Price, comfort , service questions about AF?
 

Researching airfares for next May.
RT BOS to CDG, nonstop for 2 adults.

Lately, I am finding better prices directly from the airlines vs travel web sites.

Can anyone help me understand why this is? I'm thinking it's the gas surcharges, and the
competition to directly book passengers on their own.

Tonight on their website, AF/Delta shows Business class price total of $4830.68 for 2 people.

It includes all taxes/fees/surcharges.
This appears to be a good price for people like us who don't have the FF build up yet. Past searches have shown the price to be 1.5x - 2x higher. What does an experienced traveler think?

Does anyone know, think, or experienced lower prices in December or January?

I have read the mixed reviews about AF here. Lost luggage, mediocre - average food, and unpleasant attendants seem to be the most popular complaints. We're planning on taking carry on luggage only, to eliminate one of these experiences.

I'm also asking travelers here as to how they found the comforts and service of their Business class travel with AirFrance, compared to other airlines flying from the states to Europe?

We've never flown AF. When the time is right for us to book our flight, we're considering AirFrance if the response here is positive.

Di

<$2,500 per person for business class to Europe in May is excellent price. Go book it now, especially since only AF and AA fly this route non-stop, it's not like you have a lot of choices.

Air France is converting (or may have finished converting) its business class in their 340s to newer seats, newer configurations. You may want to check or ask on flyertalk.com's Air France/KLM forum to find the progress.

Fellow Fodorite Patty may also know about that as well.

As far as booking method, most airlines have basically cut commissions to travel agents (online or otherwise) to zero. Those websites or agents now have to charge extra for their work.

Yes it would be a 340 plane.

I'll go back to their site and check on the new seats. Hopefully they are making them longer, etc.?

Commissions $$$. Thank you.
I should have realized that as the travel web sites fees have increased their fees.

Closest airline to this price was Icelandair but with 1 stop in Ryjveik,(sp)is incorrect.

The other two, Lufthansa/United and BA
were considerably 3x more than the AF
price with 1 or 2 stops. Nuts!

AA is matching the fare. If you have or want to accumulate miles/status on the AA program, have a look at the "undocumented" page here: http://members.shaw.ca/fewmiles/AA/index2.html

Gardyloo:

Thank you- Thank you.

I went to the site.

AF/Delta same price as one I found.

AA is same low price with non-stop in
and 1 stop on return home. We need miles
on AA more so than Delta.

But if we do AF/Delta then we should have enough miles for a FF trip for 2007.

AA with both ways non-stop jumped to $6000 plus.

Thanks for your help.

Di

Probably depends on your specific dates. These "I" fares (discount business class) are selling out quickly I suspect.

I've flown Air France a couple of times, and I've always been happy

Hi DiG,

I checked prices for you at http://airtravelcenter.com/onetrav.htm

Your rate in May is very good, cheaper than Jan or March.

I would jump on it.

((I))