I'm a recent convert to AF after years of declining standards from OneWorld airlines, and have done a few paid P returns from CDG-JFK over the past couple of months, all on the 777-300.

Overall, I'm a happy customer, and will be back over and over assuming all remains the same with the product.

That said, in the spirit of what seems to be AF's genuine interest in providing a world-class product, here are a few thoughts along the way...

The ground experience is virtually flawless. One minor nitpick: When flying alone, ensuring each passenger has a separate car for the transfers would add to the exclusive feel of the product.

The hard product on the 777 is exceptional. I was wary of the curtain concept before trying it, and am deeply impressed at how spacious it remains while being private and very functional.

The service has also been faultless on all sectors. I've had crews just as good on other carriers, but not so consistently.

Please get rid of the little crackers at the seat before takeoff. These feel decidedly non-premium.

Having invested so much in so many places, I'm surprised they can't manage a proper caviar service. For an airline which doesn't hesitate to serve Cristal onboard, this seems like a no-brainer, and would round out the indulgence factor. Indeed, having a few extra tins would really create a wow.

While the food in the lounge is out of this world for airport fare, I find the menus onboard sparse in general in terms of variety, and the quality of catering ex-CDG is surprisingly average, (it seems consistently higher ex-JFK, except for the cheese.) Don't get me wrong....it's a solid offering, decent quality and plenty of food.....but it doesn't quite live up to the rest of the experience. More choice would be welcome.

The wine quality is very good, though back in my heavy drinking days I would have been a little irritated at Bombay Sapphire in this setting. And being a French airline, please load a good vintage Calvados for heaven's sake!

The arrivals experience at JFK is probably the best offered by any airline in the USA. They are brilliant, and seem to have the run of the airport.

Unfortunately, the departure and connection experiences inbound let them down badly. A tarmac transfer coordinated with Delta if necessary when connecting on the same itinerary should be standard. The check-in and escort are well done, however.

That said, the lowest point of the entire experience is the JFK lounge. It's a hole; even the odd and tiny private F area. The catering is good, though not special in any way. Unfortunately it is let down badly by poorly trained service staff who speak little English and no French. Unlike the polish at CDG, this is low-end American diner service. It's not a nice way to start the journey home, and surprising that standards are so low for their premiere outstation. The lounge itself is not inviting, and the F area feels like a kids playroom, not a first class lounge.

A buggy could be provided for the transfer from lounge to gate, as it always seems a bit of a walk.

Finally, the menus ex-JFK, though of a high quality, are again extremely limited.

All this said, the ground services make this easily the best product on the route, and from the EU to the USA overall. But while AF might be tempted to settle for that, the investment required to blow the competition hopelessly out of the water seems a pittance when considering what they are already putting into the product. I'll give it a 93/100, but would love to see them be as flawless as I think they very well could.