is known the be the Most Healthy .

Perrier water has a "Psssst" sound if you hold it near your ear .

Air France can use coffee from beans grown in their overseas territories - should not be an issue (except for price perhaps)

In my last few AF trips I have tasted French whiskey onboard and in the lounges and it was very decent- a lot better than the JW Black and associated rubbish served by a lot of their competitors.

Coca Cola is a global brand. There is nothing that competes with it and France knows it.

Ben is absolutely correct about French coffee. Italy doesn't produce enough coffee beans but they sure know how roast and prepare it better than the French.

Would be French enough to have at least one (good) single malt Scotch whisky, though

If they refuse to serve sugar-free sodas, it's a hard pass for me. Have they retained them?

They've been serving Perrier for a very long time.

This is a great idea and good for French businesses as well. As for the coffee just adding some cognac will do nicely. Merci.

When I flew Air France last month in business class within Europe, the white wine served was a plastic mini-bottle of chenin blanc from South Africa.

I would be shocked if this applies to to Air France lounges in North America. The shared Air France-KLM lounge at Toronto and the Air France lounge in Houston have AWFUL wines. None from France.

You could name the "one drink" in the title

Given where the water to brew the coffee comes from I am surprised people drink coffee on a plane

This is not cool by any stretch of the imagination. Are they completely removing the Scotch, Gin, and Bailey's from first class? Air France has done amazingly well improving their service but this is a terrible detraction.

There are some amazing French gins out there - Citadelle is top tier stuff.

Similarly, the whisky they've got is very solid, though I agree they should perhaps have something really special although it doesn't absolutely have to be from Scotland - e.g. Bushmills do some brilliant single malts.

Bailey's is a cheap sugary drink- nothing wrong with anyone enjoying it, but it's hardly the pinnacle of sophistication.

By all means replace your top-international spirit brands with mediocre french substitutes. I am sure most business an first passengers would love a non-premium french whisky, beer or vodka from a french brand instead of the international top brands other airlines serve.
That will surely be visible in the customer appreciation reviews

They have a non alcoholic cocktail by L'Alchemiste called L'Eveil now in LaP that I had two of last week and it is both welcomed as an option and delicious. Nice to not just drink sparkling water for 8 hours.

AF serve something far better for you than Coca Cola on their long flights …. that is …. Taliban Champagne don’t you know Walter.

Or as the French call Coca-Cola: Vin américain

Or as the French call Coca-Cola: Vin américain

I get it. I get it. But by being so strict on principle, they’re kinda setting themselves up for a (very minor) fail. Will there really be no sake on flights to Japan?? (Worse things in life, I know. But easy to poke fun at where they’ll need to make exceptions).

Agreed that no sugar-free drinks is a hard pass. My doctor agrees.

The French haven't a clue how to make good healthy drinks. Soft drinks are fine but overcarbonated water (Perrier) is not.

Best of luck to them screwing up the softest of products. Number of AF flights you'll see me on ever: 0.

Just so you know Ben, I believe you have a typo, fi should be if:

However, the airline notes that even the Coca-Cola served onboard flights departing France is produced in France, even fi it’s not really a traditional French beverage.

@John, that ship has sailed. This has been the editorial style worldwide for titles for at least a decade.

I'm glad to see a more exciting selection of non-alcoholic drinks. It's one thing I love about flying Turkish - one can have something interesting without necessary drinking alcohol. As I fly Air France often, it's nice to see a similar concept on their flights too.

Is there any other airline that serves free champagne in economy?

What about Scotch whisky?

There are plenty of sugar free drinks available on Air France. If I'm gonna drink soda, I do it respecting that it's an unhealthy product that should be consumed in moderation and then there's no problem with it having some sugar in it (it's certainly better than the alternative sweeteners used in the diet versions).

Diet Coke is the same nonsense as non-alcoholic beer. If I don't want to consume alcohol, I don't drink beer. If I don't want to consume sugar, I don't drink soda. There's a lot of alternatives.

Haha that was my comment. And bailey's too!!

Agreed... But it makes a nice coffee.

Zut alors!

Tokaji was their Premiere Digestif. Is that also gone? It was there cos it’s better than the French stuff.

They’ve been serving Bellevoye on and off in LP, including the Prune, which I liked, but I’m hardly an aficionado.

The French Whisky that they have been serving in Business class for years is terrible. I refuse to imbibe. On the other hand, the Gin and of course the wines are very good. Some good scotch would be appreciated.

Who cares - no one with any money or sense flights economy on international flights.

Besides AF continuing to stock Coca Cola onboard, I hope the carrier will also maintain Diet Coke and/or Coke Zero onboard as lots of folks avoid the original, sugar-enriched version of "The Real Thing" favor the sugar-free, Stevia/NutraSweet (sugar substitute) versions. I understand the carrier NOT offering Sprite, Schweppes, Fanta, etc. which are all bottled by Coca Cola in France and instead choosing to offer a similar French name-brand beverage that's also made France.

Well done them, now the rest of the worlds airlines should all agree to boycott all French products except for champagne, the French made one exception so it's only fair to reciprocate

I think they've been improving it recently, I can definitely detect bad whisky and what I had on 3-4 occasions between February and June was very drinkable.

Why has orangina shriveled up and died

Last May I tasted the 3 different ones they offer and I was pleasantly surprised. I don't know if you've had a chance to taste those lately.

The vodka a couple of years was very good, i'm not sure what they have now.

I have both, and the second tells me not to waste the first on an overpriced seat.

Is it just me that thinks all coffee is France is truly truly awful. No word of a lie I visit France at least 4-5 a year and have all my life really, and the coffee is always terrible.

When I’m in Paris is have to hunt for decent place.

@Retired Gambler, are you saying that people with money and sense choose Hop! business class for the 50 minutes between CDG and Düsseldorf due to a national border being crossed? Seems legit!

They mostly drink filter coffee, which is unlikely to impress those of us used to espressos. That doesn't automatically mean their coffee is bad.

I applaud this effort!

It depends. I’m a fan of coffee and can appreciate the complex flavours of French press or filter coffee. However, I agree that it certainly does not match the aroma and strength of a bold espresso or a Turkish coffee.

Worst coffee experience remains pretty much most of the crap sold as coffee in the US.

and then people wouldn't click. it's called "burying the lede."

Excellent, I think it's a positive especially for a country with so much to offer as France.

The homogenized "everywhere serves the same products from the same handful of international conglomerates" is the opposite of why we (or at least I) travel...

I don’t think there is any issue with just using unbranded Illy coffee. It is by far one of the best coffee brand you can get in most airlines, definitely better then every branded ones in all major carriers in rest of Europe and all carriers in US

@Retired Gambler

Got both and I do the second to have more of the first.

I guess you must be referring to the nouveau rich who have just gotten the taste of money and know not what to do with it or how to limit their excitement of having it.

The best thing about wealth is knowing that should I want something, there’s nothing stopping me from acquiring it.

Absolutely. Let’s drink Mexican beer and Indian wine in F instead.

LOL. Good for you, you sanctimonious nonce.

Coke Zero and Diet Coke are - get this - the world’s #2 and #3 most popular bottled beverages. They’re not some kind of moral failing, hand waved away by people who are DEFINITELY fun at parties.

Not stocking this will not last long on AF. From celebrities to athletes, teens to politicians, these drinks are non negotiable.

Although the French are horribly stupid about 7/8th of the time (see air conditioning, immigration policy, CDG), they will reverse this decision within a quarter. Maybe less.

LOL. Also, thanks for your input.

-G

Ha ha wait. So they’ll have the normal drinks (sprite, Diet Coke) in economy class?

So basically anyone can have a normal beverage if they want one?

So this means nothing?

LOL. My lord. This is so dumb. Europe’s virtue signaling is WILD. Almost Canadian-level of “elbows up” stupid.

And Lucky, dude, really? This was your analysis?

-G

Indeed. I was just there. Horrible selection.

That's super racist from them

This sort of thing is just annoying.

Its like how virgin only serve brewdog beer ffs.

Please tell me the new policy will permit Belgian beer? Does France even produce beer?

I'm waiting for Trump to ban all French products on American airlines..
Wait the idiot liberals in Canada have elbows up.