Air France is specifically taking care of their Elite plus customers
#46
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Unless it's a night flight, like SVO-BKK. Then they leave the pax alone for the most part. And I don't recall them doing this on CDG-SVO, but I might not have noticed with all the Champagne they were pouring in my glass. For me SU is tied with AT for the best business class MH flights in Europe.
#47
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That would indeed be surprising. When I last flew AT in 2011 the pitch of their Y seats was less than on U2 or FR. Maybe they have upgraded their hard product?
#48
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I said business class. I don't know about Y pitch. AT and SU are the only ones that have very friendly stewardesses walking up and down the aisle free pouring quality Champagne and engaging the customers in conversation, topping up the glass again, etc. Just one example.
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I had that multiple times on AF C class medium-haul as well. Last time was last friday with Olivedel going to WAW for the Do, thanks to our 55 Euros paid upgrade ^
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To be clear, when I say free pour I mean a full bottle of Laurent Perrier being correctly poured into a proper Champagne flute. Not a tiny bottle of cheaper Champagne handed to you along with a plastic cup.
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Yes, it is part of the point of SkyTeam. "Caring more about you" is the advertising slogan, seems a bit overstated to me. The idea is that a traveler feels the same type of recognition and care across all SkyTeam carriers. I have been recognized often by both BA and IB as a oneworld emerald.
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On the plus side, they had a nice millefeuille for dessert though!
I'll admit to being a bit puzzled too - did they actually serve you some good Champagne? I think the last one I had on AF C within Europe was Devaux and frankly, that's nothing to write home about either. And while indeed they have thankfully got rid of the plastic glasses (amen) it wasn't a flute either.
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I'll admit to being a bit puzzled too - did they actually serve you some good Champagne? I think the last one I had on AF C within Europe was Devaux and frankly, that's nothing to write home about either. And while indeed they have thankfully got rid of the plastic glasses (amen) it wasn't a flute either.
For the glass, I have never seen champagne served in plastic glass on AF, even for the pre-departure drink (long-haul, or medium-haul when they were still doing it). But, Orbitmic is right : they don't use a flute (only in P long-haul ), just a regular glass.
For the brand, I sincerely don't remember what it was and I didn't say it was something to write home about. It was certainly not a Bollinger or Dom Perignon or another "fancy" brand. But it was a good champagne.
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However, like you, I do not remember small bottles of Champagne being used for years. The last were the small Monopole but that was at least a decade ago!!
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I think that you are much better off having forgotten to be honest! It was the time when the only alcohol available would be wine or Champagne, meals came on something that looked like take away boxes, and everything to it was unbelievably bizarre and basically seemed like it was meant to try and be as offputting as possible if not altogether poisonous!
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Perhaps in my mind I'm conflating BA and AF. Sorry about that. I think it's been nearly two years since I flew an AF MH flight in biz class. I did CDG-VIE a lot back then and it always seemed to be 100% full and a rushed service.
I did CDG-BHX recently, but that doesn't count as MH does it?
And the point is that both SU and AT business class MH flights have really stood out to me as a level above AF/KL/BA/LH. Those airlines are much smaller of course. And I guess they are not totally subject to European labour laws?
I did CDG-BHX recently, but that doesn't count as MH does it?
And the point is that both SU and AT business class MH flights have really stood out to me as a level above AF/KL/BA/LH. Those airlines are much smaller of course. And I guess they are not totally subject to European labour laws?
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I think that is likely as indeed, BA do use small bottles, but then they never used plastic glasses in C - ever as far as I can remember.
PS: isn't CDG-BHX operated by Cityjet?
I would guess that it has little to do with them being smaller and nothing to do with European labour laws, but a lot to do with the fact that 1) most of their flights are much longer than those of AF/BA/LH etc because they are located on the fringes of Europe (exactly the same goes for TK) and 2) possibly that a lot more of their European flights are point to point so a greater need to please pax based on the medium haul experience rather than the promise of a better long haul as the "core" European players do, 3) cheaper labour force because of much lower standards of living
PS: isn't CDG-BHX operated by Cityjet?
I would guess that it has little to do with them being smaller and nothing to do with European labour laws, but a lot to do with the fact that 1) most of their flights are much longer than those of AF/BA/LH etc because they are located on the fringes of Europe (exactly the same goes for TK) and 2) possibly that a lot more of their European flights are point to point so a greater need to please pax based on the medium haul experience rather than the promise of a better long haul as the "core" European players do, 3) cheaper labour force because of much lower standards of living