cdf2108

I'm looking to book a paid round-trip ticket on Air France la premiere in october of this year out of JFK...The difference in quality between 777-300ER and the rest is just too much for me to justify buying the ticket to only have la Premiere on just 1 of the segments. I'd rather fly Swissair first thru Zurich. So the hope is to get new la premiere on both legs, but that seems impossible on some dates in october?? Why would literally NONE of the monday return flights (CDG-JFK) in october (at least on Mondays) have the new 777-300ER? Why would they switch the AF22 flight for one day to a 777-20 and then the next day the same AF22 is a 777-300ER? Furthermore, why are they stopping the afternoon flights AF8 and AF10 on the 777-300ER?

Does anyone know if there is any pattern to which flights get the 777-300ER and is there any risk that you could book your ticket only to find they have switched the air craft? Anyone have any first hand experience? Patterns, timings, suggestions?

Would be much appreciated!! I really would rather try AF over LX...but I don't want to risk getting stuck on the 777-200 or A380 where the first class product looks pretty subpar.

Thanks!

sbams

I'm not sure about the pattern but there is ALWAYS a risk of an aircraft change, on any airline and route.

I have an upcoming KLM trip which was booked on an A330-300 and has been changed to a -200, significant downgrade of J seats.

cdf2108

Yeah that's fair. It's just odd that for such a premier route (JFK-CDG) there would not be at least one on every day - and it's also strange the way they keep switching it around. For instance, it used to be the afternoon or evening flight from CDG ( i presume the more popular route) and now it's the 9am flight? I thought their plan (back in 2016) was to fit more of the planes with the new la-premiere and it seems that they've just completely dropped the ball.

It's such a shame since LX ground service is so bad in Zurich - but it sounds like i'm going to have to roll the dice and risk only getting it on one leg.

chil

Guys, you're spoiled by AF In 2017 I flew LHR-BOS 8 times on BA and only 3 times it was the aircraft type I had bought the tickets for. Once they substituted a half-empty 787 with a 3/4 empty 747, another time 747 with 777, then A380 with 747. I have no idea how it can work in principle unless their software used for logistics is totally screwed up.

NumbThumb

It's always a gamble if you book this far out. That said, airlines shift schedules depending on the time of the year and what's happening where, etc. As you won't be getting any great deal by booking now, you might as well hold off until 3-4 months and see what schedules changes might happen. If you're flexible, you could always look at historical schedules and find the day that they've always flown the new cabin.

Regardless, I'd be worried as well. It's a lot of money for such a gamble. I was hoping to fly a Dreamliner for the first time on a flight back from YVR in a few months but KLM switched to a 777 a while back. Bought the tickets last May as they had an amazing deal for J.

cdf2108

Thanks NumbThumb - agree i think i can probably afford to wait at least a few more months.

brunos

For many, many years (at least 4), AF plans had been to fit only 19 77W with 4 mew F-class seats (total of 76 seats). No other F retrofit or new delivery was announced.
Knowing which types of plane will operate in October 2018 is a gamble. Af had been changing the ac a lot.
Currently it plans only one rotation with 77W, so it is natural that the ac will "rest" one day a week.
JFK is a premier route, but it is also a natural destination for the A380 which is a plane that AF has trouble filling. In October, it seems that AF currently plans 2 A380, 1 77W and 1 A333 for its 4 daily flights (used to be more flights). Except for Mondays, AF is offering 3/4 flights with F, not bad (18 old F seats on A380 and 4 new F on 77W). They also offer good F fares from USA, but you are right that the sub-par A380 is not in the same league.

But nobody would be surprised if the aircraft allocation changes in the next ten months.

ijgordon

I haven't been on the A380 in F, but on a westbound daytime flight I would think it wouldn't be so bad. I found the 77W a bit claustrophobic (cabin and seating area), and for some reason couldn't get super comfortable in lounging position in the seat. (As a bed is a different story, and the curtain would be appreciated on a redeye for privacy).
The service is the rest of the soft product is the same I presume.

But in any event, check AF's conditions of carriage or international tariff -- I know AA has specific language that you can cancel or rebook on an international flight if there is an aircraft change. I would think the odds are very high that the schedule changes in the next 10 months (well, it would probably change in the next 4-5 months).

lloydah

I wouldn't worry too much about the 380. I like the F cabin more than the 777 having now flown both several times, although I admit that I'm an avid "looker out of the window" guy so prefer day flights if at all possible. The 380 gives a feeling of space and I find the seat totally comfortable. The 777 cabin is better for sleeping but I find the slight claustrophobic atmosphere lessens the appeal during the day. Either way the service is the same, excellent!