Air France - Questions
 

I am traveling DTW-Paris-CAI in business class (on a AIRBUS 330-200 and then a BOEING 777-200) next week and wonder about the following:
A> Is there a power outlet in the seat arm which I can plug my laptop into?
B> Does anyone know what the movie options are right now? I am trying to decide if I should bring my own.
C> I called Air France to see if I could carry a wine opener in my CHECKED luggage and the guy said "no" but I've read other posts saying as long as it is checked (not carry-on), it is fine. Anyone know for sure?
merci!

I can't help you with the business class questions or movie options, but I think there must have some misunderstanding about the wine opener in checked baggage question. I assume you mean a corkscrew?

I've never heard of that not being allowed in checked baggage and can't imagine why not. In the US, you are allowed a corkscrew in carryon, let alone checked. There in nothing on Air France website which says corkscrews are prohibited (I assume you read it -- the baggage sections, including "dangerous goods" and carryon parts. I have certainly had them in my checked baggage on Air France because I know a couple times I bought some of those French waiter corkscrew gadgets because I liked them so much. I bought a really nice one at Bon Marche houshold goods store, and a cheaper everyday one at BHV. I suppose if they had a notice they were prohibited in checked baggage, I wouldn't have noticed it (but no one at the desk for checking baggage has ever asked me what I have in my bags, to be honest, if I'm checking them). As far as I know, only some flammable or explosive items are prohibited for checked baggage.

I travel Air France every year with one in my checked in luggage. But not on board. One year I forgot I left one in my backback and the next year it was taken away from me. It was a personal loss, a gift from French friends.

The strange thing about corkscrews is that if it has a little knife to cut the cap you can't take it on board but if it doesn't you can. Make sense to you?

Thanks everyone. I do think the guy in customer service didn't understand which is why I turned to the "experts".
I'll probably pack a cheaper one; that way, if it gets taken, I won't feel so bad.
cigalechanta and AGM:
Can you answer the question about the power outlet in the seats?
The Air France website and seatguru don't say that the Airbus 330-200 have them but the same model planes on Northwest do.

What NW has on their planes have absolutely nothing to do with AF. It's entirely up to the individual airline what amenities to order for their planes.

If it's in your checked bags, I don't think it very likely it could get taken away from you, but I suppose if they saw something in the baggage xray thing and opened your bags, they could remove it. As I said, I have had them in my checked bags on Air France, and my bags were never opened from failing to pass the screening.

I know the TSA in the US does allow them even in carryon, but Air France may be different. As for the question as to whether it makes sense that a corkscrew is okay but not if it includes a knife -- yeah, it makes a lot of sense to me. As one probably knows from the news lately, in the US, the TSA is supposedly now allowing small scissors of 4" sharp blade or less, when they didn't before, but they still do not allow knives or pocket tools with "blades". A nail clipper with that small nailfile thing doesn't fall into the category of "blade".

gichicdoc, one place you can look for this type of information is FlyerTalk. There is a forum devoted to the AF frequent flyer program at http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=594 . There is a search feature on the blue bar across the top. I'd recommend the advanced search feature, and specifiy that you want to search only the Flying Blue threads.

If you can't find it there, you can always register and post your question.

Anselm

We travel with carryon luggage only. Last month, I traveled with a corkscrew (with blade removed) in my carryon luggage on Air France on three of four flights. Going through security, I always place it in the dish with my keys, so they don't have to open my bag to see it.

I went from Los Angeles to Paris, Paris to Venice, and Venice to Paris with no problem. However, on the return flight (Paris to Los Angeles) out of CDG terminal 2C, a security person said a corkscrew is not allowed. So I surrendered it at the xray machine. Not a big deal -- a $3 corkscrew. But that same corkscrew accompanied me home on six prior flights out of CDG terminal 2F.

Apparently, it doesn't matter what Air France's policy is. Rather, it's up to the security personnel at the airport terminals. For example, at the security check at LAX terminal 2 where Air France flights depart, the TSA will allow a corkscrew as long as the blade is removed. But airport security in other countries have different policies that are not uniformly applied.

Woody

Anslem,
Thanks for the advice re: FlyerTalk. Wow! That group is a serious bunch of frequent flyers. I did extensive searching in various forums (including the Flying Blue forum) and didn't come up with the answer to the movies or power outlet questions so I registered and posted the question myself--hoping someone will show mercy :)
I have another (?silly?) question-
Do I need something more than a voltage converter to plug my laptop into the seat outlet? It sounds like I may need a AC-to-DC coverter; Is that right and if so, where do I get one for a laptop?
Cheers!

There are three types of in-seat power outlet. So, if you get an answer on flyertalk, make sure you find out which one they have:

- Regular 110V type outlet with US-style plug. Well, we know that will not happen on AF!

- Cigarette lighter outlet

- "Empower" outlet

You'll need some type of adapter for the two latter ones.

gichicdoc, I see you've gotten at least one response over at FT. Yes, I should have mentioned that FTers are a little more ... well, intense, I guess, than the typical poster on Fodors. However, if you do any amount of flying, it's a good source of information.

I think you'll like the AF business class product. My brother flies Air Canada, Lufthansa, Austrian, and Air France between Canada and Europe and has remarked that he enjoys the Air France experience.

Anselm

Wow, I'm surprised how few responses you get on Flyertalk.com, and none very helpful. That's shocking. I guess people who fly AF business class don't care? I don't know.

Anyways, there are several companies that make Empower adapters. Some just called them "airline adapters". Targus makes one, Kensington makes one. Dell sells one made by Duracell. Yeah, around $70-80, not cheap.

Also, Empower ports are usually limited to 70W or 90W. If you have a big laptop that requires more power, it will not work.

gichicdoc,

This thread on Flyertalk helps a bit:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=440849

And this page of the Air France web site does as well:
http://www.airfrance.us/cgi-bin/AF/U...cekedfnfdfnm.0

Basically, it appears that:

a) only A330 and those planes refurbished with the new business class seats have laptop power. So, your DTW-CDG flight should have laptop power, but the CDG-CAI leg most probably will not.

b) Air France uses "Empower" sockets that require the purchase of a special adapter (usable on many other airlines as well however)

Hope this helps,
Andre

Andre, I see why gichicdoc couldn't find it on FT ... AF Frequence Plus is now a discontinued program. Not being an AF regular, I thought it would be in the Flying Blue section.

Anselm

The OP has correctly posted his question in the Flying Blue forum on flyertalk.com. It's just that it doesn't get a lot of response. I thought that forum would have more traffic.