QF Lad

Hi everyone,

I have been wanting to try Air France first class for a long time.

Unfortunately this hasn't come about because AF had crazy prices to and from Australia (in the past AF F have been around AUD $25,000 with transfers to SIN on Jetstar vs QF F at around $13,000 in F all the way).

Recently I note that AF have decided to become competitive and appear to be matching BA and are slightly below QF, so AF F has now become a viable proposition.

The flights change in either SIN or HKG, with the initial segment on SQ, QF or CX.

I notice that the AF segments seem to be quite late at night, and I was wondering if any OPs here are aware of any daytime departures from Asia or lunchtime departures from CDG to Asia? It would be nice to be able to fully enjoy the service and food and wine, and midnight departures are not really conducive for this....

QF Lad

MSPeconomist

If you depart from CDG, you can use the special AF lounge, including F&B from Plaza Athenee, right?

ajs123

Correct, the La Premiere lounge offers that and most people agree that the AF provides a seamless and memorable experience from checking-in (or transiting) through transferring to the aircraft including, most importantly, the lounge.

Goldorak

From Asia:
I believe the only day time flights with P from Asia are from NRT, HND, PVG.
ICN is also a day flight and there was P until recently, but it seems there is no more P there (but of course it might change again).

To Asia:
Note that they are no real day time flights to Asia. There are a lot of flights departing CDG around 1-2 pm, but you arrive in Asia early morning the following day, meaning technically that you have spent the night in flight. The destinations with P for such flights will be the same as above.

But if you want my personal advice on your trip : you should stick to SIN for the following reasons :
- seems to be the easiest connection point for you
- 100% flights are operated with the new BEST cabin and the new P is THE place to be. If it is your 1st AF flight in P, it would still be a good experience with the old P but with the new P...:-::-::-::-::-:
- one of the advantages of P is to have a real bed and to sleep like a baby. For this, the SIN flight timing both from and to CDG are perfect. You depart SIN at 1 am, can enjoy dinner and then sleep 8-9 hrs in this excellent Sofitel bed. From CDG, the flight departs at 19:30 so prefect time for dinner and then sleep. Personally, I dislike the flights to Asia leaving CDG at 1pm because it is very hard to have a full night sleep and when you land, you have a full day ahead of you.
- in SIN, you can enjoy the nice CIP jetquay lounge where there is now permanently a La Première AF agent who is taking very good care of you.

So, in summary, connecting in SIN will give you a wonderful AF P experience

brunos

Apparently you are a frequent F flyer from Melbourne.

As you know CX and QF do not fly F on MEl-HKG, so you will end up in J. Furthermore, AF has very few planes equipped with its new F, and HKG still does not have it and the old F seat is mediocre to say the least. On SIN-CDG, AF tries to fly the new F daily, but if one plane goes tech, you might end end with a replacement ac with the old F.

The only way to be sure to get an excellent F is to fly on EK or SQ, EY is also an option.

Goldorak

I respect your opinion, but I certainly wouldn't say that.

delanotre

+1

I just came back from Tokyo NRT on these old seats, after a flight to HND with the new best P. I like the two. Service, quiet and sleep have no difference IMHO.
I just don't like the middle seats (old or new)

QF Lad

That does sound good, you've talked me into it.

I wasn't really up on the new and old AF F cabins and where which routes they were assigned to, so it is fortunate that the new F is assigned to SIN.

CIP Jetquay sounds interesting, I have never been there before.

Overall, it sounds a very nice F experience.

QF Lad

Yes I like the bar at the Plaza Athenee a lot, and meals from the Plaza Athenee are always delicious, and so it will be nice trying out the Plaza Athenee at the airport. A new experience.

QF Lad

Yes, the AF F fares from Australia are constructed with J from Australia to Asia in SQ/ CX/ QF, even where F could be offered on SQ.

However this is fine, all of those airlines have very nice J cabins. Further the fares are constructed at a price below QF/ EK/ & EY which offer F all the way through, so it is a nice deal with F on the Asia to Europe leg. We have had this combination when flying CX from Australia to Europe for a number of years now.

Thank you all for your input and suggestions.

Goldorak

Vert good ^
Just a last advice : in case your 2 flights (Australia to SIN, and SIN-CDG) would be ticketed separately, do not hesitate to e-mail the JetQuay lounge in SIN to ask them to pick you up at the gate for your connection and they will transfer you through the airport to the lounge (with a buggy). You can find the address on the airport website.
If your flights are on one PNR, nothing to do (they will come, no need to ask).
Note that to enter (and leave) the JetQuay lounge, you will have to pass Singapore immigration twice, but there is a private immigration counter, so a very minor hassle