Air France First Class to India -- very good food and fine service
Written: Apr 02 '06 (Updated Jul 06 '07)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Good Cabin, Good Service, Great Food
Cons: Transit in Paris, experience in business class on one lag
The Bottom Line: Fly first class on Air France, because the seats are good, service is good and the food is excellent.
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| mmvk's Full Review: Air France |
This is a detailed log of my trip from El Paso (Tx) to Trivandrum (India) on Air France. I travel to India often and usually fly business class, but my most recent trip to India was on Malaysian First Class. On this trip, I used my American Express miles to upgrade to first class on Air France.
El Paso International to Houston – George Bush: Continental Airlines Business Class
The lag from El Paso to Houston is on Continental Airlines. I hadn’t traveled on Continental Airlines in a while, and was surprised at the width and comfort of seats. In fact, in some ways, it is as good as the first class seats on the Paris to Bangalore lag. The Continental flight was uneventful, which is just as I hoped on this long journey.
Houston – George Bush Airport
My flight from El Paso began at 6:45 am and I arrived in Houston by about 9:15 am. I arrived in Gate E and was departing from Gate D at 4:30 pm. I was planning on meeting friends for lunch, so I attempted to find the first class or business class lounge for Air France. I was told that Air France lounge is across Gate D12, but that it would only open at 1:00 pm. I wasn’t given any other options by the person answering the Air France help number, but I happened to pass by the Continental President’s Club and wondered if they would allow me access to it. Given that I was traveling First Class on a Sky Team Airline, they did.
I hadn’t used President’s Club before, but I was pleasantly surprised to find a very comfortable lounge – with a stadium style TV room, free WiFi access, food and drinks, and comfortable chairs. This allowed me to check my email and make a free local call to my friends to arrange a lunch meeting before my afternoon flight.
I returned from lunch and moved to the Air France Lounge. It was smaller than the President’s Club, but they had comfortable seats and snacks and great coffee. The staff was also extremely friendly and kindly showed me to open space in the lounge. But, the big drawback was that it did not have free WiFi access, so I decided to go back to the President’s lounge. Before I left, the staff checked me in and generated new Air France boarding passes. Boarding began at 3:30; in general, it was uneventful.
Houston to Bangalore: Air France First Class
Once on board the 777-300, I was greeted by a friendly crew. The head purser, captain and others stopped by and introduced themselves. One of the first things that you notice is the wood-grain trim that surround the leather seats. The first class has 1 – 2 – 1 configuration, with each seat facing away for each other, to give each seat some level of privacy. This cabin was clearly more understated than the first class on Malaysian Airlines, but in some ways, it was a bit more comfortable. The seat turns to a flat-bed and it also has a built in massage-system for the back. I didn’t find much use for the massage system, but seats were definitely comfortable.
Soon after I entered the cabin, the flight crew brought Champaign, and passed out lounge wear – an oversized comfortable sweat-suit. Each seat has an individualized TV console, which had excellent picture quality and wide variety of music and shows. The TV content and movies were fine – nothing very engaging, but the sound-tempering headphones were very helpful.
The food and drinks on Air France is wonderful. They had an excellent selection of wines, and the appetizers were very good, and the main course, given that we are on an airline with limited cooking options, was also good. At the time I am writing this, I have been on the plane for about 2.5 hours, but it only seemed like 30 minutes.
The first class seat has a place for a laptop plug, so it was easy to do work in the very comfortable seat. When I reclined my seats to lie down, the stewardess came by and placed a sleeping pad and a wonderful down-comforter on the seat. I had wonderful sleep for 4 hours. The flat bed is good, but it is certainly not perfect – you get the feeling that you are sleeping on a sofa, but I will take the sofa over sleeping on a chair.
At the end of the flight, I had been on the plane for over 9 hours, but it felt shorter than my 1.5 hour flight from El Paso to Houston. In some ways, I didn’t want the flight to end. Part of the reason is the crew – they were very attentive and met all of my needs without me asking for anything. One more thing – they provide a lot of wonderful chocolates --- absolutely superb!
Paris International Airport
While the first lag was wonderful, the transit in Paris was another story. First, we have to walk outside in 30 degree weather and board busses to get to the terminal. And, once we get to the terminal, we had to get out and wait for about ten minutes in the cold to get inside the terminal. Once inside the terminal, it was clear that we needed to take another bus to Terminal A. I guess we could have stayed on the first bus, but no one was there to give us any direction. We waited for the second bus for about 10 minutes, not an easy task in an unfinished basement like structure; something that I would expect in an South Asian airport, but certainly not in France. Once inside Terminal A, I found the Air France Business lounge. It was not bad, but one bathroom was out of order, and there were lots of wrappers and papers left on most of the sitting areas. There didn’t seem to be enough seats and the lounge didn’t offer any access to internet. It is an understatement to say that transit in Paris was disappointing, especially when I compare it to executive lounges in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. The boarding process was also semi-organized. There was a long line, but there no indication whether there was a separate line for First and Business class. There apparently was, but no one informed me about it.
Paris to Bangalore: Air France First Class
The Paris to Bangalore lag was on a 737 300 aircraft, and it had a 2-3-2 configuration; the cabin had much more of a business class feel. The cabin crew, at least in first class, was all male. It took a few minutes to get used to the crew; they were respectful and accommodating, but clearing not the type of experience I have encountered previously in Business or First. At first, the service seemed almost condescending, and during the first 20 minutes I thought that it was going to be a long 8 hours, but my early inclinations about the crew and service were wrong. Over the entire flight, the crew was very considerate and met all my needs.
Since I slept for about 4 hours on the last lag, I thought that I wouldn’t fall asleep and refused the leisure-wear clothes. The flatbed on this lag was less comfortable, and wearing more comfortable clothes would have allowed me to sleep more easily. We didn’t get the mattress pad, but we did get the comforter. I enjoyed one hour of sleep. The entertainment was the same, but the food was not as good as the last lag, but the bread, wines and desert were excellent. Overall, it felt like I was on the plane for 8 hours and the last two hours were quite difficult. Fortunately, the entertainment system had a digital chessboard, which allowed me to pass the last two hours quite easily.
Bangalore International Airport
We arrived at Bangalore at 2:55 AM. It was a disappointing experience to exit the plane and find an untidy and rather crude airport. Given that Bangalore is the Silicone Valley of India, I certainly expected more. Passing through immigration was easy, but we had to wait about 20 minutes for the bags to arrive. My next lag from Bangalore to Trivandrum was at 12:55 in the afternoon. Once I exited the baggage area and passed customs, I approach a hotel counter to see if I could find a place to rest. I asked about a Business Class lounge and was told that nothing existed, and that the domestic terminal would only open at 4 am. I asked about day rates at local hotels and I was told that there were none, but he gave me three options for hotels: 3 star, 4 star and 5 star. They ranged from $51 to $150 to $250. Given that I only wanted to lie down and freshen up, I choose Safina, the 3 star hotel and paid about $35 for a room. I also prepaid $13 for round trip taxi drive to the hotel and back. Because it was the middle of the night, there was hardly any traffic, and it took about 15 minutes to get to the hotel. The hotel isn’t in a great part of town, and spartan lobby was located in the basement of an unfinished mall structure. The front desk staff seemed surprised to see me, but they were very friendly.
The notion of 3, 4 and 5 stars are highly subjective. This three-star hotel is really a 2 star – something like an old Motel 6. It had all the amenities you would expect, free coffee, TV, bathroom with toiletries, except a towel. I am not sure if it was a house cleaning oversight or something you would have to request for. The room also had a fridge and laundry service. A free breakfast was also included, which was fine.
The prepaid taxi came 30 minutes early to pick me up. The airport in daylight seemed like most other Indian airports – there was lots of confusion.
Bangalore to Trivandrum: Indian Airlines Business Class
On this lag to India, I am in business class. The plane was delayed, but fortunately I had access to a lounge. The lounge was acceptable – comfortable chairs, TVs, newspapers and magazines, and also some finger sandwiches and coffee. There are several staff members to meet your needs.
The flight from Bangalore to Trivandrum on Indian Airlines is really wonderful. The seats were wide, and we received a full meal during the first lag from Bangalore to Cochin, which took about 40 minutes, there is a 40 minute wait in Cochin and then quick 20 minute flight to Trivandrum. The takeoff and landings over the coconut groves in Kerala are just spectacular. I was surprised to find a clean and semi-modern airport, much more modern than my last trip here about 1.5 years ago. Overall, the 47 hour journey was fine.
Trivandrum to Bangalore: Indian Airlines Business Class
Boarding in Trivandrum airport was easy. The airport is clean and easy to navigate. I had a direct business class flight from from Trivandrum to Bangalore; the flight was pleasant and uneventful.
I arrived at 3 pm and my Air France flight was at 2 am, so I looked for a day room at a local hotel. I approached one of the representatives from a five-star hotel and asked about rates. He gave me several good choices, and suggested two hotels on the main strip, and suggested that I take a prepaid taxi. The Mission Inn had a room available. The regular room rate was $80 without tax. He offered to give it to me for about $55. It was well worth it. The room was extremely comfortable - much like a Marriott. The strip was wonderful – lot of stores, pubs, restaurant, fast food places, and shopping centers. I was surprised by the mix of Europeans, Indians and Americans on the strip. By 10 pm, I was back in the room for some rest. By 12 pm, my prepaid taxi came on time for the 20 minute ride to Airport. I used a porter to walk me through the long lines process, which made it very easy to check in.
Bangalore International Airport
The Bangalore airport was overwhelming. The check in was easy, but the immigration line was long, and it took about 40 minutes to get through. They didn’t have a business class or first class lounge. Instead, they had about 100 seats in an open area, which filled up very quickly. There was a book store, a curio shop and coffee stand. This was clearly the worst experience I have ever had in an international airport – it is unacceptable under any standards. The one hour wait seemed like three hours. Once we were called to board, we had to stand in another line for security check, and in another line, where they checked the passport and boarding pass. I couldn’t wait to board.
Bangalore to Paris: Air France First Class
On this lag the aircraft was 777 330, with a 2-2-2 configuration. The fight crew was friendly and exceptionally attentive. The service was just perfect – no complaints
The food on this leg was even better, and the wine and desserts were also good. On this lag, I did accept the lounge wear, and it was quite worth it. It made the flight very comfortable. They provided a comforter and soft full-size pillow. I was able to sleep about 4 hours but woke up with a slight backache. But, overall the 9 hour flight seems shorter – it seemed like a 4 hour flight.
We arrived at Paris at 8 am. This time we had direct access to the terminal; that is, we didn’t need to board a bus to get to the terminal. But, unfortunately, we were stuck in terminal hallway for about 30 minutes without access to bathrooms or any information about why we were waiting there. Then, we had to take a bus to the terminal 3, just in time for the flight.
The boarding was unusually chaotic, and the crew didn’t seem to be very friendly. I was on stand-by for first class, but I couldn’t figure out who ask about upgrading. The information desks on the first level were crowed and staff were quite impatient. I finally gave up and decided to keep my business class seat. The transit experience in Paris was very unpleasant, and I will think twice about transiting through Paris in the future.
Paris to Houston: Air France Business Class
The business class section flight was large and filled. But, the cabin and seats were also quite comfortable, with lots of leg room. Each seat also had a plug for laptops. My first impression was that it wouldn’t be very different experience from first class, but that didn’t prove to be the case.
The service in business class is not very good. It felt like a domestic flight. The crew didn’t seem very concerned, and, at times, any request seemed to be an intrusion. The fli ght was filled with business travelers, but most seemed ok with the service. I must have been spoiled by the first class treatment, because I found it to be unacceptable. Despite the service, the food was quite good. The seats were comfortable for sitting, but they were not comfortable for sleeping. I finally was able to take a two hour nap, but the trip felt like it was never going to end. At the five hour mark, it seemed like 10 hours. I was very glad to arrive at Houston.
Overall impressions about First Class and Air France.
There is an understated elegance associated with Air France first class. The food and drinks are very good and the service is acceptable. I would certainly fly this first class on Air France, but it would not be my first preference. On the other hand, I certainly did not appreciate the business class on Air France, and I wouldn’t fly it again, if I have other options. I certainly did not appreciate my transit experience in the Paris airport and will try to avoid it, if I could.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
mmvk
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Reviews written: 8
Trusted by: 0 members
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