Flight/Origin-Destination: AC871 CDG-YUL
Date: 26 October 2011
Cabin: J – 77W
Status: AC*E

Pre departure
Was check in quick and efficient? Upgrade cleared 96 hours before departure. Could not OLCI from my mobile phone in Paris. Seated in 3A

Did you use priority security (if eligible) and if so, was it quick and efficient? No priority security in CDG. Took about 5 minutes, very efficient.

Did you use the Maple Leaf lounge and if so, any feedback in regards to service, food and drinks? The new CDG MLL lounge is better now after the renovation. Better than it was but is still a very unpleasant basement. However, it offers one of the best selection of snacks I’ve seen in a MLL: delicious cheese, charcuteries, smoked salmon, shrimps & scallops. Good wines, obviously.

Was priority boarding offered (if applicable to your status) and efficient? Yes, but we were boarding at gate 41 where there isn’t much waiting space (we usually board in the satellite, where the MLL lounge is, much better). The priority boarding line was crowded with people just waiting. Not very efficient. Something should be done in order to fix this. Moreover, there is a second bridge going directly to the front J cabin but we weren’t allowed to use it.

If there was a delay, did the gate agent provide timely updates? N/A

Onboard - J cabin:
Were the crew professional & well groomed? Yes

If there was a delay, were you provided with timely updates? N/A

Was the IFE activated on the ground? No

Was a pre-departure beverage offered on the ground? Yes, usual sparkling wine or OJ

Did crew offer to hang your jacket? Yes, as soon as I got to my seat.

Were newspapers & menus distributed and meal orders taken (Please specify when meal orders were taken - on the ground or in the air)? Newspapers were offered on the ground but the selection was poor : not offering Le Monde or Liberation in Paris is a shame. Menus were also distributed on the ground and orders taken before take off.

Did crew offer a hot towel prior to the meal service? Yes

Approximately how long after take off did it take for the first meal service to be completed? (From takeoff to all items collected) Can't recall exactly, but approximately 3 hours. Seemed a little long.
How was the quality of all the meals? Uneven. The quality of the foie gras was not exactly what you would expect in executive class… seemed as those poor quality products that remained for too long in a can… Chicken fillet was delicious, though it was coming with instant rice… Wine choice was exactly the same as on the YUL-CDG flight I had taken a week earlier. Some variation would have appreciated. Snack before landing was great.

Did the cabin crew continiously top up the beverage of your choice throughout the flight? Yes.

Post departure
If you have checked baggage, did it arrive within reasonable period of time? N/A, only had a carry-on

Overall experience/any other comments

The chef de cabine was above all, exceptional. Always on top of everything, personalized touch, always trying to accomodate you. I was trying to change my SIM card in my Iphone and my pin wasn’t working… she just pass me her ear ring so I could do it