synd
Mar 17, 04, 5:41 am
I hope this is readable, as it is my first trip report. It might be long as there is a lot to tell!
I haven't found much information on the paradores here so I'll try to put as much as possible!
August in Spain: AF, & US & Paradores
Part 1: AF 083 SFO- CDG
Finishing my job in July, I decided to take a vacation in August to go to Spain. I had an open return ticket with AF that was coming to expiration. I thus decided to use it, even though it was in the dreaded economy section… I called AF in SFO and decided to book it for July 31st. A couple nights before my trip I started having nightmares to be in coach, especially since this was to be on a 747-400 without PTV’s!!! Yes I know you guys don’t need to mention it, I am a snob; my girlfriend gets on my case every time! The horrible day arrives, and I am still wondering how I will survive this trip, will I manage to come out alive? How can people fly in coach and not revolt??? What will happen to me?
One of my friends drives me from Santa Clara to SFO, and I get at SFO around 2:45pm. I walk to the AF checking counters and I get into the economy line. Hopefully since the flight (AF 083) is scheduled to leave at 18:15, there was nobody in line yet, just a couple people at some of the counters. I am called by an agent, and after verifying my paper work, he asks me since the flight was overbooked (aren’t all summer flights that way) whether I would like to travel the day after and get $500, and if possible he will book me in J. My heart jumps and after 30 seconds of contemplation, I decide to try my luck and tell him that I will accept, but to forget the $500 if he can book me in F. He tells me to wait and go talk to the station manager to see what he can do! At this time I am pretty happy as you can imagine, as not only I might not get to fly like cattle, but I will fly AF F, which IMO is one of the best in the service (all right fine you caught me, I am French and proud to be… ) ! He comes back with the station manager and she tells me that I’ll have to wait until 5:00 pm (for everyone to check in) but she will see what she can do!
I wait impatiently, as it is now 3:00pm until 5:00. So I am just sitting around, my adrenaline levels being up to the sky! Finally 4:00pm another hour to know the fate of my life! 5:00 comes and I go up to ask the station manager, she tells me to wait a little, and then mentions for me to get checked in, as there is some room! DARN oh well, got my hopes up for nothing! She takes my luggage and proceeds to tell me: “I am sorry sir, I can’t seat you in F but I hope this will be sufficient for you. It’s our way to thank you for willing to leave tomorrow instead!” and then hands me one L’espace Affaires Boarding Pass! Now I am happy!
I am planning to go to the lounge but it took me 30 minutes to go through security and by now the time is 5:55, so I decide to go to the boarding area directly! Pity I haven’t still seen the AF lounge in SFO! I get to boarding and there is already a line forming! The crew had already started to call for F and J! As I try to make my way through the line, an Indian old lady stops me and tells me to wait in line like everybody else, as this was only First and Business boarding! I turn to her and tell her that I am flying Business, she doesn’t say anything but let me through. I give my boarding pass, and thank the crew and walk to the plane! Telling myself I can’t believe this is happening! I have flown C and F several times before but never been OP/UG! I walk to my seat 67K so go up the stairs! A male FA is waiting up the stairs to welcome us in the cabin. I like the layout of the upper deck as it is 2 X 2 and not 2 x 3 x 2 like downstairs. As I am looking around to put my huge roller ( You guys probably hate someone like me! ) another FA comes to me to tell me that I won’t be able to fit it in the overheads but to put it behind the stairs. Allright, so I take what I need and give it to the FA. One thing to mention about AF is that at the contrary to any US airline, they don’t employ 60 year olds as FA, even in the premium cabin. This was a really cute in her late twenties girl. So guys here are another incentive for you to fly AF!
Now talking about the AF J seat! It’s old, but still looks nice, and has a nice width, wider than US, UA J seat. Another downside is the recline, of only 135 degrees. But IMHO the service and crew makes it up more than enough. As everyone is boarded, an FA comes to gives us drinks, of course I take a glass of champaign. We take off and the crew come to ask us what we want to drink. I, like always on a plane before eating, order a glass of whisky on the rocks, which comes with my favorite amuse-bouche, it beats completely cold or warms nut: the fauchon crepes. They are Delicious! The crew then starts the diner service, with the starter dish, which when they come to me, my choice is gone, one difference between other airlines is they don’t ask you what you want to eat before, just ask at the same time than serving. By the time they get to me my starter (smoked salmon) is gone so the FA tells me she will give me first choice for the main dish. She does in fact, and I take the tournedos, which is cooked nicely, maybe a little overcooked, but I like my meat rare, and it was medium rare. For desert I had 3 different sherbet, which was really good, and then a glass of cognac. I then watch a little bit of a movie, and go to sleep.
I wake up a couple hours after that and go get a drink and something to eat, but as this is a flight less than 10 hours and a half there are none of the wonderful little sandwich they usually serve, smoked trout or gouda! Grr so I ask the FA for something to eat and he tells me all he has are Fruits to offer me. I go downstairs to walk around the plane, in Y, but when I come back the FA stops me to ask me if an appetizer from the F cabin will be to my satisfaction. I can’t but give A++++ rating on AF crews! After eating and drinking a little I go back to sleep and wake up as they are serving breakfast. It consisted of an omelet wrapped inside a crepe, some fruit, and drinks. We get to land! Darn I was hoping this flight would go on forever! It pass so quickly when in J.
My girlfriend and her brother are in Paris waiting for me, and we soon leave to their apartment. The next day I was driving down to Toulouse with my parents, and 2 days later to Salamanca, Spain with my sister!
Rating:
Seat: B
Service in flight: A+++
Meal: A (because didn’t have my starter)
Wine and liquor : A-
I haven't found much information on the paradores here so I'll try to put as much as possible!
August in Spain: AF, & US & Paradores
Part 1: AF 083 SFO- CDG
Finishing my job in July, I decided to take a vacation in August to go to Spain. I had an open return ticket with AF that was coming to expiration. I thus decided to use it, even though it was in the dreaded economy section… I called AF in SFO and decided to book it for July 31st. A couple nights before my trip I started having nightmares to be in coach, especially since this was to be on a 747-400 without PTV’s!!! Yes I know you guys don’t need to mention it, I am a snob; my girlfriend gets on my case every time! The horrible day arrives, and I am still wondering how I will survive this trip, will I manage to come out alive? How can people fly in coach and not revolt??? What will happen to me?
One of my friends drives me from Santa Clara to SFO, and I get at SFO around 2:45pm. I walk to the AF checking counters and I get into the economy line. Hopefully since the flight (AF 083) is scheduled to leave at 18:15, there was nobody in line yet, just a couple people at some of the counters. I am called by an agent, and after verifying my paper work, he asks me since the flight was overbooked (aren’t all summer flights that way) whether I would like to travel the day after and get $500, and if possible he will book me in J. My heart jumps and after 30 seconds of contemplation, I decide to try my luck and tell him that I will accept, but to forget the $500 if he can book me in F. He tells me to wait and go talk to the station manager to see what he can do! At this time I am pretty happy as you can imagine, as not only I might not get to fly like cattle, but I will fly AF F, which IMO is one of the best in the service (all right fine you caught me, I am French and proud to be… ) ! He comes back with the station manager and she tells me that I’ll have to wait until 5:00 pm (for everyone to check in) but she will see what she can do!
I wait impatiently, as it is now 3:00pm until 5:00. So I am just sitting around, my adrenaline levels being up to the sky! Finally 4:00pm another hour to know the fate of my life! 5:00 comes and I go up to ask the station manager, she tells me to wait a little, and then mentions for me to get checked in, as there is some room! DARN oh well, got my hopes up for nothing! She takes my luggage and proceeds to tell me: “I am sorry sir, I can’t seat you in F but I hope this will be sufficient for you. It’s our way to thank you for willing to leave tomorrow instead!” and then hands me one L’espace Affaires Boarding Pass! Now I am happy!
I am planning to go to the lounge but it took me 30 minutes to go through security and by now the time is 5:55, so I decide to go to the boarding area directly! Pity I haven’t still seen the AF lounge in SFO! I get to boarding and there is already a line forming! The crew had already started to call for F and J! As I try to make my way through the line, an Indian old lady stops me and tells me to wait in line like everybody else, as this was only First and Business boarding! I turn to her and tell her that I am flying Business, she doesn’t say anything but let me through. I give my boarding pass, and thank the crew and walk to the plane! Telling myself I can’t believe this is happening! I have flown C and F several times before but never been OP/UG! I walk to my seat 67K so go up the stairs! A male FA is waiting up the stairs to welcome us in the cabin. I like the layout of the upper deck as it is 2 X 2 and not 2 x 3 x 2 like downstairs. As I am looking around to put my huge roller ( You guys probably hate someone like me! ) another FA comes to me to tell me that I won’t be able to fit it in the overheads but to put it behind the stairs. Allright, so I take what I need and give it to the FA. One thing to mention about AF is that at the contrary to any US airline, they don’t employ 60 year olds as FA, even in the premium cabin. This was a really cute in her late twenties girl. So guys here are another incentive for you to fly AF!
Now talking about the AF J seat! It’s old, but still looks nice, and has a nice width, wider than US, UA J seat. Another downside is the recline, of only 135 degrees. But IMHO the service and crew makes it up more than enough. As everyone is boarded, an FA comes to gives us drinks, of course I take a glass of champaign. We take off and the crew come to ask us what we want to drink. I, like always on a plane before eating, order a glass of whisky on the rocks, which comes with my favorite amuse-bouche, it beats completely cold or warms nut: the fauchon crepes. They are Delicious! The crew then starts the diner service, with the starter dish, which when they come to me, my choice is gone, one difference between other airlines is they don’t ask you what you want to eat before, just ask at the same time than serving. By the time they get to me my starter (smoked salmon) is gone so the FA tells me she will give me first choice for the main dish. She does in fact, and I take the tournedos, which is cooked nicely, maybe a little overcooked, but I like my meat rare, and it was medium rare. For desert I had 3 different sherbet, which was really good, and then a glass of cognac. I then watch a little bit of a movie, and go to sleep.
I wake up a couple hours after that and go get a drink and something to eat, but as this is a flight less than 10 hours and a half there are none of the wonderful little sandwich they usually serve, smoked trout or gouda! Grr so I ask the FA for something to eat and he tells me all he has are Fruits to offer me. I go downstairs to walk around the plane, in Y, but when I come back the FA stops me to ask me if an appetizer from the F cabin will be to my satisfaction. I can’t but give A++++ rating on AF crews! After eating and drinking a little I go back to sleep and wake up as they are serving breakfast. It consisted of an omelet wrapped inside a crepe, some fruit, and drinks. We get to land! Darn I was hoping this flight would go on forever! It pass so quickly when in J.
My girlfriend and her brother are in Paris waiting for me, and we soon leave to their apartment. The next day I was driving down to Toulouse with my parents, and 2 days later to Salamanca, Spain with my sister!
Rating:
Seat: B
Service in flight: A+++
Meal: A (because didn’t have my starter)
Wine and liquor : A-