Constructive Criticism of La Premiere
Dec 17, 2018, 1:17 am
#497
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: paris
Programs: flying blue Gold
Posts: 12
This will allow me to enjoy the lounge for approx. 4 hours on arrival at CDG, a good night sleep in the plane, and I could book the CDG-SFO with my TA and accumulate the XP (I will not take the return trip) instead of having to book with Norwegian. I am compromising on the in-flight food which apparently is not as good on the return flight from SFO than outbound from CDG. All in all, it It seemed like a better solution.
Dec 17, 2018, 1:45 am
#498
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
Anyhow I tried something new with La Premiere. I emailed them about purchasing access for an upcoming January flight on the Dreamliner, which of course has no P class. It's an evening flight so I can enjoy a nice dinner in the lounge, then sleep the whole flight as I need to work all day upon arrival. They called and confirmed and charged me the €300. I haven't done this before because I usually take morning flights and I never thought this was worth it. This time the stars aligned.
Dec 17, 2018, 1:11 pm
#499
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Paris, France
Programs: AF/KL Flying Blue Platinum for life/Club2000 Ultimate, Accor ALL Diamond
Posts: 21,928
Ha Ha Ha dear Stimpy
Even experts need help of other experts sometimes 
Anyhow I tried something new with La Premiere. I emailed them about purchasing access for an upcoming January flight on the Dreamliner, which of course has no P class. It's an evening flight so I can enjoy a nice dinner in the lounge, then sleep the whole flight as I need to work all day upon arrival. They called and confirmed and charged me the €300. I haven't done this before because I usually take morning flights and I never thought this was worth it. This time the stars aligned.
Dec 17, 2018, 10:55 pm
#501
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: San Diego
Programs: Oneworld Emerald, Star Alliance Gold, SkyTeam Elite Plus
Posts: 61
Question for the P experts here : I have a trip in P coming soon. When I return to CDG, I land in the morning and, in the afternoon, I have another long-haul trip in J (separate ticket, AF-marketed and operated, flight with no P). Several hours between the 2 flights. Instead of being driven to bag claim/exit, can I ask to make my connection at the P lounge ? I am talking here about free access, not a paid one.
I think the answer is yes (remembering some similar cases reported here) but would like to confirm from recent exp here before calling AF.
Thank you
I think the answer is yes (remembering some similar cases reported here) but would like to confirm from recent exp here before calling AF.
Thank you
On our last trip we had an onward intra-Europe connection on a separate ticket which was actually the next morning but still within 24 hours. We ended up having to move it to the same day of arrival in order to be eligible to visit the P lounge on arrival during transit.
When you call, ask for one of the supervisors Julie if available. She’s very nice and has been able to notate something like this for us in the past.
Good luck!
Dec 19, 2018, 11:56 am
#502
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,234
Yes I believe it's a hassle to get passengers from the P lounge to landside -- I had to do it as I mis-connected and they had me wait in the lounge while they sorted out the flight for the next day and the hotel voucher (while they force-fed me foie gras ). Then someone escorted me to arrivals, but it was kind of a long, roundabout walk and I had to clear immigration (I think they had cleared me out of Schengen on arrival to the P lounge -- which I suppose is legally outside of Schengen? -- and so I had to be cleared back into the zone to get to the hotel.) It certainly makes sense that they wouldn't want to do this on a regular basis.
(And FWIW, also CX only allows F lounge access after an inbound in F if the onward segment in J is same-day.)
I think the only real question was one of policy - whether AF would recognize the same-day connection on a separate ticket and provide P lounge access based on the inbound P ticket. (And I defer on that).
). Then someone escorted me to arrivals, but it was kind of a long, roundabout walk and I had to clear immigration (I think they had cleared me out of Schengen on arrival to the P lounge -- which I suppose is legally outside of Schengen? -- and so I had to be cleared back into the zone to get to the hotel.) It certainly makes sense that they wouldn't want to do this on a regular basis. (And FWIW, also CX only allows F lounge access after an inbound in F if the onward segment in J is same-day.)
I think the only real question was one of policy - whether AF would recognize the same-day connection on a separate ticket and provide P lounge access based on the inbound P ticket. (And I defer on that).
Dec 19, 2018, 12:27 pm
#503
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
I think the only real question was one of policy - whether AF would recognize the same-day connection on a separate ticket and provide P lounge access based on the inbound P ticket. (And I defer on that).
Dec 22, 2018, 6:37 am
#505
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Paris, France
Programs: AF/KL Flying Blue Platinum for life/Club2000 Ultimate, Accor ALL Diamond
Posts: 21,928
Question for the P experts here : I have a trip in P coming soon. When I return to CDG, I land in the morning and, in the afternoon, I have another long-haul trip in J (separate ticket, AF-marketed and operated, flight with no P). Several hours between the 2 flights. Instead of being driven to bag claim/exit, can I ask to make my connection at the P lounge ? I am talking here about free access, not a paid one.
I think the answer is yes (remembering some similar cases reported here) but would like to confirm from recent exp here before calling AF.
Thank you
I think the answer is yes (remembering some similar cases reported here) but would like to confirm from recent exp here before calling AF.
Thank you
Yes you should be fine, but I would strongly suggest informing the La Premiere staff of your intentions ahead of time (rather than on arrival) so they can notate it in the booking. The issue with going from the aircraft to P lounge on arrival mostly has to do with airport security, which is why AF only offers it to people transiting on the same day.
On our last trip we had an onward intra-Europe connection on a separate ticket which was actually the next morning but still within 24 hours. We ended up having to move it to the same day of arrival in order to be eligible to visit the P lounge on arrival during transit.
When you call, ask for one of the supervisors Julie if available. She’s very nice and has been able to notate something like this for us in the past.
Good luck!
So, I am all set
thank you all for your answers !
Dec 22, 2018, 10:30 pm
#507
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,234
I'm talking about class-of-service based access, which I'm pretty sure OneWorld doesn't dictate. Nothing to do with OneWorld elite access.
And to the previous poster, yes, if CX's "inferior" lounge (but The Pier isn't so far below La Premiere in terms of hard product) won't let a pax use the lounge based on prior-day F arrival, AF sure as heck isn't!
And to the previous poster, yes, if CX's "inferior" lounge (but The Pier isn't so far below La Premiere in terms of hard product) won't let a pax use the lounge based on prior-day F arrival, AF sure as heck isn't!
Dec 23, 2018, 1:59 am
#508
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Hong Kong, France
Programs: FB , BA Gold
Posts: 15,559
Actually this is the OW class-of-service policy for F lounge access. For example, you can use the F lounge if you arrive in HKG by BA F class and connect to regional CX. Same in NRT/HND or other OW ports. "Same day" means flight before 6am next day.
And I agree that CX F lounges (Pier or Wing) are slightly inferior to La Premiere (or The Private Room or LH F ), but not so far below.
And I agree that CX F lounges (Pier or Wing) are slightly inferior to La Premiere (or The Private Room or LH F ), but not so far below.
Dec 23, 2018, 3:49 am
#509
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: SJC / SFO
Programs: Flying Blue Platinum; Marriott Bonvoy Platinum; Hilton Gold
Posts: 785
So finally flew SFO-CDG in P on 773 (later connecting to PRG).
There’s already enough review, so just a few of my own observations:
- definitely like the curtain over a fixed wall / door: it goes all the way to the ceiling making it feel much more private, it doesn’t however make the seat feel spacier (comparing to MU 777)
- doesn’t have a bar area (though you just call the flight attendant and don’t really need it)
- food service was great (both 773 / P lounge), was so stuffed that I had to reject any food on CDG-PRG
- my teeth hurt from all the wine I had (brushed it twice!)
- in SFO, P passengers go to Virgin Atlantic club house - this is definitely much better lounge than for J pax (quieter and has an actual service instead of a buffet), only thing is that it’s pre-security (doesn’t matter when you have an escort) - you’re not really wanting to order any food there though and save appetite for the airplane
- aaaand yes, you’re the odd one out if you’re solo P pax still 20-something
Otherwise a very good experience. Certainlly worth it for an overnight flight (SFO-CDG-somewhere) for me. Going the other way (also given that CDG-SFO leaves 11am) I think I’ll keep it J in the future like this time. I feel more like if you want proper P experience, you got to maximize it over J and a 11 am flight (where you don’t sleep on the airplane) just doesn’t have that options (also you have to stay overnight in Paris because no reasonable same day connections (unlike when going via AMS)).
There’s already enough review, so just a few of my own observations:
- definitely like the curtain over a fixed wall / door: it goes all the way to the ceiling making it feel much more private, it doesn’t however make the seat feel spacier (comparing to MU 777)
- doesn’t have a bar area (though you just call the flight attendant and don’t really need it)
- food service was great (both 773 / P lounge), was so stuffed that I had to reject any food on CDG-PRG
- my teeth hurt from all the wine I had (brushed it twice!)
- in SFO, P passengers go to Virgin Atlantic club house - this is definitely much better lounge than for J pax (quieter and has an actual service instead of a buffet), only thing is that it’s pre-security (doesn’t matter when you have an escort) - you’re not really wanting to order any food there though and save appetite for the airplane
- aaaand yes, you’re the odd one out if you’re solo P pax still 20-something
Otherwise a very good experience. Certainlly worth it for an overnight flight (SFO-CDG-somewhere) for me. Going the other way (also given that CDG-SFO leaves 11am) I think I’ll keep it J in the future like this time. I feel more like if you want proper P experience, you got to maximize it over J and a 11 am flight (where you don’t sleep on the airplane) just doesn’t have that options (also you have to stay overnight in Paris because no reasonable same day connections (unlike when going via AMS)).
Last edited by Sjondorn; Dec 23, 2018 at 8:51 am