kymbakitty

I originally posted this on Delta, not realizing the question should be on this forum. Our flight is operated by Delta, but it is AF.

We'll be on the A-380 in the Premium Voyager Class to BCN (via LAX/CDG) next week, flight 1648, seat 81A/82A (couldn't get two together so gave my husband exit seat).

I realize this is not anywhere near Biz Class, but the Premium Voyager class does seem to have some pretty big improvements over your typical premium economy in most planes, giving you six inches of extra legroom and everything else the same. However, upon further review, I noticed that not only are their "cradles" very nearby, the entire section 81 A/B rows are designated for minors traveling alone. Wow...of all the seats, I wonder why these seats would have this designation....out of 519 passengers? Typically one would assume these are "little people" and wouldn't even use all the room in an economy seat...I wonder why they would designated the Premium Economy seats for those passengers?

If I read the website correctly, we can pay $35 each for access to the lounge at LAX. Does anyone know if it this correct? If so, is the LAX lounge worth $70, or would you just go have a nice lunch somewhere. LAX has a really nice restaurant (looks like Saturn)...food just okay, but views are fabulous. We have 4 hours from the time we land in LAX (from SMF) and the scheduled take off to BCN (via CDG).

One more thing...we are already expecting that our luggage will not make it to our arrival in BCN because we have just over an hour to connect to flight 1648. Plus I've been told by an AF Rep that I can't make seat arrangements and we just need to get over to the gate as soon as possible. She said everyone making that connection will be in the same position. I guess I should wonder if we will make it--let alone our luggage--ha!

Any one make this connection AND get their luggage? Of course it depends on a lot of factors, but any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Dawn

ramblings

You may try to offer 82B the exit seat in order to sit together.

I’m not sure about the child designation for that area. I have sat in 81L and do not recall children anywhere (complete opposite of my experience on domestic Delta flights).

The LAX lounge has a view and when it’s not crowded, it can be a good break. The wine, liquor and beer are adequate and there is brie. The terminal outside the lounge is crowded and loud, there are no acoustic treatments to attenuate sound, so if you need/want peace, and some lubrication, it may be worth the cost.

When you check in online for the AF flight (30 hours prior), you will/should have the option for checking into the CDG/BCN flight and can then select your seats; and the same for your return.

Luggage should be fine this time of year, but then again, it is AF. I’ve had mine delayed (SFO/BCN and LAX/BCN) at the peak of summer and during The Snowstorm of 2009.

Have fun in Barcelona!

olivedel

Indeed all CDG-LAX flights marketed by DL and with a DL code are operated by Air France.

I have never heard such a thing. Maybe you talked to an incompetent agent.

The fare is between $35 to $50. Anyways, I would not pay $70 for such a poor lounge at LAX.
However, as you are connecting to a Premium Economy flight to Europe, lounge access should be granted to you at CDG during your layover there.

Whao, you really got to talk to an incompetent agent!
For the seats, you will be able to select the seats at check-in at your origin airport, or through OLCI, not at the CDG gate.
For the luggage, it should be tagged to your final destination at your orginating airport. There are always chances that your luggage would not make the connection, but not more than usual. As you are an experienced traveller, you should know that you need your essentials for 1-2 days in your carry-on .

There is no specific risk of not making your connection or for them to delay your luggage, but anything can happen. Connection time seems acceptable.

Enjoy your experience with AF!

irishguy28

Premium Voyageur does not give you automatic lounge access. Guests in PV can, however, buy access

http://www.airfrance.us/US/en/common...r_aeroport.htm

Seats on Short-Haul flights in economy class can not be booked in advance. They can be selected at checkin.

irishguy28

If an unaccompanied minor has a Premium Voyageur ticket, then of course they would sit in the PV cabin.

Some airlines show on their seat maps which seats are designated for Unaccompanied Minors. I do not know if AF do reserve/block seats for UMs, but logistically, it probably makes sense if UMs are typically carried in the same seats within each cabin. It's probably less of an issue in the PV cabin, which is quite small. But particularly in the Voyageur cabin, it wouldn't logistically make sense to have UMs scattered around the entire cabin.


This, of course, doesn't mean that only Unaccompanied Minors can sit in these seats. The vast majority of flights will have no such unaccompanied minors on them.

MSPeconomist

If the OP or spouse (who is we?????) are at least GM on DL, as SkyTeam ElitePlus on international itinerary, they have lounge access. If one is a SC member, even for thirty days, they have access to the DL T5 and AF lounges at LAX as well as the 2E lounge at CDG.

tpatta

If you are on the A380 I believe you have access to the KE lounge at the Bradley terminal, if you meet the entry requirements. Terminal 2 (the 777 flights) have a mediocre lounge at best.

Goldorak

you are right but that's not what Olivedel was saying. He was saying that the connection to a European flight in Premium Eco will grant free lounge access in CDG, and this is correct.

kymbakitty

Actually, I saw the Unaccompanied Minors section on Air France's website when I pulled up A380's cabin map. I think they are designed by smiley faces (can't remember now), but I realize on a long haul, even if this was the designated place for them (they are not shown anywhere else on the plane, not that I saw anyway), there wouldn't be many. I also saw cradles (yikes)...I'd take an unaccompanied minor any day of the week. I highly doubt there will be that many little babies on this flight, but who knows. Some things you cannot control and just have to make do.

http://www.airfrance.us/US/en/common...lan_cabine.htm

Wow...that must be some pretty awful lounge. Maybe we'll just head over to http://www.encounterlax.com/ and spend our $$ there. We'll have 3 1/2 hours so we won't have to rush for "okay" food--ha!!!

We barely have time to make it to the connecting flight to BCN....and that is if we are on time! Me and DH (that is the "we") will not have time to even look for the lounge, let alone walk in the front door!

Yes, I see that now. I was going to ask when we checked in at LAX. I'm glad to see that we'll have seat assignment. Not a big deal, but one less thing to think about (I know we'll have seats, but seat assignments is even better.)

Yes, we have been traveling abroad for nearly two decades. Many cruises, many land vacations. We've been super lucky in the luggage department...only once did we have to wait for it the next day--but at least it came.

It's been a very long time since we didn't get our luggage at BCN. I'm guessing they won't deliver it to our hotel like they did 15-18 years ago when we booked the hotel through the cruiseline--ha! Worse case scenario, we'll just get a taxi to/from BCN to get it.

Dawn

kymbakitty

We? Sorry....been married so long it is just "we"...but it is "me" and DH. Not sure why it required that response....(who is we?????), but okay.

We...oops...there I go again...I am Diamond w/Hilton and Plat w/Marriott...and have a lot of SWA points, but seldom ever fly SWA for personal vacations. We've flown a lot of different airlines, but nothing that would give us status (Qantas to Aussie, British Airways to Paris/Vienna, Delta to Rome, Delta to Barbados, United to Budapesh/Amsterdam), and I can't recall what airline we took to Ireland/London, but I want to say United.

But we have ZERO status on any of them. And I can't justify paying $450 for the Gold AMEX...mostly because I want Hilton points.

olivedel

That is right but there is no UM seat in Premium. For the baby, yes there is a slight chance you will get one in row 80.

Yes they would. Just list all the places you will stay in the next 15 days and you would be fine. In addition, you would be able to track your file on the internet and complete it if necessary.

kymbakitty

Very good to know! Wow...that is great service! I don't think they do that in the states....?

We'll be in Barcelona for 3 days, then on a cruise ship for the next two weeks, so I'm guessing if it doesn't make it with the passengers, it will probably make it the next day. At least I would hope so. I am pretty sure no airline is going to send the luggage to another country in Spain!

Thanks!!!!

olivedel

Yes, they do At least Delta and United have always done it for me when I lived in Chicago.