Originally Posted by orbitmic

All that, but my personal cynical analysis is that it is mostly different competition. On COI routes, AF has either no competition (SXM) or competition with low cost/ex-charters operators. As a result, they feel that they do not really need to try. At least SXM gets normal seats while other COI got the 10-across before it was generalised to the rest of the fleet.

AF just could not get away with such a rubbished down product on SIN, HKG, or JNB or else everyone would be picking SQ, CX, or SA rather than AF.

Incidentally, I think another difference is that at least on the Eastbound flight, you do not have a full bar service with the meal but instead a small bottle of red wine already put on the tray - a bit as used to be the case in the 1980s!