CO BF IAH-CDG: Great trip, great service
Nov 30, 2004, 2:09 pm
#1
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Join Date: Nov 1999
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Posts: 21,808
CO BF IAH-CDG: Great trip, great service
Took advantage of a turkey day BF fare fly PDX-CDG last week.
22 Nov.
After getting to PDX (Amtrak's code for Portland Union station, walked to downtown and took the red line to PDX - very quick trip).
Checkin:
CO's check-in sucks. No web OR self-serve check-in for international itineraries and airport check-in (real person or self-serve) at PDX only starts about 2 1/2 hours prior to departure (self-serve is closed before that time).
Due to poor weather at IAH, the a/c that will be the PDX-IAH redeye hadn't even left IAH at check-in time and is late some 2 hours today. There's a 73H already at the gate but apparently its use now instead of for the 6am flight isn't an option. Go to a landside pub and have a mug of Paulener (hefeweizen from Bavaria) to kill time.
A/c (73G) arrives after 0100 and boarding begins sometime after that. The delay only reduces my layover at IAH from 13 hours to 11. Boarding begins and I take 2A (or is it 1A) - bulkhead seats which is rather comfortable. Drinks and pretzels served. Cold plate served after takeoff which was a bit welcome at this point. Flight a bit rough but I manage to sleep most of the way to IAH.
Get to IAH at around 0800-0830 and head straight for one of the PCs to relax and shower. Eventually wander over to the CO, KL and AF lounges by D gates to check them out. Other than for self-serve beverages and booze, the CO lounge is nicer. KL (open at 1300) lounge has better snacks (in addition to cheese/crackers, there're cookies, biscuits, bulk nuts and dry munchies. KL lounge is divided into 2 sections (though access is not controlled) with a small tv room. Main lounge has very ratty dated furniture while another (premium?) section has newer leather furniture and better alcohol selection. Wine is still cheap bulk californian. Hardly any magazines and papers available.
Eventually wander to the AF lounge at the end of the D concourse when boarding for the KL flight is called and the lounge starts to close. Quite crowded but am welcomed (KL PE/ST E+) nonetheless. Some selection of French papers and magazines. Wines are from French negociants. Just cheese and crackers for snacks otherwise.
FWIW, there are LH and BA lounges over in this part of IAH D.
The overhead pass connecting D and E terminals is now open as noted in to CO forum. Lounge over here is nice and big. A 3 storey affair.
Heading over the gate for CO 10, note that there is a sterile corridor overhead for international arrivals. This arrival facility hasn't been completed yet. Noted that BF was 33/44 for rev pax and presumably the other 11 are NRSAs. Seat chart was full days before for some reason.
Boarding starts and I find my way to 2A. Note that these gats have dual jetways so there's one exclusively for BF. Amenity kit already distributed. Welcomed by lead FA and concierge. Find out from latter arrival lounge in CDG is the AA one (to be closed next year) and not the AF one.
Push back a bit delayed and then a long 1 hour queue for takeoff again due to poor weather and volume. It came as a total surprise to me but who knew that these two international flights would show that a U.S. carrier can provide food and service than rivals or even exceeds the most-acclaimed European and Asian airlines?
Seat Impression: ?
CO BF seats are quite wide. There's 3 seat auto settings: upright, cradle and layflat. Press the button and the seat will go to that position untill you press it again or something else. The seats move forward when you recline so egress of the person behind isn't impeded. Noticed that you can only really control seatback recline when the seat is upright. Other controls are lumbar, leg rest extension and length. Cradle position doesn't recline enough for comfortable sleeping and the flat position (but at an angle) is too steep as you slide off. Something less than full recline works for sleeping on one's side. Not the most comfortable but not too bad. There's a little canopy to give you some privacy from the pax behind.
Only U.S. newspapers and magazines available.
Washrooms: had to use one due to drinking too much prior to takeoff and the hour+ taxi. Went forward but was signalled to go back as the lavs for CO 777 BF are all congregated around door 2 (all 4 of them). These lavs are the largest I've seen and the handicap access one behind 2L is huge. No special toiletries of any sort.
Cabin temperature: ^
I like a cool cabin to sleep in. Too many flights on other airlines, BA notably, have been too hot to sleep. CO keeps the cabin nice and cool (or at least this crew did). Got a better sleep on this flight than my BA CW flight earlier in the year (same/similar flight length and times of day).
Dinner order was taken prior to takeoff. Today, the menu was:
To begin
warm roasted nuts
Appetizer Cart
Smoked, peppered Alaskan salmon accompanied by salmon roulade with cream cheese and creamed horseradish
Air-dried beef garnished with melon and oranges
Salad
Fresh mesclun greens and frisee with buffalo mozzarella cheese, fresh tomato slices, chopped chives and a Kalamata olive
Offered with your choice of balsamic vinaigrette or buttermilk ranch dressing
Freshly baked sourdough bread and assorted rolls with butter
Main Courses
The Chef's Selection
baby rack of lamb au jus with roasted garlic, presented on a bed of herbed couscous. Sauteed zucchini, squash, eggplant and red and green bell peppers. Fine green beans
Herbed breast of Chicken
enhanced by morel mushroom sauce, served over Italian couscous flavored with fresh herbs, Roma tomatoes and red onion. Fresh asparagus spears.
Halibut
Seared halibut with toasted fennel and herbs accented by lemon butter, offered with saffron risotto. Sauteed shiitake mushrooms, cherry tomato and salsify. Fresh green asparagus.
Pasta Bowl
Vegetable lasagne with goat cheese, topped with creamy marinara sauce and artichoke hearts
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese will be offered with your pasta
Fresh zucchini and yellow squash sauteed in olive oil and lightly seasoned with garlic is available upon request to accompany any entree
Fruit and Cheese
Select American and imported cheeses accompanied by fresh seasonal fruits, assorted gourmet crackers and bread, served with Port wine.
Dessert Cart
Featuring Blue Bell(R) Homemade(TM) vanilla ic cream
offered with your choice of toppings
or warm fruit cobbler topped with vanilla ice cream
Started with champagne and nuts (refills offered), after the warm towel came about. There's no tray with CO. Your table linen is laid out and the napkin/cutlery pack (steel knives!), butter and bread side plate, salt & pepper shaker and water glass (refilled from a metal pitcher).
Appetiser cart came next and a selection of both choices was always offered as was bread (3-4 times during the meal - much more than I've experienced even in FC). Very good quality if a bit small.
Salad came next served in a small bowl. Interesting but a bit small compared to salads that used to be served in domestic FC last year? Again very good.
Chose the lamb for a main which was supposedly designed by Roy Yamaguchi. It was very good if not exactly tender nor big. Just 3 small chops. Beans came served on a side dish. CO main courses are not preplated. Went to a St. Emillion Bordeaux for this course.
The cheese selection was a choice of 4 cheeses: 1 Cheddar and 3 French cheeses. Had the french cheeses with port and crackers and some fruit (some 5-6 fruits offered) and declined more fruit and bread (it's an all-you-want offering.
Dessert cart came along and it was a choice of sundaes (served in CO's wine glasses) with too many toppings (3 sauces, nuts and cream) but decided on the peach cobbler with ice cream. Other than the filling tasting of canned peaches of Smuckers, it was very good. Took this with some decaf before choosing sleep (all the wa until 1 hr short of CDG). I'd say the weak point with dessert is the icecream which I found left a dry powdery mouthfeel.
I'd rate the food and service as being much better than BA's CW product. Not a choice of cheese or dessert for one.
IFE personal screens are a bit small. Only watched Bourne Supremacy over dinner.
Awoke 1 hr short of landing at CDG (southerly root so making landfall over the tip of Cornwall). Breakfast service was well underway so I lit the call button. My breakfast tray was cheerfully brought to me w/o asking.
Menu is
Selection of juices
Fresh Seasonal Fruits
Assorted breads
including warm croissants and cinammon and crusty rolls with butter and strawberry preserves
Omelette
garnished with button mushrooms
seasoned potato cubes grilled ham steak
Selected Cereal
served with milk, yoghurt and a banana
Only had the fruit and croissant (quite good) with coffee.
Landing on this sunny clear day was from the west with a short taxi to a real jetway at CDG2A. Still some 1 1/2 hrs late. No time made up during the flight.
Leaving at a/c at CDG, I notied that I had flown on Ship 001, the Gordo Buffoon.. If CO's employees really like Gordo, they didn't make any announcement. Wonder if this had to do with the smell of what seemed liked fresh urine when one boarded the a/c at IAH?
No one at immigration so I was landside within 2 minutes of disembarkation. Missed the concierge so had to find my way to the AA arrivals lounge (to be closed in Feb. 2005). Toiletries here inclide Paco Rabanne shower gel and after shave lotion, Roger & Galette soap amd shampoo.
Service: :-: ^
Had the same IAH-based cabin crew both ways who were simply great. One of the best crews, even better than some CX FC crews when there were only 2 of us in the cabin. They got to spend an extra day in Paris instead of the usual 2. Particularly, the FA (possibly English given her slight accent, choice of words/phrases) doing the servng on my side made a point to greet me by name when on any service point on the way back (almost to the point of beign excessive), and was very sincerely warm. Also learnt that excess BF mains are loaded and the cabin crew get the leftovers.
Return on CO 11
Came back to CDG 2A 2 days later for CO 11 back to IAH. Usual security questions but a light lineup. Got my BP within 4-5 minutes of starting the process. Invitation issued for the AF lounge. This lounge is divided into 2 parts though you can go between the two for now. Internet terminals supplied if you don't have your own PC. Good place to stock up on water if not flying up front.
Boarding was chaotic as usual. Too many Y pax trying to go through the BF line. Though I think there's 2 jetways, only 1 is used today so we board through 2L. Noticed than this is ship 18 so I've flown the first and most recent of CO's 18 777s. Warmly greeted by the cabin crew who recoqnized me from 2-3 days earlier and took 2A again. Amenity kits ared distributed with pre-flight drinks order. Only French newspaper and magazines available (english ones are stale).
Departure is delayed due to some checked in noshows and loading of standbys (again NSRAs?) who took empty BF seats. This flight had been showing fully booked but had gone to J2/C2 that morning. Departure was delayed some 45 minutes and we are behind 2 AF 772s and a 332 in takeoff lineup. See a pair of AF 773ERs parked side by side in a maintenance area.
Lunch today
To begin
warm roasted nuts
Appetizer Cart
baby shrimp wrapped with smoked salmon accompanied by horseradish sauce
Foie gras parfait with fig garnished with green grapes and oranges
Salad
Mesclun salad mix with tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion rings and julienned red bell pepper
Offered with your choice of tomato and thyme vinaigrette or parmesan peppercorn dressing
Freshly baked bread and assorted rolls with butter
Main Courses
The Chef's Selection
Grilled New York strip steak accented by garlic butter. green asparaus tips. buttered bay carrots. Mashed potatoes
Roasted Duck
Roasted breast of duck with sauteed onions complemented by balsamic cherry sauce baby carrots, fine green beans and roasted parsnips Celery root puree
Halibut Bouillabaisse
Seared fillet of halibut accompanied by a rich seafood stew, served on a bed of white wine risotto. Sauteed baby fennel.
Pasta Bowl
Ravioli filled with cheese and basil enhanced by creamy and red pesto sauces, topped with toasted pine nuts.
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese will be offered with your pasta
Fresh zucchini and yellow squash sauteed in olive oil and lightly seasoned with garlic is available upon request to accompany any entree
Fruit and Cheese
Select European cheeses accompanied by fresh seasonal fruit, assorted gourmet crackers and rolls, served with Port wine.
Dessert Cart
Featuring vanilla ice cream offered with your choice of toppings
or warm fruit cobbler topped with vanilla ice cream
Service was as good or better for this flight. Started with a champagne with the nuts, a white Burgundy for the appetiser and salad before moving to a Bordeaux for the duck.
The foie gras parfait was canned. The distinctive trapezoid cross section stll showed. Nice attempt at gourmet food though. Salad again was good is not a bit small. Duck was a bit tough but at least CO didn't attempt to pass it off as a magret. The sauce made the dish. 4 french cheeses so i had a bit of each with some fruit and crackers. No fruit cobbler but apple pie so I had one a la mode.
Slept and lounged most of the way after that as did most of the other pax. Warm chocolaye chip cookie and ornage juice offered midflight.
Flight path today was up through England, over the Isle of Man and the north end of Northern Ireland. Don't recall if Greenland was crossed. It was very cloidy except for the last 45 mins of flight and scattered breaks over Ireland. made landfall in N. America over the Labrador coast, down through Quebec, passing south of James Bay, over Ontario and crossing into the U.S. near Sault Ste. Marie.
Refreshments served 1:30 prior to landing.
Fresh seasonal fruit
Hot sandwich
Sliced roast beef on a focaccia roll, accompanied by herb mustard dipping sauce
Chocolate
It was a fruit plate and a plate with the sandwich (rather large) which seemed like it had a Philly steak sandwich filling (I think it had cheese and onions?). Rather bland so the mustard made it.
Chocolate was a box of 2 Irish premium chocolates.
22 Nov.
After getting to PDX (Amtrak's code for Portland Union station, walked to downtown and took the red line to PDX - very quick trip).
Checkin:
CO's check-in sucks. No web OR self-serve check-in for international itineraries and airport check-in (real person or self-serve) at PDX only starts about 2 1/2 hours prior to departure (self-serve is closed before that time).
Due to poor weather at IAH, the a/c that will be the PDX-IAH redeye hadn't even left IAH at check-in time and is late some 2 hours today. There's a 73H already at the gate but apparently its use now instead of for the 6am flight isn't an option. Go to a landside pub and have a mug of Paulener (hefeweizen from Bavaria) to kill time.
A/c (73G) arrives after 0100 and boarding begins sometime after that. The delay only reduces my layover at IAH from 13 hours to 11. Boarding begins and I take 2A (or is it 1A) - bulkhead seats which is rather comfortable. Drinks and pretzels served. Cold plate served after takeoff which was a bit welcome at this point. Flight a bit rough but I manage to sleep most of the way to IAH.
Get to IAH at around 0800-0830 and head straight for one of the PCs to relax and shower. Eventually wander over to the CO, KL and AF lounges by D gates to check them out. Other than for self-serve beverages and booze, the CO lounge is nicer. KL (open at 1300) lounge has better snacks (in addition to cheese/crackers, there're cookies, biscuits, bulk nuts and dry munchies. KL lounge is divided into 2 sections (though access is not controlled) with a small tv room. Main lounge has very ratty dated furniture while another (premium?) section has newer leather furniture and better alcohol selection. Wine is still cheap bulk californian. Hardly any magazines and papers available.
Eventually wander to the AF lounge at the end of the D concourse when boarding for the KL flight is called and the lounge starts to close. Quite crowded but am welcomed (KL PE/ST E+) nonetheless. Some selection of French papers and magazines. Wines are from French negociants. Just cheese and crackers for snacks otherwise.
FWIW, there are LH and BA lounges over in this part of IAH D.
The overhead pass connecting D and E terminals is now open as noted in to CO forum. Lounge over here is nice and big. A 3 storey affair.
Heading over the gate for CO 10, note that there is a sterile corridor overhead for international arrivals. This arrival facility hasn't been completed yet. Noted that BF was 33/44 for rev pax and presumably the other 11 are NRSAs. Seat chart was full days before for some reason.
Boarding starts and I find my way to 2A. Note that these gats have dual jetways so there's one exclusively for BF. Amenity kit already distributed. Welcomed by lead FA and concierge. Find out from latter arrival lounge in CDG is the AA one (to be closed next year) and not the AF one.
Push back a bit delayed and then a long 1 hour queue for takeoff again due to poor weather and volume. It came as a total surprise to me but who knew that these two international flights would show that a U.S. carrier can provide food and service than rivals or even exceeds the most-acclaimed European and Asian airlines?
Seat Impression: ?
CO BF seats are quite wide. There's 3 seat auto settings: upright, cradle and layflat. Press the button and the seat will go to that position untill you press it again or something else. The seats move forward when you recline so egress of the person behind isn't impeded. Noticed that you can only really control seatback recline when the seat is upright. Other controls are lumbar, leg rest extension and length. Cradle position doesn't recline enough for comfortable sleeping and the flat position (but at an angle) is too steep as you slide off. Something less than full recline works for sleeping on one's side. Not the most comfortable but not too bad. There's a little canopy to give you some privacy from the pax behind.
Only U.S. newspapers and magazines available.
Washrooms: had to use one due to drinking too much prior to takeoff and the hour+ taxi. Went forward but was signalled to go back as the lavs for CO 777 BF are all congregated around door 2 (all 4 of them). These lavs are the largest I've seen and the handicap access one behind 2L is huge. No special toiletries of any sort.
Cabin temperature: ^
I like a cool cabin to sleep in. Too many flights on other airlines, BA notably, have been too hot to sleep. CO keeps the cabin nice and cool (or at least this crew did). Got a better sleep on this flight than my BA CW flight earlier in the year (same/similar flight length and times of day).
Dinner order was taken prior to takeoff. Today, the menu was:
To begin
warm roasted nuts
Appetizer Cart
Smoked, peppered Alaskan salmon accompanied by salmon roulade with cream cheese and creamed horseradish
Air-dried beef garnished with melon and oranges
Salad
Fresh mesclun greens and frisee with buffalo mozzarella cheese, fresh tomato slices, chopped chives and a Kalamata olive
Offered with your choice of balsamic vinaigrette or buttermilk ranch dressing
Freshly baked sourdough bread and assorted rolls with butter
Main Courses
The Chef's Selection
baby rack of lamb au jus with roasted garlic, presented on a bed of herbed couscous. Sauteed zucchini, squash, eggplant and red and green bell peppers. Fine green beans
Herbed breast of Chicken
enhanced by morel mushroom sauce, served over Italian couscous flavored with fresh herbs, Roma tomatoes and red onion. Fresh asparagus spears.
Halibut
Seared halibut with toasted fennel and herbs accented by lemon butter, offered with saffron risotto. Sauteed shiitake mushrooms, cherry tomato and salsify. Fresh green asparagus.
Pasta Bowl
Vegetable lasagne with goat cheese, topped with creamy marinara sauce and artichoke hearts
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese will be offered with your pasta
Fresh zucchini and yellow squash sauteed in olive oil and lightly seasoned with garlic is available upon request to accompany any entree
Fruit and Cheese
Select American and imported cheeses accompanied by fresh seasonal fruits, assorted gourmet crackers and bread, served with Port wine.
Dessert Cart
Featuring Blue Bell(R) Homemade(TM) vanilla ic cream
offered with your choice of toppings
or warm fruit cobbler topped with vanilla ice cream
Started with champagne and nuts (refills offered), after the warm towel came about. There's no tray with CO. Your table linen is laid out and the napkin/cutlery pack (steel knives!), butter and bread side plate, salt & pepper shaker and water glass (refilled from a metal pitcher).
Appetiser cart came next and a selection of both choices was always offered as was bread (3-4 times during the meal - much more than I've experienced even in FC). Very good quality if a bit small.
Salad came next served in a small bowl. Interesting but a bit small compared to salads that used to be served in domestic FC last year? Again very good.
Chose the lamb for a main which was supposedly designed by Roy Yamaguchi. It was very good if not exactly tender nor big. Just 3 small chops. Beans came served on a side dish. CO main courses are not preplated. Went to a St. Emillion Bordeaux for this course.
The cheese selection was a choice of 4 cheeses: 1 Cheddar and 3 French cheeses. Had the french cheeses with port and crackers and some fruit (some 5-6 fruits offered) and declined more fruit and bread (it's an all-you-want offering.
Dessert cart came along and it was a choice of sundaes (served in CO's wine glasses) with too many toppings (3 sauces, nuts and cream) but decided on the peach cobbler with ice cream. Other than the filling tasting of canned peaches of Smuckers, it was very good. Took this with some decaf before choosing sleep (all the wa until 1 hr short of CDG). I'd say the weak point with dessert is the icecream which I found left a dry powdery mouthfeel.
I'd rate the food and service as being much better than BA's CW product. Not a choice of cheese or dessert for one.
IFE personal screens are a bit small. Only watched Bourne Supremacy over dinner.
Awoke 1 hr short of landing at CDG (southerly root so making landfall over the tip of Cornwall). Breakfast service was well underway so I lit the call button. My breakfast tray was cheerfully brought to me w/o asking.
Menu is
Selection of juices
Fresh Seasonal Fruits
Assorted breads
including warm croissants and cinammon and crusty rolls with butter and strawberry preserves
Omelette
garnished with button mushrooms
seasoned potato cubes grilled ham steak
Selected Cereal
served with milk, yoghurt and a banana
Only had the fruit and croissant (quite good) with coffee.
Landing on this sunny clear day was from the west with a short taxi to a real jetway at CDG2A. Still some 1 1/2 hrs late. No time made up during the flight.
Leaving at a/c at CDG, I notied that I had flown on Ship 001, the Gordo Buffoon.. If CO's employees really like Gordo, they didn't make any announcement. Wonder if this had to do with the smell of what seemed liked fresh urine when one boarded the a/c at IAH?
No one at immigration so I was landside within 2 minutes of disembarkation. Missed the concierge so had to find my way to the AA arrivals lounge (to be closed in Feb. 2005). Toiletries here inclide Paco Rabanne shower gel and after shave lotion, Roger & Galette soap amd shampoo.
Service: :-: ^
Had the same IAH-based cabin crew both ways who were simply great. One of the best crews, even better than some CX FC crews when there were only 2 of us in the cabin. They got to spend an extra day in Paris instead of the usual 2. Particularly, the FA (possibly English given her slight accent, choice of words/phrases) doing the servng on my side made a point to greet me by name when on any service point on the way back (almost to the point of beign excessive), and was very sincerely warm. Also learnt that excess BF mains are loaded and the cabin crew get the leftovers.
Return on CO 11
Came back to CDG 2A 2 days later for CO 11 back to IAH. Usual security questions but a light lineup. Got my BP within 4-5 minutes of starting the process. Invitation issued for the AF lounge. This lounge is divided into 2 parts though you can go between the two for now. Internet terminals supplied if you don't have your own PC. Good place to stock up on water if not flying up front.
Boarding was chaotic as usual. Too many Y pax trying to go through the BF line. Though I think there's 2 jetways, only 1 is used today so we board through 2L. Noticed than this is ship 18 so I've flown the first and most recent of CO's 18 777s. Warmly greeted by the cabin crew who recoqnized me from 2-3 days earlier and took 2A again. Amenity kits ared distributed with pre-flight drinks order. Only French newspaper and magazines available (english ones are stale).
Departure is delayed due to some checked in noshows and loading of standbys (again NSRAs?) who took empty BF seats. This flight had been showing fully booked but had gone to J2/C2 that morning. Departure was delayed some 45 minutes and we are behind 2 AF 772s and a 332 in takeoff lineup. See a pair of AF 773ERs parked side by side in a maintenance area.
Lunch today
To begin
warm roasted nuts
Appetizer Cart
baby shrimp wrapped with smoked salmon accompanied by horseradish sauce
Foie gras parfait with fig garnished with green grapes and oranges
Salad
Mesclun salad mix with tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion rings and julienned red bell pepper
Offered with your choice of tomato and thyme vinaigrette or parmesan peppercorn dressing
Freshly baked bread and assorted rolls with butter
Main Courses
The Chef's Selection
Grilled New York strip steak accented by garlic butter. green asparaus tips. buttered bay carrots. Mashed potatoes
Roasted Duck
Roasted breast of duck with sauteed onions complemented by balsamic cherry sauce baby carrots, fine green beans and roasted parsnips Celery root puree
Halibut Bouillabaisse
Seared fillet of halibut accompanied by a rich seafood stew, served on a bed of white wine risotto. Sauteed baby fennel.
Pasta Bowl
Ravioli filled with cheese and basil enhanced by creamy and red pesto sauces, topped with toasted pine nuts.
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese will be offered with your pasta
Fresh zucchini and yellow squash sauteed in olive oil and lightly seasoned with garlic is available upon request to accompany any entree
Fruit and Cheese
Select European cheeses accompanied by fresh seasonal fruit, assorted gourmet crackers and rolls, served with Port wine.
Dessert Cart
Featuring vanilla ice cream offered with your choice of toppings
or warm fruit cobbler topped with vanilla ice cream
Service was as good or better for this flight. Started with a champagne with the nuts, a white Burgundy for the appetiser and salad before moving to a Bordeaux for the duck.
The foie gras parfait was canned. The distinctive trapezoid cross section stll showed. Nice attempt at gourmet food though. Salad again was good is not a bit small. Duck was a bit tough but at least CO didn't attempt to pass it off as a magret. The sauce made the dish. 4 french cheeses so i had a bit of each with some fruit and crackers. No fruit cobbler but apple pie so I had one a la mode.
Slept and lounged most of the way after that as did most of the other pax. Warm chocolaye chip cookie and ornage juice offered midflight.
Flight path today was up through England, over the Isle of Man and the north end of Northern Ireland. Don't recall if Greenland was crossed. It was very cloidy except for the last 45 mins of flight and scattered breaks over Ireland. made landfall in N. America over the Labrador coast, down through Quebec, passing south of James Bay, over Ontario and crossing into the U.S. near Sault Ste. Marie.
Refreshments served 1:30 prior to landing.
Fresh seasonal fruit
Hot sandwich
Sliced roast beef on a focaccia roll, accompanied by herb mustard dipping sauce
Chocolate
It was a fruit plate and a plate with the sandwich (rather large) which seemed like it had a Philly steak sandwich filling (I think it had cheese and onions?). Rather bland so the mustard made it.
Chocolate was a box of 2 Irish premium chocolates.
Last edited by terenz; Nov 30, 2004 at 3:36 pm Reason: finished
Nov 30, 2004, 3:37 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 1999
Programs: FB Silver going for Gold
Posts: 21,808
Continued due to 15,000 character limit
Flight approached IAH from the east and landed at 1713 and getting to the gate at arounnd 1717. Somehow, I managed to make the next SEA flight that pushed back at 1745.
IAH-SEA
Didn't even know what flight number this IAH-SEA flight was. It was a 752. Gate agents would only put me in the back but the cabin crew let me take 1A best seat along with 1C and for some reason both not taken). These 752s are loud. I could hardly make an onboard call with the a/c noise. Missed the prefight beverages. pre-dining nuts served was in a dish rather than packaged. Meal was a salad with dressing container and roll/butter. Don't recall an appetiser. Main course selection was a beef lasagna and a chicken something. Took the beef which wa tasty enough and served in a big bowl.
Dessert was the ubiquitous sundae which wasn't all that good (strange ice cream again).
Inflight movie was The Terminal (Hildago on the SEA-IAH).
Crew was a letdown with more lax don't-care attitude. The reason for this is that they had to fly IAH-SEA-ANC on the same stretch.
4:04 flight to SEA and wait to takeoff was only some 15 minutes. On same runway as CO10 just 70 hours earlier. Rather uneventful.
IAH-SEA
Didn't even know what flight number this IAH-SEA flight was. It was a 752. Gate agents would only put me in the back but the cabin crew let me take 1A best seat along with 1C and for some reason both not taken). These 752s are loud. I could hardly make an onboard call with the a/c noise. Missed the prefight beverages. pre-dining nuts served was in a dish rather than packaged. Meal was a salad with dressing container and roll/butter. Don't recall an appetiser. Main course selection was a beef lasagna and a chicken something. Took the beef which wa tasty enough and served in a big bowl.
Dessert was the ubiquitous sundae which wasn't all that good (strange ice cream again).
Inflight movie was The Terminal (Hildago on the SEA-IAH).
Crew was a letdown with more lax don't-care attitude. The reason for this is that they had to fly IAH-SEA-ANC on the same stretch.
4:04 flight to SEA and wait to takeoff was only some 15 minutes. On same runway as CO10 just 70 hours earlier. Rather uneventful.
Dec 3, 2004, 5:28 pm
#3
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Burlingame, CA
Programs: TK Miles & Smiles, CM ConnectMiles, AA Advantage
Posts: 2,129
Great report
Thanks, terenz for taking the time to write this and share your experience. I too was over in CDG for the holiday wknd. It was cloudy the whole time except for Mon when I left (it always seems to happen that way).
Your observations about CO BF are right on and validates what others have said about their J cabin. If I were to pay for a J fare, CO would be my first choice for a US carrier. About your check-in experience, I believe that all international itineraries have to be manually checked by a person for document verification as well as security reasons.
Hope you had a great time in Paris. I sure enjoyed mine and am looking forward to the next trip.
Your observations about CO BF are right on and validates what others have said about their J cabin. If I were to pay for a J fare, CO would be my first choice for a US carrier. About your check-in experience, I believe that all international itineraries have to be manually checked by a person for document verification as well as security reasons.
Hope you had a great time in Paris. I sure enjoyed mine and am looking forward to the next trip.