For the first segment of our royal visit to Versailles, we flew Air France’s Boeing 777-300ER La Premiere first class on the eight hour flight from Miami (MIA) to Paris (CDG). Air France is known for having one of the world’s best first class products, though I hadn’t flown it in over five years, so…
Continue reading: Review: Air France La Premiere First Class Boeing 777 (MIA-CDG)
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
I believe the new La Premiere product will have two cabin crew working in the cabin, so this issue will be fixed soon 🙂
Is there some reason why several airlines like JAL and AF don’t have air nozzles on their first class cabins? Is it cheaper or something?
Sorry for the ignorance - I have only flown F class once (on LH). Is it okay or frowned upon to take the pajamas and slippers with you? I saw a fellow passenger do it on LH so I did it because they are really nice, but thought about it later, and wasn't sure what the correct etiquette is. What about long haul Business class pajamas (UA Polaris, for example)?
You generally keep everything they give to you.
The only exception I know are the cardigans that Japanese airlines like to give out.
PJ quality really varies, I'd say business class ones tend to be on the cheaper side, and I wouldn't keep them beyond the first or second set from an airline. For example, Qatar has some really low quality ones occasionally, as they don't have the same pajamas on every route. The best quality in business class is probably Starlux.
Thanks! I assumed so, but I know that you cannot keep the headphones, or pillows, etc. So I wasn't sure if they considered pajamas like bedding that should be returned, or like an amenity kit that can be kept if desired.
I hope that more carriers catch on with their own HVAC controls in their first class cabins similar to EKs GC suites; AF, CXs potential first class suites and other fully enclosed suites that are basically like private rooms would be perfect.
Hi!
Could you please do a piece on earning Flying Blue Status ? I’m based in the States and can’t figure out how to buy Delta marketed flights (ie LAX-JFK) through AF. I’ve considered trying to focus all my Delta spending on AF, but am finding it confusing !
Beyond the first or second set from each airline? That sounds like an awful lot of pjs.
You seem to be confused - you don't need to buy through AF to credit to Flying Blue, a Delta-marketed flight will credit the same number of XPs as an AF-marketed one.
If most of your flying is domestically within the USA, however, then Flying Blue is NOT the correct FFP for you for obtaining status! You will only get 2 XP per flight in Y and 6 XP in domestic F, which is extremely low.
"Also a good idea to fly on Austrian after what will be a disappointing first class experience as AF is in Skyteam."
- E39, an intellectual
Could you have ordered one of the bottles of Champagne at the Sky Club, such as the Veuve Clicquot Rosé, at no cost?
Also, glad you had Champagne available on the ground! I flew IAD-CDG in La Premiere last month and was told no wine until after takeoff.
@ Motion to Dismiss -- The bartender told us we could have whatever we wanted. I'd assume we could have ordered glasses of any champagne, though I'm not sure we would've necessarily been given the whole bottle (not that we would've wanted it anyway). Interesting that you had no champagne pre-departure, that's pretty disappointing.
@ Héctor -- That linked post by PaulG (thanks!) shares my experience, and the best pathway to status. And yeah, as mentioned by VladG, you don't actually have to book with Air France-KLM in order for a flight to qualify for status, as long as you're flying a SkyTeam airline.
Wow what a fantastic looking flight/service. It's nice to see them get the catering out of a USA base fairly consistent with what you'd get flying out of PAR. I have found Houston catering on Long Haul asian flights (EVA etc) to be terrible compared to the opposite legs. Serious question here - I was discussing this last night at MIA airport with a fellow passenger: Realistically, how many more of these trips and this lifestyle do you think you can sustain before the responsibility of taking care of your son becomes a bigger priority? Am genuinely interested on your opinion of this as I have close friends in somewhat similar situations and they all share the same concerns, and the weight of responsibility as the child gets older (they're 3 and 5 now) is becoming obvious when they are considering travel like this. Thanks!
@ Art Vandy -- I enjoyed it! Honestly, I'm not a huge red drinker, so I'm probably not the best to judge, but I was happy with my choice.
@Ben "The paid drink selection wasn’t quite as high-end here as at some of Delta’s other lounges, but there were still some nice options." Silver Oak cab? Flowers chardonnay? In a SkyClub??? Come on, buddy...those are pretty fantastic pours for a non-Delta One club!
Hah I just flew La Première this past weekend and looks like you just missed out on the new soft product! They already rolled it out before the new seat comes out in a few weeks (first flight on April 7th, according to the flight attendant and lounge staff, unless further delays which could happen).
The menu has a few additions like cocktails (pre made but very good), and the new PJs made in collaboration with Jacquemus are next level. Extremely comfortable and sturdy, much more than the old ones, and also quite fashionable!
Why do I get the feeling this is like Lufthansa first class, i.e. a mediocre product that Lucky gushes over because of some weird emotional attachment to it?
It really isn't mediocre. It's a very good product. Not just best in Europe, but one of the best worldwide. I'd take it over Lufthansa, Swiss, Thai, Qantas, British Airways, And Korean Air.
Comparing La Première, one of the best airline experiences on the planet, to the abysmal Lufthansa Group products? Now I've seen it all.
The issue with slow service in LP (for me) seems to only impact my ex-USA flights. Even when the cabin is not full (I’m saying even with 2-3 pax total) I’ve consistently found the service to be painfully slow on these CDG bound short red eye flights. Eager to see if the additional dedicated FA will make a difference.
But not above Singapore Airlines in A380. Suites and bathrooms are not comparable. Book the cook either - esp with flights from Singapore.
Thank you all...Delta just makes it hard to credit other airlines while booking through their portal. But it sounds from VladG since I am mostly a D1 Domestic flyer...my dream of redeeming into this product is not going to happen even if I switch to AF.
The review is nice and all, but I mean, award redemptions like this are effectively useless to probably anyone but a few dozen people in the whole world? Given the qualification requirements.
“I flew IAD-CDG in La Premiere last month and was told no wine until after takeoff.”
It’s always hit-or-miss ex IAD.
Why not tell us the cash rate in addition to the points rate although you paid in points? While it may be an excellent product, is it worth the price? You used points and you are doing it for the review and Air France is one of the key airlines you like to review. There are many airlines you rarely or never fly. However, relative to the price would business or premium economy be sufficient for most people.
What an absurd review of the review.
It's silly to point out the obvious... just look at the number of seats in each cabin. By seat ratio, business/PE/Y are more economical for most.
I was fortunate to fly London to CDG and on to Montreal in La Premiere in 2010 .. and it was memorable. I was the only passenger in La Premiere, so it felt truly special.
As regards the mention of the Global A380 .. I have zero interest in flying with them.
Award pricing being steep? I beg to differ...
MIA-ATL-CDG in Delta One is a cool 375K in Skypesos on a random date in mid-April.
Honestly given the price that Air France charges, they should really have no excuses for not having two First Class F/As. Singapore Airlines always has two F/As in first class so the service is always efficient and personable.
The product looked good and I really like how elegant the cabin looks.
Thanks for the report again!
PaulG, one is a staunch believer that there is no such thing as a stupid question …. only stupid answers!
You should not feel embarrassed or feel that you are suffering from ignorance because you need to ask a question.
One of the reasons why blogs like this are so popular is because you can usually find the answers to your many questions herein. After all …. every day is a school day, also, we all have something to learn.
The hardest thing to deduce about this site is recognising the trolls who post a lot of waffle.
Rob, for more years than I care to remember one has traveled between LHR and SIN. A combination of airlines, plus, direct or indirect flights, the routes have been varied too.
The SQ A380, 1A & 2A or 1F & 2F have definitely been our preferred choice of seats. Consistently, comfortable and reliable.
With the advent of the forthcoming AF (new) La Premiere suite, this year we hope to give it a punt, CDG-SIN …. maybe even before Ben can review the product. Watch this space.
Claude, jumping in on your post uninvited, you might like to know about my experiences.
I was the son of a career military aviator. I too became a career military aviator.
My childhood memories of my time with my father were always sensational. When he was at home he gave himself 100% to his family. While he was absent from home, yes we missed him, but he made up for it in other ways.
I tried to emulate him and believe that I achieved the same results.
International travel was something that both myself and my children grew up with. We coped and are definitely worldly wise because of it.
I can't figure out why Air France sends business-class passengers to the LATAM lounge but first-class passengers to the Delta lounge. Delta's lounge closes earlier too.
Next time budget some time in the AF La Première Lounge at IAD before boarding.
It's in a private room of their Business Class Lounge and offers white tablecloth dining from a short menu along with a selection of wine and bar service.
I've been pleasantly surprised the two times I've flown from there -- and the price in miles (for AF Platinum members only, as Ben explained) is the lowest from any of their U.S. gateways which offer flights in La Première.
Ben or other recent AF La Premiere passengers a question if you please?
Will AF allow the Rimowa Original Cabin case into the cabin and does anyone know if it will fit into the stowage lockers?
According to the AF website baggage information, it would appear that their case stipulations are very small compared to the majority of other airlines. AF customer service department are being typically slow in responding to my direct enquiry.
Perhaps a more detailed mention of could be included in your reviews Ben?
I would take powdered cappuccino and a “stretched” flight attendant handling four passengers over my recent Business Class experience with Qantas to Dallas. Let’s talk COMPLETE disappointment! NEVER AGAIN!
This reminds me of when LP guests at LAX used to be given carte Blanche at Vino Volo…people were spending so much $$ on high end bottled that they eventually had to cap it at $100 per guest. Wonder if something similar will happen here.