P_M

avalon, I've only been bussed on AF once. I think that's more about the airport being crowded and the lack of availability of gates, which of course is not within AF's control. I have also been bussed coming into CDG on American Airlines, probably for the same reason.

Sarvowinner

My mother flew to Madrid from Detroit via Paris in May for my cousin's wedding in Salamance. She said the flight was fine but they lost her luggage and she didn't get it for a few days. So was quite concerned as she needed her wedding gear. It arrived the day before the wedding. Going home, she carried her check in on board and said it seemed like everyone else did as well.

Sarvowinner

sp Salamanca

MomDDTravel

I have only flown them once and had a much better experience then on any US carrier flying coach - long distance.

The bathrooms were kept clean the entire flight. It was amazing to me. Generally after a long haul (just from coast to coast) I find the bathroom impossible to use at the end of the flight. They cleaned it through out and it was as good after 12 hours as it was when we walked on.

If you have the in-flight movies on the seats this also was great.

The food was much better, the service was much better.

We are flying them again in the fall and I hope it lives up to what we experienced.

MelJ

Just a note about the earlier post on AF bussing at CDG. We've flown into CDG on NorthWest, BRitish Airways and, I'm sure other carriers and have always been bussed from the tarmac to the terminal, so it's more a "CDG" situation than an AF one.

Luisah

<<Since we are flying on Thanksgiving Day we were hoping that the planes might be a little less crowded.>>

I flew Thanksgiving day several times and it was great, lots of empty seats and good service. Don't know if it's the same now since there have been flight cuts, but I think it will be at least a bit less crowded.

Regarding the AF crew strike comment, I'd much prefer getting up and getting my own beverage to having to sit and wait for an F.A. to get around to bringing to me it on a full flight.

I've flown a few flights where a cart with beverages are left out near the galley for the passengers to get their own and think it's a great idea.

Patty

Since the opening of S3 last summer and re-opening of the collapsed part of 2E earlier this year, your chances of getting a jetway has greatly improved, at least for AF flights.

kerouac

That is true. There is no longer a gate shortage at CDG with the reopened 2E and the new S3 (built for the A380), which many of the jumbo jets use.

Fodorite018

We flew AF last summer to/from SFO. We had booked through Delta and when we checked in, AF had no record of us. I had all my printouts and AF took care of it very quickly. On arrival in Paris, we did have to get off the plane on the tarmack and take the bus. But when we were coming home, we boarded from inside the terminal.

MomDDTravel

mms - thanks for the heads up - I too booked through Delta for this trip in the fall so will be sure to have all my print outs etc. (not that I would not but a good reminder)

Fodorite018

Dawn--AF told me it happens quite a bit with Delta. Not sure why. But it worked to our advantage. On the flight over, I got an exit row seat (mom and DD were scattered). On the way home we got the small upstairs part of the plane, and again an exit row. This time all 3 of us were together. So it had its perk

TDudette

We had the same Delta problem in 2006 but it was when they teamed with Alitalia! We flew from Dulles and my hub spent the better part of 2 hours walking back and forth from Delta to Alitalia desk to get our boarding arranged. Coming back from Italy, both airlines had separate id numbers for our tickets!

a1139a

I too had trouble with the Delta/Air France "partnership." AF wouldn't honor our seat requests which had been confirmed several times. AF counter at JFK was very helpful. On the return trip, the AF personnel at CDG were not interested in the least. Our flight was delayed by an air traffic control strike at CDG and when I inquired about gates/connections at JFK I was told by the flight attenedant that she did not have any information and couldn't help me. The definition of "partnership" seems to lose a bit in translation.

www.hereinfranklin.wordpress.com

floydvic

I am going to be the contrarian here. I flew Air France round trip from Houston to Madrid (change of planes in Paris) in 2007 and the food is not good. Yes, they present a fancy menu and it sounds so impressive but the food is very so so. I would suggest ordering a special meal or, probably even better, bring on the plane with you something you like to eat. People have spoken highly on this forum about the alternative seafood meal(you order in advance on the AF web site), but then there obviously is a difference of opinion between my views and others who have written here as to AF's food and I am just going by other's praise of that meal option. The wine and champagne were free, the entertainment system worked fine and the seats were as cramped as any other carrier.

MelJ

Off-topic a bit, but the post just above that suggested ordering the seafood on AF reminded me that I don't know why airlines offer seafood meals. Once they heat them the plane just STINKS!

Therese

I'm with you, floydvic: food on AF is lousy. I did once order a special seafood meal for an AF flight, but it was mysteriously not available once in flight (despite the automated check-in kiosk at CDG telling me it was). When I asked the flight attendant about it I got the very definite impression that its "going missing" was related to somebody having taken it, said somebody being a crew member.

So I was given a regular meal, which I tasted (and photographed) and then put aside in favor of the food I'd brought with me.

Therese

"Off-topic a bit, but the post just above that suggested ordering the seafood on AF reminded me that I don't know why airlines offer seafood meals. Once they heat them the plane just STINKS!"

Delta's seafood meals are cold (so no stinky issues). Typically salmon with potato salad and tomatoes outbound, shrimp with pasta salad inbound.

Of course, I can only just barely stomach the smell of the regular meals.

Patty

I've had AF meals in business class that I found barely edible. Usually the starters are fine but the main courses leave much to be desired. I'll give a slight nod to ex-CDG vs ex-LAX catering though.

crckwc1

Have flown AF only once on a code share with Delta from Houston to Paris. This was in coach. While the food may not qualify as "gourmet" nor meet the standards of business class or 1st class flyers, it was by far superior to meals served on AA which is our usual airline (due to convenience). Also, the wine was not only free, it was pretty good. I recently spent $5 for a bottle of something AA called "wine" but tasted like vinegar, quite the worst wine I've ever tasted.

kerouac

I love the way AA says "alcoholic beverages are $5 or 5€" as though it was the same amount.

One time on Air France (economy class), they served an absolutely magnificent cold ratatouille with a runny poached egg as the starter. I was stunned at their audacity, because I was certain that more than 50% of the people on the plane would find such an item horrible beyond belief. It was so good.