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AF 84
CDG-SFO
A340 – Seat 6J

Boarding was quick and when my sister informed the agent that she did not have a coupon, he replied that he was already advised of the situation and everything was OK.

As always, FA’s were stationed at the door entrance to greet customers coming onboard. Row 6 is the bulkhead of the second J section and judging by the empty load there were plenty of open seats today. Once we sat down coats were taken followed by pre-departure drinks. An amenity kit and a bottle of Evian water were already placed in the front pouch of every seat. The kit was a hard case in ivory color that included a shoe bag and other basic items. Toothbrushes, facial cotton pads and Evian cleansers were available in the rest rooms. It was departure time at 1020A and no announcements were heard. Another 15-20 min. passed and still no announcements. At this point I moved to two rows behind and secured row 8 for myself. Last time I took this flight we were delayed because of connecting passengers, so I assumed that this time would not be any different. Finally, at about 30 minutes after our scheduled departure time, the captain advised us that there was a minor mechanical issue being corrected and this should not take too long. In this regard, I think that US carriers are more proactive about informing customers and keeping them updated than AF. In the meantime, I see a couple of late passengers making their way into the cabin.

It is approaching 1 hour after departure now and the purser announced that beverage service would start while we were waiting. I guess the delay was not as “minor” as predicted. Afterwards FA’s rolled their beverage carts down the aisle and started the drink service using glasses and distributing small boxes of Fauchon’s roasted almonds & hazelnuts. About 40 minutes later we were ready to go and FA’s prepared the cabin for departure.

Once we climbed to a safe altitude, menus were distributed, another round of beverage service followed and hot towels were passed around. As someone noted on a previous report, AF seems to have a high proportion of male FA’s compared to other carriers and this was evident on my flight today. Two male and one female crew serviced us in our section, while another male purser would appear occasionally to assist (I noticed he stopped by every male psgr to make small conversation, shameful flirting behavior, perhaps). It’s also interesting to note that most crew members that I have come across on AF are young and very decent looking. In most cases the male ones are particularly well selected for some reason.

MENU

Choice of hors d’oeuvre

- Duck foie gras, green tomato marmalade and walnut bread.
- Shrimp marinated with sesame oil, vegetable mirepoix.


Choice of main courses

-Pan seared noisette of lamb, herbed artichokes and simmered carrots.
-Grilled fillet of salmon with pesto olive oil vinaigrette and mashed potatoes with olives.
-Special dish: Filet of free-range chicken with Port wine demi-glace sauce presented with dauphinoise potatoes au gratin and braised endive.


Our special selection of cheese

Camembert, comte, chrevre cendre.


Assorted desserts

Chocolate puff pastry, pear tart, sherbet with cookies, choice of fresh fruit (mandarins and grapes).

Espresso is served at our Bar Espace

Express Service



BUFFET

Sandwiches
Cookies
Baskets of dried and fresh fruit


DINNER

Hors d’oeuvre

Swiss air-dried beef and fennel salad with pineapple.


Choice of main courses

-Pan seared filet of beef, steamed French green beans and wild mushrooms.
-Moroccan style vegetable pie with lemon balm cream sauce.

Our special selection of cheese

Langres, beaufort, olive cendre.

Dessert

Fresh fruit salad.


I love foie gras and this one did not disappoint. It was intense and smooth. The tomato marmalade tasted more like an orange one. Perhaps a last minute substitution. The lamb noisette was delicious and not overcooked perfectly complemented by the slight sweetness of the simmered carrots. Breads were offered from the basket but on AF they are not warmed. The cheese selection was nice with the right balance of contrasting flavors and textures. For dessert, I chose the pear tart, mango sherbet (tasted more like grapefruit to me) and dried cookies. The sherbets and cookies are always a staple. The desserts are served from a cart where everything is displayed and FA’s will gladly serve you all of the above if asked, unlike some other less generous carriers.

Today’s flight was the old cabin configuration and it was a bit worn. I saw a piece of gray duct tape on one of the armrests. Nevertheless, I find the seats to be quite comfortable, especially the built-in pillows. Seat pitch can be improved, though. I guess the new configuration will add an extra 20+% space.

Service was very polite and efficient, although not very engaging. The buffet set up consisted of two parts. For the first couple of hours after the meal service, a basket of fruits, cookies and Lenotre dark chocolate squares were placed in the galley. Afterwards, the sandwiches and dried fruits were available. A FA was in the galley in case you wanted an espresso or any other hot drink.

About less than 2 hours before arrival the second meal started. The appetizer of dried beef was too strong for my taste and I could not finish it. In contrast, the Moroccan pie was outstanding. It had a flaky texture with a tasty filling and the right amount of sauce. The cheese was a welcome addition and the fruit salad had 3 slices of cantaloupe and some grapes. Another choice of dessert would have been nicer but I guess the second meal was designed to be a light and quick service.

I hope you enjoyed reading this report as much as I did in writing it. I am especially thankful to those who replied with feedbacks. For the most part, Flyertalk is composed of some of the most savvy, knowledgeable and sophisticated travelers in the world. Personally I can’t think of a better forum to share my views and experiences.