pokeshot

Just had my first La Premiere flight this weekend. Pretty happy with the on-board product, given my limited experience with other airlines in First (old LH and Swiss). However, the ground experience at CDG could have been better. I arrived from my home airport at 2G, made my way over to 2E for the long haul flight to LAX. All the directions said that I should look for the La Premiere lounge opposite Gate 14. Now, silly me, but I could not find Gate 14 as there is only signage for gates 21 and up. By the time I gave up looking (couldn't find a AF rep or info point easily), it was time to go to my departure gate. I ended up in line with everyone else (100+ pax) in the priority line. I'm easy to please, so it did not bother me too much. Actually the crew in F seemed surprised with me coming in, and other F passengers did not show up for another 20 minutes or so.

I upgraded from J/C on short notice, so I did not expect any special treatment any. Still wondering if this was the typical F experience on Air France.

Xandrios

Wow, seems AF failed you here. Aren't they not supposed to pick you up from the incoming flight?

carnarvon

This could be a translation issue.

In French, it says "porte 14", which can mean "gate" as "boarding date", but "door" as well.

In fact "door" 14 is land side.

I do not know how connections are handled by AF, for my only experience is leaving from CDG where the La Premiere area land side is well marked.

Did you connect from 2G to 2E land side or air side?

If air side, in your case, had AF failed to pick me up if this is what they are supposed to do, I would have gone to the business class lounge. They would have sorted it out. Wouldn't they?

If land side, I would have gone to the La Premiere area.

But this is definitely something AF should have taken care of.

orbitmic

I must admit that I find that part a little strange - there are some, quite literally everywhere not least at the transfer desks where you will have arrived from 2G if transferring airside, and at the sales desk at the entry of 2E if you chose to go landside. I did think AF should have sent someone to get you at your arrival flight, and it is fair you could write and complain about that not happening, and I also do think the information for connecting passengers on how to find the lounge is confusing on the AF website. However, for the rest, I can only imagine that you were focussing so hard on finding that mythical "gate 14 that you did not see the AF agents around you.

Zembla

They should have met you at the gate, but...I agree with Bruno, If I look for something and can't find it quickly, I ask someone...
-Agents at the priority lane entry points
-Agents at the transfer desk
-Agents at the information desks
-Agents at the gates
-Agents at the check in areas (the ones that are standing around)
-Agenst at the check in desks
-The 1st class check in area in 2E
-Friendly people at the shops
-etc...

brunos

I agree with everyone that they should have met you at the gate of your Nuremberg flight. But as you probably upgraded last minute, they might have missed your arrival flight. And the flight is now operated by HOP.
I agree too that your statement that you could not find an AF agent to answer your search quite weird.

That being said, there is no doubt that the information provided by AF website totally misleading. Stating French or English that the salon is at Gate (Porte) 14 is crap. They refer to the outdoor check-in service (some versions of AF website mention 2.12), but impossible to figure that out from the English website.

pokeshot

Agree with all of you. and again: i am not complaining, just wondering.

i connected from 2g to 2e airside using the Bus. if you Are airside there is no mention of the First Class Lounge. and no, I did not see any AF personell until I got to the gates. I only had about an hour until my flight, once I got to 2e, and after wandering around for 20 Minutes, it seemed a little silly to go back to the Business Lounge.

brunos

Might be worth contacting AF mentioning the facts. Not to get a compensation but to alert them to the problem so that they can improve their service in the future. You did miss part of the service (smooth connection) that you were entitled to by paying the upgrade. The ground service at CDG is a big positive part of the overall Premiere product, which is otherwise underwhelming to say the least.

Goldorak

I think the last minute upgrade is likely the explanation but this is of course disappointing. For next time , the lounge is in K concourse, on the right after security (the J lounge being on the left after security, so this is the opposite lifts than the one you take down to go to the J lounge, but here you take the lifts going up to the P lounge).

Artpen100

"Actually the crew in F seemed surprised with me coming in, and other F passengers did not show up for another 20 minutes or so."

A little OT, but you know, I have noticed on IAD-CDG-IAH flights on the rare occasion I upgrade (I'm usually in Affaires) that I seem to be the only person in La Premiere who wants to board early as well. I don't know why I do, except force of habit, but I seem to be the only one. Though they may have just been surprised to see you without an attendant trailing. Which is actually the one part of La Premiere I would probably prefer to do without. Though I always find it pleasant to talk to them, I know my way around. I wonder sometimes if they are concerned that some La Premiere would get lost.

delanotre

It's a shame, they should have met you at the arrival of your first flight and drive to the lounge directly by car. You missed some Alain Ducasse's dishes, in the lounge.
(AFAIK they sell it €350 !)

You may ask for a (big) compensation to Air France

http://www.airfrance.de/DE/en/local/...et_contact.htm

ranskis

Depends on where your flight is parked: if it is walking distance from the lounge, that is quite pointless (ok, not for me, as I prefer to board as late as possible so they make sure gate agent is informed and I don't miss the flight). However, if you need to go to another terminal, I'd rather do it with the premiere car than on my own

PaulRO

Not much consolation to you, but ground transfers at CDG (and ORY) are one of the shortest ways to bring out the thorough incompetence and self-centred nature of Air France and those it chooses to sub-contract.

A blend of handicapped and Premiere expectations led the Napoleonic airline to screw me up a few years ago.
Nowadays, their handicapped sub-contractors are best left beyond description. Let it be said that I, my company, all those whom we sub-contract are instructed to avoid AF connections at CDG like the plague. Yes, avoid it like the plague. They are the equivalent of brutal thugs.

Paul
as ever, a C2000