Happy hump day from Paris! I just landed on my first Air France A380 first class flight, and don’t even know where to begin. First of all, I’ll just be sharing my general thoughts in this post, and will have a much more detailed post once I start the trip report. After all, I took…
Continue reading: Flying Air France A380 First Class Los Angeles to Paris
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Wow...given how bad of a reputation AF has, this was definitely eye opening. Then again, maybe they have a good First product overall, because most people tend to slam their Business and Economy products...
Can't wait to hear about the lounge. I'll be visiting the LH FCT again this weekend and it never dissapoints.
Glad to hear that ground services have improved. They used to be the singular reason to avoid flying Air France.
I remember flying them in First Class out of Terminal 2-C a few years ago and having no lounge access whatsoever. Yes, there was no lounge available for First Class passengers. Also my seat was broken and didn't recline (got something like 30k miles compensation for that). Shameful product overall.
You and I seem to have flown different Air Frances. Perhaps they've stepped up their game on the A380, but on the 744s (awhile ago) and their 773s (more recently), first class on AF has left me pretty unimpressed, and I still can't understand why they're one of the most expensive carriers (in terms of both cash as well as point redemptions, both of which I've used when flying them, which usually depends on the reason for the trip).
It's too bad that they've discontinues their Christian Lacroix PJs - those were pretty swanky.
Their first class lounge at CDG is really terrific, and definitely differentiates them from a lot of the competition. I won't say that it's "better" than, say, the LH first terminal, but it's certainly *different*, and the people who work the lounge are really quite wonderful.
About ten years ago, well before I had any idea of what I was doing in the points/miles game, I managed to fly on AF First. We had amassed about 500,000 AMEX points and never seemed to be able to use them. We live in NJ and domestic flights were cheap then so there was no reason to use miles for trips to Florida. And we never seemed to be able to use them for long trips (obviously, we've learned a lot since those days!). So in a true "what the hell" moment, I bit the bullet and used 400,000 of those AMEX points for AF First for me and my wife. And tho you didn't mention this, I remember that they also took my suitcase and wrapped the entire thing in clear film for additional protection. I do remember well being escorted through security and being driven to the plane.
Since then, we've been lucky to do First on BA, Swiss, Lufthansa, Cathay Pacific, Thai and United. But nothing compared to the magic of that flight on AF. On our return, we were the only ones in the four First Class seats. The flight attendant was a movie star good-looking guy. My wife was a former French teacher and he sat by her talking to her for an hour. I watched her melt and there is no question it was her favorite flight of all time! And BTW, back then that seat was considered as good as it gets in international First.
So thanks, Lucky, for bringing back great memories.
I have flown AF business several times and have always been very underwhelmed, especially by the food ... glad to hear that they get it right in First at least.
And, frankly, the starting point of what a circus CDG can be should add another 20 points or so to your impression of the First Class ground handling experience.
I'm so glad to hear they impressed you. I have a bit of a soft spot for Air France since the first airline I redeemed my own miles for was DL-->AF and so I defend them a bit even when they're less than great
So excited to see this!
I heard so much good things about their F Lounge in Paris and that's why I kept telling you to try this product 🙂
Note on the food:
-I wish the wine glass would be more conventional
-any top carrier also put olive oil and butter on small plates instead of paper package.
-on canapés picture, the cracker is in the paper box package?
Can't wait to see the Lounge!
I have flown AF several times in business class (only) out of New York, Washington DC, Paris and Tokyo and I was always offered water and champagne for pre-departure. Though the last time I flew AF was in February out of DC. They also serve champagne in the air France lounge in New York. It seems very odd they wouldn't serve champagne in first class out of LAX!
"Last time I flew Air France first class nearly a decade ago I thought the food was far too complex and poorly executed, while this time it was reasonably simple and extraordinarily well executed."
You thought this when you were, what, 13? Wow.
how did you like the new LAX TBIT? I hope you post pics of the new terminal in your trip report. 🙂
Yet another American with prejudice against the French that realizes that it's mostly propaganda. What a surprise!
Umm, Miguel, I think you're confusing "prejudice against Air France" with "prejudice against the French." The former is a consumer attitude shaped by the market. The latter is racism, jingoism, or something similar.
Do AF still have the L'Occitane toiletries in the lounge shower? I find the scents help me wake up and feel refreshed after a long flight. Did you visit the small "art gallery"? It's on the upper deck next to the stairs, if I remember correctly. Very French thing to do.
I thought Air France updated their A380 first class with different-colored seats, dividers, and higher shells. Did only some of them get this update?
I 100% agree, way better than Lufthansa, the ground service on AF more than makes up (and then some) for the onboard deficiencies of its hard product. LH cannot measure to the 1 on 1 service AF provides in La Premiere
The seat itself looks reasonable enough, but for the love of god, why no partitions? The wide-open cabin is just odd.
Of course Air France needs a vanity room in First Class.. the pax need to look uh-mazing when they step out of the plane in their.
The way the article started it seemed like you didn't like it based on how it looked. I have been on Singapore First Class and loved it, amenities, menu, service -- it was great! From your post I am very impressed by the food that they served.
Ben, since you don't like the amenity kit, can you please give it to me? I think it looks pretty cool.
Thank you.
Your loyal reader.
I guess I am an outlier here, but I love the more open look of the cabin. I really dislike all the "privacy" hardware in most J and F cabins. I don't want to work in a cubicle farm, and I don't want to fly in one either!
I don't know, Lucky. I think you're just still giddy from the overall experience. Perhaps, after a few weeks, when you write up the trip report, you'll be able to review it objectively!
How can any lounge realistically compete with the Qantas First lounge in Sydney? The meal service alone is in a class of its own. The spa puts all other spas to shame. There really is no contest.
@John - Actually, I think the Qantas First lounge in Melbourne competes very well with the one in Sydney. (The view is not as good, but they make it up in personalized service.)
Kudos for doing a Sky Team report; it is a refreshing change of pace. Keep it up; I liked the Delta one you did recently, too.
Lucky:
They have been flying these machines for four years now. Could you tell is this one of the "older" ones or a newer delivery. I thought they changed a few things on the 2012 delivery from what you have reported. Good for you with this experience. I highly suggest you try flying every airline with A380s in service. Cheers.
@John*
I've never been to the Qantas first lounge in SYD, however I can attest to the dining service at the AF first lounge at CDG, and it is stellar. I know that Ben was (to me) a bit over the top in his effusive praise, but I think that there is a class of lounges out there (AF La Première at CDG, LH first terminal at FRA, TG first lounge in BKK, QF first lounges in MEL and SYD) where "better than" comparisons might not be a logical approach.
They're all fantastic in their own ways, some might have a nicer shower or a nicer spa or a better spread of food, but to net it out they're all world-class leaders. AF's La Première lounge is definitely up there. I just don't think we hear a lot about it because not that many of us (or bloggers, it seems) fly Air France first class, or at least not with any regularity. Personally, I avoid AF whenever I can, but I'll definitely give the lounge props. But a great lounge/ground service at one airport isn't enough to sway me to spend on an overall inferior product (the inferiority of which spans, in my experiences, from hardware to service levels).
@ Bgriff -- Yep, most amazing part of the ground experience was that I never had to enter the terminal. Which, at CDG, is a dream come true!
@ ATC -- Will have an installment dedicated solely to the new terminal at LAX. It's stunning!
@ Erik -- Toiletries were "Biologique Recherche" branded. Didn't see an art gallery in the first class lounge. For that matter didn't see a second floor.
@ CalAggie21 -- Not totally ruining that out, but wait till you read about the ground experience. THAT I'm definitely not overhyping.
@ Randy -- Interesting. The one I flew was delivered April 2010, so is one of the original ones. Maybe there are some new features on some of the newer ones?
@snic, I know my comment is not "fair", but it is certainly not the first time that I hear an American (or a German for that matter) that says that "X thing" (AF, customer service, whatever) is awful in France, because they've heard somewhere, and then when they actually experience it they are amazed that it wasn't anything like that. The same happens when Europeans travel to the US and realize not everyone is as dumb, close minded and reactionary as expected.
The power of propaganda is amazing.
I agree with Jeff R. I love the look and spaciousness of this cabin . I hate the cubicle format of the new F cabins, though am eager to fly Emirates A380 with all the bling bling.
The new F cabins reminds me so much of my company and everything I am leaving behind !
Lucky, what happened to the BA A380? Thought you were flying that one, and boom, I read you are flying AF LOL !
If the French can't serve excellent food, something is wrong.
Great summary! I feel like I was on board (yet have no jet lag) 😉
As I wrote it two days ago, catering out of CDG is MUCH better...
A few exemples of what you may get departing from CDG.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/111342355@N07/