EWR-CDG (Paris) - What to Expect
Sep 6, 2007, 1:46 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 68
EWR-CDG (Paris) - What to Expect
Hello Everyone - I will be traveling on an award Y ticket from EWR-CDG (and via IAH on the return) in a few weeks. I am a 1K on United and have little understanding of CO.
Can someone shed some light on the in flight service? 777 both ways
Are there free drinks on the flights?
I have Presidents Club passes for each segment, will this get me into the Air France lounge?
Does CO and AF share the same terminal?
Anything else I should be aware of??
Thanks in advance!
Ord747Cle
Can someone shed some light on the in flight service? 777 both ways
Are there free drinks on the flights?
I have Presidents Club passes for each segment, will this get me into the Air France lounge?
Does CO and AF share the same terminal?
Anything else I should be aware of??
Thanks in advance!
Ord747Cle
Sep 6, 2007, 2:12 pm
#2
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: New York NY
Programs: UA Gold, CO Plat, CO Million Miler
Posts: 2,615
I asume with a Y ticket you're in coach. You should find that the seating is typical coach seating (tight) with personal entertainment systems including games and a choice of about 10 movies, etc. Drinks are free. You can buy one of their headsets (to keep) for one dollar or bring you own (twin pin, if you want stereo). There will be a small pillow and blanket.
Generally, you will get pretty good service from the FAs. There will be dinner served shortly after takeoff and some type of snack before landing.
You will arrive and depart CDG from terminal 2A which Air France uses for most of their international flights. I dpn't think you can get into the AF lounges unless you are traveling in BF or SkyTeam Elite Plus. See the Air France forum for a sticky on CDG here http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=456112
I would recommend checking in online OLCI at exactly 24 hours before your flights and trying to snag an exit row or bulkhead seat. See www.seatguru.com . With OLCI you can go directly to your gate (unless you're checking luggage). Enjoy and let us know what you think.
Generally, you will get pretty good service from the FAs. There will be dinner served shortly after takeoff and some type of snack before landing.
You will arrive and depart CDG from terminal 2A which Air France uses for most of their international flights. I dpn't think you can get into the AF lounges unless you are traveling in BF or SkyTeam Elite Plus. See the Air France forum for a sticky on CDG here http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=456112
I would recommend checking in online OLCI at exactly 24 hours before your flights and trying to snag an exit row or bulkhead seat. See www.seatguru.com . With OLCI you can go directly to your gate (unless you're checking luggage). Enjoy and let us know what you think.
Sep 6, 2007, 2:22 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 14,989
I haven't flown coach across the pond...
lately, but drinks of the alcoholic variety may no longer be complimentary in the cheap seats. I'm not 100% sure though....
Sep 6, 2007, 2:30 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: HKG
Programs: Priority Club Plat
Posts: 12,311
Alcoholic drinks on CO is not free in coach wherever you fly. $5, 4EUR or a CO currency coupon. [As low as $25 for 6 coupons if you buy them at a kiosk.]
Most of Air France's operation at CDG are in 2D, 2E and 2F, though they certainly have some flights from 2A.
Most of Air France's operation at CDG are in 2D, 2E and 2F, though they certainly have some flights from 2A.
Sep 6, 2007, 2:42 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 68
I asume with a Y ticket you're in coach. You should find that the seating is typical coach seating (tight) with personal entertainment systems including games and a choice of about 10 movies, etc. Drinks are free. You can buy one of their headsets (to keep) for one dollar or bring you own (twin pin, if you want stereo). There will be a small pillow and blanket.
Generally, you will get pretty good service from the FAs. There will be dinner served shortly after takeoff and some type of snack before landing.
You will arrive and depart CDG from terminal 2A which Air France uses for most of their international flights. I dpn't think you can get into the AF lounges unless you are traveling in BF or SkyTeam Elite Plus. See the Air France forum for a sticky on CDG here http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=456112
I would recommend checking in online OLCI at exactly 24 hours before your flights and trying to snag an exit row or bulkhead seat. See www.seatguru.com . With OLCI you can go directly to your gate (unless you're checking luggage). Enjoy and let us know what you think.
Generally, you will get pretty good service from the FAs. There will be dinner served shortly after takeoff and some type of snack before landing.
You will arrive and depart CDG from terminal 2A which Air France uses for most of their international flights. I dpn't think you can get into the AF lounges unless you are traveling in BF or SkyTeam Elite Plus. See the Air France forum for a sticky on CDG here http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=456112
I would recommend checking in online OLCI at exactly 24 hours before your flights and trying to snag an exit row or bulkhead seat. See www.seatguru.com . With OLCI you can go directly to your gate (unless you're checking luggage). Enjoy and let us know what you think.
Thanks for your reply! I just checked my President's Club passes and it states they are good for complimentary admission. I checked out the Air France sticky but couldn't find anything, do you think I will be able to get in with my CO PC passes?
Also, anything else I should know?
Will definitely check in in advance!
Ord747Cle
Sep 6, 2007, 3:20 pm
#6
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Somewhere in picturesque New England
Programs: WN Rapid Rewards, DL SkyMiles, UA MileagePlus, HiltonHonors
Posts: 765
Your P Club pass will not work at an AF club.
Sep 6, 2007, 3:34 pm
#7
Moderator: Flying Blue (Air France & KLM), France and TravelBuzz!
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Paris, France, AF F+ Rouge pour toujours, Flying Blue whatever, LH FTL, HHonors Gold, formerly proud SCC Executive, now IC Ambassador, BA down to nobody, Grand Voyageur Le Club
Posts: 12,400
AF will leave 2A this winter (there are currently fewer than 5 daily flights) and 2B next summer. There are still many (non-US bound) AF long-haul flights operating out of 2C.
Sep 6, 2007, 5:10 pm
#8
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: NRT / HND
Programs: AA EXP, NH Plat, Former UA 1K
Posts: 5,626
Make sure you know what terminal you need before going out to CDG to catch your flight home, unlike many other airports, the termainals give absoultely no indication as to the airlines using them when you drive into the airport.
As for your CO experiences I'm sorry to say that you're not going to have a United like experience. CO has about the worst long haul coach of the domestic carriers... US is probably tied in that regard but both are quite uncomfortable. If you have the miles on UA to do an award ticket there (on UA metal) then I'd switch over if I were you. Save your CO (or other skyteam miles, however you paid for the ticket) for a BF award later when more miles are available to you.
As for your CO experiences I'm sorry to say that you're not going to have a United like experience. CO has about the worst long haul coach of the domestic carriers... US is probably tied in that regard but both are quite uncomfortable. If you have the miles on UA to do an award ticket there (on UA metal) then I'd switch over if I were you. Save your CO (or other skyteam miles, however you paid for the ticket) for a BF award later when more miles are available to you.
Sep 6, 2007, 10:11 pm
#9
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Suburban Philadelphia
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Plat, IHG Gold
Posts: 3,392
Make sure you know what terminal you need before going out to CDG to catch your flight home, unlike many other airports, the termainals give absoultely no indication as to the airlines using them when you drive into the airport.
As for your CO experiences I'm sorry to say that you're not going to have a United like experience. CO has about the worst long haul coach of the domestic carriers... US is probably tied in that regard but both are quite uncomfortable. If you have the miles on UA to do an award ticket there (on UA metal) then I'd switch over if I were you. Save your CO (or other skyteam miles, however you paid for the ticket) for a BF award later when more miles are available to you.
As for your CO experiences I'm sorry to say that you're not going to have a United like experience. CO has about the worst long haul coach of the domestic carriers... US is probably tied in that regard but both are quite uncomfortable. If you have the miles on UA to do an award ticket there (on UA metal) then I'd switch over if I were you. Save your CO (or other skyteam miles, however you paid for the ticket) for a BF award later when more miles are available to you.
Sep 6, 2007, 10:25 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA Plat 2MM; AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 35,067
CO's seats can be very hard. Though I've noticed they've improved the seat bottom cushions on some of their aircraft lately. Not sure what the rollout process is on those, but the extra bit of padding makes a big difference, especially for long-haul. ^
Sep 6, 2007, 10:38 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike.. but I wanna go home with the armadillo
Programs: CO, NW, & UA forum moderator emeritus
Posts: 35,364
The last time I was on UA my Y seat was duct-taped together. CO in Y is perfectly fine.
Sep 7, 2007, 12:17 am
#12
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: NRT / HND
Programs: AA EXP, NH Plat, Former UA 1K
Posts: 5,626
Sep 7, 2007, 12:02 pm
#13
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Katy, TX
Programs: AA - PLT(2MM); DL - PM(2MM); Hilton - Gold; Marriott Bonvoy- Titanium; Hyatt - Platinum
Posts: 1,717
Unless things have changed in the last month or so since flying IAH-CDG, we arrived and departed from 2A. However, we were bussed to the terminal upon arrival, and our departing gate, while via jet bridge, was 38, in the AA satellite. Most inconvenient if you're using the AF lounge in 2A. The EWR departures seem to be from gates 48-50 or so and, therefore, no lounge issue, but the IAH flights, more often than not, seem to depart from gates 36-38, which requires going up and down stairs and thru a second floor restaurant, not to mention a long walk!
Sep 7, 2007, 1:35 pm
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: DCA
Programs: Kommissar Giga-Posting Direktor, PWP; Fasano Nouveau Aristocrat; CO Platinum; BD Gold; MR Gold
Posts: 18,733
I think only the 753's, the 752's that have been reconfigured in Y, and the newly-delivered 737's and 777's have the somewhat more padded coach seats.
