CDG InFlight Service During the Strike
Apr 7, 2006, 5:39 am
#1
Original Poster
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CDG InFlight Service During the Strike
There have been weekly one day strikes in Paris to protest new pro-employer legislation. Seems along with the protests and crimp on Paris mass transit, AA anticipated action by its caterers at CDG and double catered flights inbound on April 4. On board AA41 to ORD April 5, no menus, 3 entree choices, no seafood first course, "sachet" salt and pepper, no ice cream-cheesecake or preplated fruit and cheese. The pre-arrival light meal service was even more pared down- small fruit and cheese or small chicken salad with bread basket offered-that's it. No cookies or fresh fruit dessert. Did get the luxurious plastic salt and pepper shakers on the tray set up for the second service. No dutyfree carts on board (okay, so that is an actual enhAAncement). Thankfully AA has the common sense to manually load and store the "Inflight Theater" bags since there is no room for the lockable cart of DVD players and nc headphones when a 767-300 is double catered.
I flew to CDG autumn of 2004 during a CDG catering stike and aside from not offering DVD players, AA nearly offered the usual J service dispite the storage constraints. Maybe the noticeably sub-par flight this week was more due the greater reductions necessary on return flights using the second flights catering which must remain chilled on board the flight over and the aircraft's downtime before the turnaround flight-makes sending ice cream from the US rather impractical and sending the seafood appetizer if-ier for the return flight should the carts' chilling element warm to room temp sooner than anticipated (it ain't a powered refridgerator unit but ice/dry ice packs).
At least they had Perrier Jouet Champagne and I learned it is quite drinkable at nearly room temp and at that temp all those annoying bubbles dissipate quicker so the masterfully crafted stuff is more like still wine. Who would have known?
With Air France workers sometimes threatening to join the one day strikes, expect upgrades exCDG to clear later as AA tries to be ready to grab any high yield business that might migrate over from Classe d'Affairs should AF long haul flights cancel.
Just remember that it is the increased space and seat comfort that AA considers the real premium cabin distiguishing feature, not the "complimentary" amenities of grub, drink, IFE and you'll prepare yourself to enjoy your AA-CDG premium experience while social unrest affects how AA caters flights out of CDG. Should also alleviate the irritation/disappointment should you fly with a lame or incompetent crew. And who needs a mediocre Breyer's sundae when traveling to/from a city with such outstanding confections and pastries?
I flew to CDG autumn of 2004 during a CDG catering stike and aside from not offering DVD players, AA nearly offered the usual J service dispite the storage constraints. Maybe the noticeably sub-par flight this week was more due the greater reductions necessary on return flights using the second flights catering which must remain chilled on board the flight over and the aircraft's downtime before the turnaround flight-makes sending ice cream from the US rather impractical and sending the seafood appetizer if-ier for the return flight should the carts' chilling element warm to room temp sooner than anticipated (it ain't a powered refridgerator unit but ice/dry ice packs).
At least they had Perrier Jouet Champagne and I learned it is quite drinkable at nearly room temp and at that temp all those annoying bubbles dissipate quicker so the masterfully crafted stuff is more like still wine. Who would have known?
With Air France workers sometimes threatening to join the one day strikes, expect upgrades exCDG to clear later as AA tries to be ready to grab any high yield business that might migrate over from Classe d'Affairs should AF long haul flights cancel.
Just remember that it is the increased space and seat comfort that AA considers the real premium cabin distiguishing feature, not the "complimentary" amenities of grub, drink, IFE and you'll prepare yourself to enjoy your AA-CDG premium experience while social unrest affects how AA caters flights out of CDG. Should also alleviate the irritation/disappointment should you fly with a lame or incompetent crew. And who needs a mediocre Breyer's sundae when traveling to/from a city with such outstanding confections and pastries?
Apr 7, 2006, 6:45 am
#2
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Austin
Posts: 4,629
This is better than the "no catering" that BA provided during the strike by its catering company last year.
Apr 7, 2006, 6:51 am
#3
Join Date: Jun 2005
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Originally Posted by millionmiler
This is better than the "no catering" that BA provided during the strike by its catering company last year.
These strikes have been announced and AA could prepare for them. Plus we aren't talking the whole of the fleets operations being affected either.
The BA strike was a wildcat strike and caught everyone by surprise.
Apr 7, 2006, 9:27 am
#4
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Originally Posted by Moomba
How about comparing apples with apples.
These strikes have been announced and AA could prepare for them. Plus we aren't talking the whole of the fleets operations being affected either.
The BA strike was a wildcat strike and caught everyone by surprise.
These strikes have been announced and AA could prepare for them. Plus we aren't talking the whole of the fleets operations being affected either.
The BA strike was a wildcat strike and caught everyone by surprise.
Apr 7, 2006, 10:06 am
#5
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Exactly. The flight may have provided less than we expect under normal circumstances, but at least AA thought about loading double provisions in the US and not using some insipid excuse like "it was a wildcat strike."
Originally Posted by HNL
And BA flew for weeks with no food.
Apr 7, 2006, 12:38 pm
#6
Join Date: Jun 2005
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Originally Posted by JDiver
Exactly. The flight may have provided less than we expect under normal circumstances, but at least AA thought about loading double provisions in the US and not using some insipid excuse like "it was a wildcat strike."
Apr 7, 2006, 3:24 pm
#7
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Venice Beach
Programs: AA PLT, SPG
Posts: 47
Sorry to hear about your flight; I flew out of CDG on the very first day of strikes (March 28) and I thought I had it bad when they didn't have enough DVD players for J class... they were short 8 I think. The rest of the catering was flawless, though my original flight through JFK was cancelled. I have to give the AA folks in Paris kudo's here - they handled my re-direct though DFW beautifully. I had no knowledge of the cancellation (I was just worried about trains), but on arrival at the airport, they had a new ticket for me, a matching upgrade, and a confirmed upgrade on the DFW-LAX leg. And I didn't even have to wait in line; they were checking names at the beginning of the check in ropes.