Question about AF/KLM Croatia/interline partners
 

I'm hoping for some advice regarding AF/KLM coverage/interline partners in Europe. I've booked an ORD-CDG-DBV (Dubrovnik) flight for late August. I was thrilled for find business class award tickets and a 3hour connection which would allow lunch and shower in the lounge. I've noticed of late that AF153 (the ORD-CDG leg) has had horrible on-time stats: 5 cancellations and 8 arrival delays of greater than an hour since May 1. AF appears to only offer DBV service from CDG on Monday and Thursday and a Croatia Airlines codeshare is offered on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. If I miss my DBV flight, there's no backup from CDG and there's no DVB service from AMS. In the event that AF 153 is severely cancelled or delayed and I miss my connection to DBV, what's AF's interline network in Europe? I'm asking as there are no other Skyteam flights to Dubrovnik. Conversely, award space has opened up on Lufthansa and, while it requires a double connection, LH 431's on time stats are superior and I know there are many more *A options to Dubrovnik. What would you do?

You have 3 hours to connect. An hour's delay isn't going to make you miss your flight. 5 cancellations in the past 90 days doesn't sound all that horrific.

I really think you are worrying unnecessarily. If you absolutely have to be in Dubrovnik on a certain date, then either book travel to arrive a day earlier than you originally planned. Or go with what you probably feel is a safer (Star Alliance) option. If not, just relax in the hotel that AF will provide you for the night in Paris.

If your ORD-CDG flight is cancelled, it will most likely be because the incoming CDG-ORD was cancelled, meaning that they will have plenty of time to rebook you to depart either on the earlier KL flight with an extra stop in AMS, or on an alternate connecting route via a Delta hub (ORD-ATL-CDG or the like).

Perhaps, if you were in paid Business, they may rebook you on either the AA or UA direct flight from ORD-CDG that leave shortly before the AF flight, but I think they would prioritise paid J above award J in such circumstances, and there probably won't be enough seats on these competitor airlines to accommodate all the AF pax impacted by a cancellation.