some critical comments to complement my report trip from CDG to ORD:

1/ boarding
In the last three months, my AF flights aboard A340s from CDG to SFO or ORD have always had boarding by aerobuses, which is not too good. I have noticed that several AF 747s as well as a Delta plane and a Continental plane had a gate. I am given to understand that it isn't possible to use neighboring gates at Terminal 2C when you have a large Jumbo Jet at one of them. Well, I do hope that the extensions projected for 2003 (creation of Terminal 2E) and 2004-2006 (new satellites) will allow all Skyteam airplanes to be boarded without going by bus or aerobus. I'll also check on my next AF flight to Los Angeles, this time on a 747.

2/ elite pre-boarding
Well this seems, at best, a fuzzy area, for which new practices are evolving. What I have gathered from my last intra-France, intra-European and North American trips:

- intra-France: there is no elite pre-boarding; on the contrary, non-elites are boarded first, and elite are boarded last, apparently in order to reduce the time they waste in the queue. I have experienced this on the first day of August, when most French people leave for their vacations and found it sensible.

- intra-European flights: I haven't seen any specific elite boarding, either on AF flights or on the OS flights. Only once have I seen the boarding style used for Intra-France flights.

- long-haul international flights: I haven't seen any specific elite boarding at CDG, either on my AF flights or my Delta flight. What's more, when boarding is done, alas, by aerobuses, I understand that choosing between the two aerobuses should be done not on the basis of elite status but rather on the basis of the time you arrive at the gate.

For return flights to CDG from SFO and ORD, I have always seen a specific boarding for l'Espace passengers, in which the Skyteam Elite and Elite Plus could participate. The latest documentation I have received from Skyteam specifies that Delta and Aeromexico have a specific boarding, with a pre-announcement, whereas Korean Air and AF allow Elite and Elite Plus passengers to board at their convenience (meaning with l'Espace passengers) , for long-haul international flights.

In ORD, Elite Plus boarding is even easier since the lounge gives direct access to the boarding ramp ...

3/ warm nuts
The nuts were not warmed, as many people on this board enjoy them.

4/ glasses for wine and Champagne
AF uses the same type of glasses for all beverages in its l'Espace classes. I quite agree that having specific types of glasses for wines originating from different regions would be an improvement.



[This message has been edited by JOUY31 (edited 02-17-2001).]