IAD-CDG
AF55
777-300ER (F-GSQC)
10/5/2022
ETD/ATD: 6:25pm/6:25pm
Departure Gate: A20
ETA/ATA: 8:10am/7:46am
Arrival Gate: Terminal 2E, L gates (but I can’t remember which one)
Seat: 1A (later changed to 1L)
Class: La Premiere
I arrived at Dulles a little bit before 3:30pm. As I approached the dedicated LP check-in queue, I was approached by a man asking how he could assist me. I replied simply that I’d like to check-in. He responded by asking if I was in Economy or Business – when I indicated that I was actually flying in LP, he asked me to show him my itinerary before finally assisting me at the check-in desk. As he processed my check-in, one of his colleagues appeared from the back wearing an LP pin on his blazer. He introduced himself to me as Guy and told me that he would be taking care of me today.
Once check-in was completed, he escorted me through the Pre-Check security lane and onto the (extremely crowded) Air France lounge. He then escorted me to a roped off door marked “prive” – the space was more than adequate for the (maximum) four passengers that would be booked in LP on a given day (but back when the A380 was flying I would imagine it was probably a bit of a squeeze). The space contained four swivel chairs, two armchairs, a couch, two two-top dining tables, a small bar (that looked into the main section of the lounge), and small buffet area with a coffee machine and mini fridges filled with water. After getting settled, Guy asked if there was anything he could get me – water, Champagne, a cheese plate, etc. I asked for a water to start, but he insisted at the very least that the bartender put out a bottle of Champagne (Taittinger millesime vintage 2015 – I believe the only “upgraded” alcohol option vis-à-vis the main lounge). On a table there was a small sign that basically just said “welcome to the lounge,” but when I turned it over, there was a full multi-course dinner menu. This was not proactively advertised to me, nor did anyone partake, so I am not sure if this pre-flight dining service is still offered to LP customers flying out of Dulles. Guy asked if I wanted to board first or last, and I indicated first. Guy checked on me once every 30 minutes, and whenever I did ask for water, a glass of champagne, etc., he insisted that I stay seated so that he could bring it to me. I remained alone in the LP lounge until about one hour prior to boarding when a couple joined me. They were big fans of the Champagne and we ended up having a lovely chat. In order to access the bathrooms, you did have to leave the LP lounge and use the main lounge facilities. They were awful – think CLT admirals club pre-renovation bad (but even worse).
At 5:45pm, Guy came to fetch us and take us to the airplane; the boarding gate was located directly across from the lounge. We cut straight through the crowd (they didn’t even scan our boarding passes), walked past the long line that had already formed in the jetbridge leading to door 2L, were taken immediately to our seats, and introduced to the dedicated LP flight attendant (btw it’s a shame they don’t use the second jetbridge to board through door 1L). While not overly warm or friendly, she was very good at her job and served the three of us quickly and efficiently. I was also informed that my seat 1A was broken and would need to move to 1L; not a problem. The couple was sitting in 1E/1F, so it didn’t really make a difference which window seat I had (fortunately it was not a full cabin that night!!). At our seats were Sisley-stocked amenity kits, slippers, socks, shoehorn, a day blanket, small pillow, menu’s, sanitizing wipes, and a face mask. The flight attendant offered us pajama’s and (non-alcoholic) drinks during the boarding process. Everyone raves about the Air France LP pajama’s, and although I admit that they are probably the best quality airline PJ’s available, I have to say that they are very ill fitting. I wear a men’s size small, but the flight attendant insisted on giving me a size M/L and of course they were extremely baggy and the pants dragged on the ground. They served their purpose, but I did not see the need to bring them home with me. During boarding, the pilot came out to introduce himself, gave us details about the flight, and wished us a pleasant journey.
I will just say as an aside that the aircraft is really starting to show its age. While the LP cabin itself is beautiful, the seats are not in great condition; in particular (aside from the fact that my original seat was broken LOL), the arm rests are scuffed and wobbly, the side storage bins don’t really close all the way, and the curtains are covered in stains. The section where the galley and lavatories are located looks dingy, old, and tired; scuff marks abound. These planes are approaching 20 years of service with Air France, and the current LP product has been in place for 8 years, so I’m eager to see how the new LP retrofit goes next year.
And right on time, the door was closed, and we began our pushback. They began to play the safety video, but after a few seconds the video stopped, and our screens went black. I could see the flight attendants scrambling for a while and then they made the announcement that they would need to do a manual safety demonstration. By the time they were done, we were ready for takeoff. As we climbed, the chief purser announced that the IFE was broken (for everyone) and that the pilot would try to take a look after we reached our cruising altitude – sadly, there was nothing he could do, and no one had any inflight entertainment the entire flight. Interestingly enough, the power ports didn’t work either, so no one could charge BUT thankfully the inflight WiFi did work (and was free for LP passengers).
Service started quickly with Champagne (LPGS) and a package of nuts served with an empty ramekin. We then moved straight into the 8-course dinner service, which left quite a bit to be desired IMHO:
Truffle-flavored mushroom with watermelon jelly (decent enough)
Cream of butternut squash soup (all cream, served lukewarm)
Duck foie gras and tangy quenelle with red cabbage (DELICIOUS, but the bread served with it was a low-quality American dinner roll)
Rack of lamb, thyme jus, roasted carrots, snow peas
OR
Scallop and lobster mousse in a salmon ballotine with Chardonnay sauce, slow cooked leeks and fingerling potatoes
OR
Asparagus and mushroom risotto (fairly good but served lukewarm, borderline cold)
Create your own salad using seasonal ingredients from the following: mesculin salad, smoked ham julienne, shrimp, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, cucumber, red bell pepper julienne, cranberries, caramelized walnuts, diced mozzarella cheese (this was probably the best part of the meal)
Cheese, the day’s selection (three different types of cheap, hard cheese, totally unremarkable)
Chocolate fondant (meh, very rich)
Sorbets or ice cream, fresh fruit (delightful end to the meal)
Wine list was fine, with bottle prices ranging from $30ish on the lower end to $200 for the LPGS Champagne. I think it pales in comparison to the likes of ME3, Singapore, etc., but is comparable to other European carriers:
Cuvee Grand Siecle Laurent Perrier
2009 Sauternes La Tour Blanche/Joanne
2017 Chablis Pascal Bouchard Les Vieilles Vignes Premier Cru Fourchaume
2017 Riesling Grand Cru Eichbert La Cime Joseph Cattin
2014 Saint-Julien Chateau Branaire-Ducru
2016 Chateauneuf-Du-Pape Domaine des Senechaux J.M. Cazes
Other beverage standouts included the 1989 Chateau de Laubade Armagnac, Chartreuse Verte, and the selection of Palais des Thes tea’s.
I know outstation catering is tough, but the British Airway catering out of Dulles is much better, particularly in First. I did not have breakfast, but here is what was on offer:
Fresh fruit juice, coffee, tea, hot chocolate
Bread and breakfast pastries
Plain thick yogurt
Fresh seasonal fruit
Scrambled eggs on toast with truffle sauce OR Brioche French toast, fruit skewer with caramel
By the time dinner was over, there were about 2.5 hours left in the flight! The flight attendant made up my bed with a mattress pad, duvet, and two large, fluffy pillows. The LP lavatory was small, but well-stocked with Sisley products, dental and shaving kits, and other amenities (the other lavatory at the front of the plane was reserved for flight crew). It was by far and away the most comfortable airplane bed I had ever slept in, and I slept like a baby up until we started our decent into Paris. I asked for a black coffee and Perrier as I got ready and it was accompanied by pate a fruits from Maison du Chocolat, chocolate/orange swizzle sticks, and cheese filled mini crepes bites.
After landing, we had a long taxi to our gate, and I was met via door 1L by my dedicated LP agent Corine who escorted me down to the BMW that would take me across the airport to the LP lounge. Upon arrival at the lounge it was completely empty. I found a comfortable place to sit and was immediately offered anything I wanted to eat or drink; I took another coffee and the sparkling water they had on offer from Corsica. I then took a shower – nicest airport shower I’ve ever had as there were robes and slippers provided, along with dental and shaving kits, and Sisley bath products. After my shower, Corine found me and asked if I wanted to be first or last to board, and I indicated last this time. She told me she would come back to fetch me around 9:45am; while I waited, I chose not to partake in the delicious food items I saw on offer, but did enjoy more sparkling water and delicious coffee. At 9:45am, Corine came to fetch me and presented me with an LP branded gift bag that contained an LP-branded luggage tag. We took the elevator down where I had to show someone my boarding pass and passport, and then we were off to the next flight in the BMW.
CDG-LHR
AF1580
A321-200 (F-GTAS)
10/6/2022
ETD/ATD: 10:00am/10:48am
Departure Gate: Terminal 2E, K57
ETA/ATA: 10:30am/10:53am
Arrival Gate: Terminal 3 (but I can’t remember which one)
Seat: 1A
Class: Business
We didn’t really have far to go, but when we arrived the jetbridge it was completely packed with people from the airplane door all the way up to the terminal. So we went up and awkwardly navigated our way down past everyone else waiting and Corine introduced me to the absolutely delightful flight attendants for this short flight to Paris. I was shown to 1A, with 1B blocked, as well as 1C (it is not an advertised LP benefit, but they will block all seats in a group of contiguous seats for LP short/medium-haul connections, even on full flights). While the rest of the passengers boarded, Corine stayed onboard with me until she was able to confirm that my bags had been loaded; she then wished me a good flight and bid me adieu. Once boarding was completed, we sat for another 45 minutes while we waited for them to locate missing passengers’ bags. During this time, the flight attendant continued to check on me and offer me whatever I wanted to drink (very nice touch).
Once we pushed back, we were on our way and in the air very quickly. Prior to starting service for the rest of the cabin, the flight attendant asked if she could get me anything and then proceeded with the meal service. I did not partake, but it appeared to be some sort of cheese filled crepe with fruit, yogurt, and various viennoiseries on offer. They were also serving Pommery Champagne. Upon landing at LHR, we had a short taxi to the gate. Sadly, this is the point where the LP service ends as it doesn’t appear that Air France offers arrival service for LP passengers at non-LP outstations (even the flight attendant was a bit surprised by this, perhaps this is a recent change?). It was a long walk to immigration where it took about 15 minutes to make it through the winding line. Bags were already being delivered by the time I made it to baggage claim, but it took my bags another 5-10 minutes to appear after I arrived. After I went through customs, I found my driver and made the TWO HOUR journey to central London.
CDG-JFK
AF6
777-300ER (F-GSQA)
10/15/2022
ETD/ATD: 2:30pm/2:47pm
Departure Gate: Terminal 2E, L30
ETA/ATA: 4:45pm/5:42pm
Arrival Gate: Terminal 1, Gate 2
Seat: 1L (changed to 1F prior to check-in and then changed back to 1L prior to boarding)
Class: La Premiere
LP service started before I even arrived at the airport as an Air France-provided Mercedes E Class sedan arrived at my hotel in Paris at 10:30am. The driver was nice, friendly, and professional, and even though he was a Hertz DriveU employee (and not Air France), he was very well informed about my flight details, final destination, and that I was an LP passenger. Once we made it through the Terminal 2E traffic nightmare, he dropped me off at the dedicated LP passenger entrance where we were met by a porter who whisked my bags and me to the dedicated LP check-in area. Upon arrival, there were multiple LP agents waiting to welcome me, and the one that was “assigned” to me invited me to have a seat while she took care of my check-in formalities. Another LP agent came and asked if I wanted coffee/water; this service, although nice, feels a bit silly because by the time they return with your beverage check-in is done and it is time to go. I was informed that my original seat 1L was broken and that I had been moved to 1F. 1A was occupied, and the individual in 1E was potentially not going to be taking the flight (more on that later). We went through a back door that led to a quasi-dedicated LP departures channel that then funneled into the main departures immigration and security area. The LP agent forced her way to the front and placed an LP sticker on top of my security bin. It was a bit crowded and chaotic, but we made it through and walked the short distance through Duty Free to the LP lounge and took the elevators up. Car to lounge took roughly 10 minutes.
Once in the lounge, I was introduced to the lounge staff and then invited to have a seat and get comfortable. There were four individuals handling food and beverage, an although the lounge wasn’t very busy, they did struggle to keep up with demand. One in particular I found to be quite rude; he repeatedly asked me what I wanted to eat or drink, but seemed frustrated by the fact that I wanted to look at a menu (that he did not proactively provide). He was even more frustrated when I told him I wasn’t ready to eat, yet, but would let him know when I was ready. The food service took forever; I ordered a Caesar salad, the coquillettes, and baba au rhum, and it took about 90 minutes to get through it. Service continued to be up down depending on the individual I interacted with. And in some situations, I was flat out ignored. Adorable mini baguettes were offered, as well as less-than-LP wine options; bottle prices ranged from $20-$100. NV Moet was the Champagne on offer. I am not complaining, but it is interesting that the wine options on the ground do not align with the wine options in the air given the fact that for the most part only LP passengers have access to the LP lounge. The lounge did get eventually get quite busy with multiple upcoming LP departures to MEX, MIA, IAD, JFK, etc. I think this is amplified by the fact that there are so many LP agents coming and going to deliver and fetch their passengers. Again, thinking back to the days when the A380 was also flying (with 9 LP seats), I have to imagine that perhaps this lounge was even more crowded.
Following lunch, I was informed that my seat had been fixed and was moved back to 1L YAY. I was also told that there would be three (including myself) passengers on today’s flight. I had heard that LP agents will go get you any magazine you wanted in the terminal if you asked, so I decided to test this out by asking if I had enough time to go down and get a magazine before boarding. They simply replied with “oui” but did not offer to go on my behalf; tant pis, but they didn’t even have the magazine I wanted in the store. At around 1:30pm, a wonderful LP agent (different from the one who brought me to the lounge) named Yves came to tell me that he would be taking me to the plane and asked if I wanted to board last or first; I said first, so he indicated we would leave the lounge at around 1:45pm. We went downstairs where someone checked my boarding pass and passport, got in the BMW, and we were off to the plane. We climbed the stairs and boarded through the dedicated jetbridge that took us to door 1L. Waiting for us were the Chief Purser and the dedicated LP flight attendant, David. Waiting for us at our seats were the usual gaggle of goodies. This time, 1A and 1E were occupied and 1F remained empty, which meant that I had that entire half of the plane to myself. Yves remained onboard until he was able to confirm that my bags had been loaded.
David quickly came around to each of us to introduce himself and ask us if we wanted anything to drink – I took Champagne. He also offered us a bag of mixed nuts. Pajama’s were also provided. I tried S this time and they were comically small, but I still wore them without too much of an issue (but again, chose not to take them home with me). The pilot and Chief Purser came around and introduced themselves to each passenger. Pushback was delayed by 15 minutes (no explanation given), and we proceeded quickly to the runway and were in the air in no time. Service was a little slow to start given that the VIP in 1E wanted her bed made up right away, but David eventually made his way over to discuss meal options and take my initial drink order (Champagne of course!). He also closed the curtains to 1F so that the VIP in 1E was not disturbed; this made me feel as if I was the only passenger on board. He quickly returned with my drink and some more nuts and started the table setup process.
The meal was amazing and was by far and away the best meal I’ve ever had on an airplane. As someone who truly appreciates quality over quantity when it comes to food, I really appreciated the attention to detail and quality of ingredients used:
Sturia caviar served with a crepe and smoked fish crème (this was truly delicious and looked like a work of art)
Red bell pepper cream (flavorful and hot, and not too creamy)
Foie gras terrine with lime zests, balsamic cream, melon chutney (DELICIOUS)
OR
Tomato and mozzarella with a twist (did not try, but wish I had in hindsight)
Veal stew with verbena, vegetable and morel mushroom fricassee
OR
Free-range poultry with rosemary, thin crust sweet bell pepper tart an stuffed zucchini flower (absolutely out of this world, perfect temperature, consistency, and flavor)
OR
Shrimp in a tarragon lobster sauce, sauteed baby spinach and Camargue red rice
OR
Truffle polenta with a bouquet of green vegetables, pea and mint coulis and carrot and orange jus
Create your own salad using seasonal ingredients from the following: salad with shrimp or smoked duck breast, fresh cheese, vegetables and balsamic vinaigrette with fresh herbs (very good, large portion and very fresh)
Cheese: Camembert, Coeur de Neufchatel, Comte, Fourme d’Ambert and Sainte-Maure (WOW, so good, so much cheese!!)
Dessert: Patisserie from Philippe Rigollot – Pear and lemongrass OR Black Forest cake (both were amazing, what a treat to have real French patisserie on an airplane!!)
Ice creams and sorbets, Fresh fruit (I had the coffee ice cream with fruit and both were very good)
Dinner was accompanied by water, wine, and digestifs (same beverage list as the inbound from IAD) and a wide variety of bread options – I continued with the delicious mini-baguettes. A light meal was served prior to landing which I chose not to partake in:
Gourmet quinoa salad with fava beans, artichoke puree OR Barigoule artichoke
Plain yogurt
Pear poached with spices and orange segments
Service was wonderful throughout the flight – I can’t say enough good thinks about David and his colleagues that assisted during his break. The bedding was great, and the IFE actually worked on this flight (although tbh I did not find it to be very good compared to what I would find on an American carrier). Wifi was also available, but was not very good. I slept for a couple of hours before changing back into my cloths and getting ready for landing. One small complaint – I was EXTREMELY thirsty (bad post nasal drip), and no matter how many times I asked for a sizeable quantity of water, David would only bring me a small glass. I would ask for two or three of the tiny Evian bottles and he would only bring one. No matter how many times I asked, I just never got as much water as I wanted – I found it to be quite odd, because surely there was plenty, right? Oh well, first world problems and next time I know to just bring my own water onboard.
We landed at JFK on time, but had to wait an hour for our gate to open up, which put us at the gate almost an hour later. Upon arriving, there were two LP agents waiting for us in the door 1L jetbridge; one was for the VIP in 1E and one was for the passenger in 1A and me. It wasn’t immediately clear that she was even there for us as she did not proactively greet us. I asked if she was there for me and she replied with “yes.” Then the other passenger asked if he should come with us and she responded with “yes.” So we followed her; she didn’t say much and she seemed very rushed and frazzled, but was very helpful at baggage claim where she went and fetched us baggage carts and coordinated with porters to get our bags off the belt and wheel them over the Delta connection counter just outside of customs – didn’t even have to lift a finger! Also worth noting, bags were delivered within five minutes of arrival and the six LP checked bags (3 for me, 3 for 1A) were the first six delivered. Once our bags were accepted by Delta, she bid us farewell and advised us to walk to Terminal 2 and then take the bus (past security) to Terminal 4 since the AirTrain was out of service for repair apparently.
JFK-RDU
DL4894
CRJ-900 (N181PQ)
10/15/2022
ETD/ATD: 7:28pm/7:25pm
Departure Gate: Terminal 4, B49
ETA/ATA: 9:30pm/9:11pm
Arrival Gate: Terminal 2, Gate C14
Seat: 1A
Class: First
I made it to Terminal 4 about 30 minutes prior to boarding. I walked to the SkyClub, but there was a very long line and I didn’t feel like waiting. I walked around the terminal a bit and found that they had started boarding 10 minutes early by the time I returned to B49. Pre-departure beverages were offered, and we pushed back on time. There was a very short wait for take-off and I slept the entire flight. We arrived 20 minutes early in Raleigh, and bags were delivered within 20 minutes.
Final Thoughts
I’m so glad that I finally got to try Air France’s La Premiere! It was an overall fabulous experience. For the flight over from Dulles to Paris, I’d argue that LP does not really stand apart from other transatlantic First Class products, especially since Dulles has so many good lounge offerings and is a fairly easy airport to navigate (ie, the personal escort feels a tad unnecessary). I’d also go as far to say that the LP inflight experience is really not that differentiated from other International First Class products that I have experienced, such as BA and ANA.
Pro’s: Ground service, catering (from CDG), LP lounge (CDG), CDG transfer service, CDG car service from Paris, bedding, small cabin/intimate and personal service
Con’s: Old and dated planes, broken IFE and hard product, a few bad apples in terms of personnel that I encountered, outstation catering, lack of LP service for outstation arrivals (LHR) and outstation transfers (JFK to Delta)