Constructive Criticism of La Premiere
Jan 1, 2019, 2:00 pm
#526
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Arlington, VA
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Posts: 489
The temptation continues! I'm sitting in the Etihad lounge here at IAD (which is substituting for the AF lounge that's under construction), and the AF representative repeated the La Premiere buy up offer directly. I didn't realize that they were so open to upgrades.
Jan 1, 2019, 2:07 pm
#527
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Jan 1, 2019, 4:00 pm
#528
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: HAG
Programs: Der 5* FTL
Posts: 8,095
Sounds like they might be overbooked and trying to upsell before upgrading?
Jan 1, 2019, 4:03 pm
#529
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: AMS
Programs: Flying Blue Platinum | Flying Blue Petroleum | Hilton Gold | Marriott Gold | Shangri-La Jade
Posts: 306
Jan 2, 2019, 8:40 am
#530
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Arlington, VA
Programs: DL DM, 1.5 MM; AS MVP Gold 100K; HHonors Diamond; AMEX Platinum
Posts: 489
The P4 is accurate -- no one decided to grab the upgrade, and the La Premiere cabin was empty. I did get a nice tour from the Purser, however. He was friendly and the cabin service was on the ball.
Jan 4, 2019, 7:50 am
#531
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Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,239
Upgrades for Cash on AF??
I've tried to alert the moderators, but...
Jan 5, 2019, 5:35 am
#532
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Arlington, VA
Programs: DL DM, 1.5 MM; AS MVP Gold 100K; HHonors Diamond; AMEX Platinum
Posts: 489
This discussion really belongs in this thread:
Upgrades for Cash on AF??
I've tried to alert the moderators, but...
Upgrades for Cash on AF??
I've tried to alert the moderators, but...
Jan 5, 2019, 6:09 am
#533
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: MAN
Programs: FB Platinum
Posts: 500
A few observations from my latest La Premiere excursion (SIN-CDG) :
I think I've written before that the offering might becoming a little stale as wear and tear sets in. I think a little attention is needed as my seat was getting a bit threadbare in one or two places and the mechanics are getting to be a bit wonky. The video controller was firmly stuck in place but I could eventually jemmy it out with a knife. All minor stuff but it adds up.
Toiletries are not managed as well in the past. I guess this is down to the FA.
Speaking of which; I wasn't overly impressed last night. His inability to comply with my requests was beyond irritating. I stated that as it was a late night flight I would go straight to the main course and complement that with a light leaf salad. Before I know it he presented me with the amuse bouche. When I asked him to take it away he asked me to try it anyway while he prepared my starter. Now I could see that I had to be firm and insist he stick with my plan. The main course presented was inedible. I know beef cheek can be fatty but in this case it was cooked so badly that the fat made the meat sickly. Just wrong. When I asked where the salad was he insisted that I had changed my mind. Sheesh. When the salad came it was tiny and was a green bean salad. I sent everything away, drank a cognac and asked for the bed to be made up. Most unsatisfactory and a shame as all my prior experiences have been exceptional. I wondered if there was a language barrier but I doubt it as his English was better than most (and better than many English people!).
Thankfully, despite the occasional rough turbulence, I managed to get over 8 hours sleep. The staff in the lounge for my brief stay there this morning and the subsequent attention on my J leg to MAN made up for the disappointment slightly but I do think AF need to ensure their premium offering stays on top or they will lose us. I hope this was just a blip.
I think I've written before that the offering might becoming a little stale as wear and tear sets in. I think a little attention is needed as my seat was getting a bit threadbare in one or two places and the mechanics are getting to be a bit wonky. The video controller was firmly stuck in place but I could eventually jemmy it out with a knife. All minor stuff but it adds up.
Toiletries are not managed as well in the past. I guess this is down to the FA.
Speaking of which; I wasn't overly impressed last night. His inability to comply with my requests was beyond irritating. I stated that as it was a late night flight I would go straight to the main course and complement that with a light leaf salad. Before I know it he presented me with the amuse bouche. When I asked him to take it away he asked me to try it anyway while he prepared my starter. Now I could see that I had to be firm and insist he stick with my plan. The main course presented was inedible. I know beef cheek can be fatty but in this case it was cooked so badly that the fat made the meat sickly. Just wrong. When I asked where the salad was he insisted that I had changed my mind. Sheesh. When the salad came it was tiny and was a green bean salad. I sent everything away, drank a cognac and asked for the bed to be made up. Most unsatisfactory and a shame as all my prior experiences have been exceptional. I wondered if there was a language barrier but I doubt it as his English was better than most (and better than many English people!).
Thankfully, despite the occasional rough turbulence, I managed to get over 8 hours sleep. The staff in the lounge for my brief stay there this morning and the subsequent attention on my J leg to MAN made up for the disappointment slightly but I do think AF need to ensure their premium offering stays on top or they will lose us. I hope this was just a blip.
Jan 6, 2019, 5:25 pm
#534
Join Date: Sep 2016
Programs: Flying Blue, Accor Le Club, Hilton HHonors, Hertz Gold Plus, Avis Preferred
Posts: 477
Does anyone have the current email address of the La Premiere lounge? I tried to send an email to mail.lapremierecdg [at] air-france.fr, but looks it cannot be delivered.
Jan 7, 2019, 12:18 am
#536
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
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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.
Jan 7, 2019, 12:59 pm
#537
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Paris, France
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I can report one of the greatest P service I have ever had, both on the ground at CDG and in the air to JNB. CDG staff and PNC were super caring and attentive. Plenty of extra attentions. Feeling like being in heaven 
A big thank you to those persons and to AF in general for having such a great product and great staff ^^^
A big thank you to those persons and to AF in general for having such a great product and great staff ^^^
Jan 7, 2019, 1:43 pm
#538
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 160
I can report one of the greatest P service I have ever had, both on the ground at CDG and in the air to JNB. CDG staff and PNC were super caring and attentive. Plenty of extra attentions. Feeling like being in heaven
A big thank you to those persons and to AF in general for having such a great product and great staff ^^^
A big thank you to those persons and to AF in general for having such a great product and great staff ^^^
Amazing service on the ground and in the air ^
Best part is "Le Salon* and its exceptional dining
Feb 1, 2019, 3:00 pm
#540
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: Eurostar Carte Blanche, SBB-CFF-FFS GA-AG, SNCF Grand Voyageur LeClub
Posts: 7,836
Constructive criticism La Premiere: have a full meal service with full choice also on flights US East Coast-CDG. I noticed the stark difference when I was on an AF Premiere flight this week after a flight on LX past week, where for an evening departure from the East Coast there is the full meal choice: 5 starters, soup, salad, 4 main dishes on the menu and one special off the menu, 2 desserts, cheese from the trolley. Air France has one starter, three main courses, one dessert, and the cheese is a pre-plated selection IIRC.
Yes, I know, there always is a significant portion of people that sleep for the most part of this short flight. Therefore reducing the meal service is an argument that I accept - in Affaires. But in Premiere they should have the full service, just to give people a choice. That is what P is about. If I don't want to sleep but spend 4 hours having a gourmet experience and then continue with breakfast, then Premiere should offer that possibility. And in my particular case, taking an early departure from JFK (4:30PM) I did not feel like sleeping but on the other hand had not had the time to have lunch or eat in the lounge, I was looking forward to the full P meal experience, and was a bit disappointed to find a very reduced menu.
Yes, I know, there always is a significant portion of people that sleep for the most part of this short flight. Therefore reducing the meal service is an argument that I accept - in Affaires. But in Premiere they should have the full service, just to give people a choice. That is what P is about. If I don't want to sleep but spend 4 hours having a gourmet experience and then continue with breakfast, then Premiere should offer that possibility. And in my particular case, taking an early departure from JFK (4:30PM) I did not feel like sleeping but on the other hand had not had the time to have lunch or eat in the lounge, I was looking forward to the full P meal experience, and was a bit disappointed to find a very reduced menu.