Air France Frequence Plus - Does Tempo Challenge Get Dinged by the UK Departure Tax?

Well, apparently, to my chagrin, AF has added a new cabin (:rolleyes: ) between LHR-CDG (I'm sure this happened years ago, but I haven't flown AF Y for a long time). Since they sell it as a different cabin, shouldn't it get dinged by the UK Premium Cabin departure tax? Does it?

Tempo Challenge is full fare economy so you don't get charged extra tax for flying in this cabin. Tempo Challenge is similar to KLM Europe Select in that you're not guaranteed a middle seat free. If you're not after flexibility Z class business fares are often cheaper than full Y despite the higher UK tax and then you've got a free middle seat.

Miles are 200% whether you're Tempo Challenge or Business.

Despite KLM Europe Select being a premium economy product that is eligible for the higher UK tax, probably because they sell it in the business fare classes.

In so far as it is a physically distinct part of the cabin and only certain higher fares entitle you to access to this cabin, it should be regarded as a premium cabin for the purposes of APD. However, AF may well have gone under the radar of HM Customs & Excise. In any event, they do not seem to charge it as of now.

The AF booking engine makes no distinction between Tempo and Tempo Challenge, they're listed as 'Economy'. So there's probably a lot of people who don't even realise they're getting a premium product until they get on the plane. (You get the same problem with Alizé on the caribbean routes).

Can a curtain really be considered a separate cabin?

Also, if you book Europe Select on a KL flight (AMS-CDG) operated by AF are you booked in Affaires or Tempo Challenge? I assume Affaires but you can never be too sure.