AF C (Business) LAX - CDG
Aug 12, 2003, 7:41 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 208
AF C (Business) LAX - CDG
Virgin trip reporter so take it easy on me 
AF C class on 777 July 19 LAX - CDG with return on Aug 2.
Checkin at LAX was quick and uneventfull and I headed for the AF lounge for some preflight drinks and snacks. Got to the lounge only to find about 10 people standing outside waiting because the lounge was being cleaned. After about 10 minutes, we were allowed in and soon afterwards the small lounge was completely full.
On board - Took my seat (8K) and waiting for a preflight drink. Not served to anybody tonight probably because we were late in boarding and the crew seemed rushed to get moving.
In air - 52 of the 54 business class seats occupied. Drinks offered and served as soon as we reached altitude. Shortly after that dinner was served.
Choice of hor d'oeuvre:
1) foie gras, or
2) Shrimp marinated with corlander and tomato-zucchini galette with basil.
Not being a foie gras lover, I took the shrimp and was very impressed with the size and quality of them. Probably one of the best cold shrimp dishes I ever had.
Choice of main courses:
1) lamb with carrots and spinach
2) cod with a shellfish sauce
3) Veal with mustard/curry sauce with basmati rice.
I was tempted to go with the cod (but usually I'm disappointed with fish) and selected the veal. The veal was edible but not very good, the rice was not evenly cooked. Should have selected the fish.
Assortment of cheese followed along with more drinks.
Assortment of desserts (cake, sherbet, fruit, etc).
Champagne - Pommery Brut Royal
White Wine - Bourgogne Hautes-Cotes de Beaune 2001 Chateau de Mercey.
Red Wines - Cahors 1999 Chateau de Mercues, Medoc Cru Bourgeois 1999 Chateau La Cardonne.
Had the white burgundy with the shrimp and the Bordeaux with the veal. Both wines matched well with the meal.
After the meal and an hour flipping through channels on the IFE, I settled in for a few hours of sleep.
The biggest drawback of AF business class is the clausterphobic feeling once the seat in front of you reclines. The pitch always disappoints and if it were not for the direct connection from LAX (ie. no flying to the east coast in an inferior US domestic carrier with an additional stop) and a great connection to Genoa I would find a different carrier until AF upgrades their business class layout.
Given the tightness of the return layover at CDG with my arrival from Italy at 2B and my departure to LAX from 2F I might be forced to switch airlines anyway. I can no longer make the run from 2B to 2D. I had a 1 hour layover on my return and was 15 minutes late leaving Italy. Got the bus ride past 2F down to 2B. Got off the bus, exited the terminal and waited 12 minutes to get the bus that goes from terminal to terminal. 10 minutes later I arrived at 2F only to find the passport line looked like the line at DisneyLand. The line was 5-7 people across and stretched for about 125 yards. Realizing that I had only 10 minutes until scheduled departure, I cut in near the front and spent 15 minutes getting through security. Fully expecting to have missed my connection, I arrived at the gate to be pleasantly surprised that boarding was continuing. The gate attendant told me that the flight was delayed because the terminal was evacuated due to some security problem. That (hopefully) explained the long passport/security line.
AF C class on 777 July 19 LAX - CDG with return on Aug 2.
Checkin at LAX was quick and uneventfull and I headed for the AF lounge for some preflight drinks and snacks. Got to the lounge only to find about 10 people standing outside waiting because the lounge was being cleaned. After about 10 minutes, we were allowed in and soon afterwards the small lounge was completely full.
On board - Took my seat (8K) and waiting for a preflight drink. Not served to anybody tonight probably because we were late in boarding and the crew seemed rushed to get moving.
In air - 52 of the 54 business class seats occupied. Drinks offered and served as soon as we reached altitude. Shortly after that dinner was served.
Choice of hor d'oeuvre:
1) foie gras, or
2) Shrimp marinated with corlander and tomato-zucchini galette with basil.
Not being a foie gras lover, I took the shrimp and was very impressed with the size and quality of them. Probably one of the best cold shrimp dishes I ever had.
Choice of main courses:
1) lamb with carrots and spinach
2) cod with a shellfish sauce
3) Veal with mustard/curry sauce with basmati rice.
I was tempted to go with the cod (but usually I'm disappointed with fish) and selected the veal. The veal was edible but not very good, the rice was not evenly cooked. Should have selected the fish.
Assortment of cheese followed along with more drinks.
Assortment of desserts (cake, sherbet, fruit, etc).
Champagne - Pommery Brut Royal
White Wine - Bourgogne Hautes-Cotes de Beaune 2001 Chateau de Mercey.
Red Wines - Cahors 1999 Chateau de Mercues, Medoc Cru Bourgeois 1999 Chateau La Cardonne.
Had the white burgundy with the shrimp and the Bordeaux with the veal. Both wines matched well with the meal.
After the meal and an hour flipping through channels on the IFE, I settled in for a few hours of sleep.
The biggest drawback of AF business class is the clausterphobic feeling once the seat in front of you reclines. The pitch always disappoints and if it were not for the direct connection from LAX (ie. no flying to the east coast in an inferior US domestic carrier with an additional stop) and a great connection to Genoa I would find a different carrier until AF upgrades their business class layout.
Given the tightness of the return layover at CDG with my arrival from Italy at 2B and my departure to LAX from 2F I might be forced to switch airlines anyway. I can no longer make the run from 2B to 2D. I had a 1 hour layover on my return and was 15 minutes late leaving Italy. Got the bus ride past 2F down to 2B. Got off the bus, exited the terminal and waited 12 minutes to get the bus that goes from terminal to terminal. 10 minutes later I arrived at 2F only to find the passport line looked like the line at DisneyLand. The line was 5-7 people across and stretched for about 125 yards. Realizing that I had only 10 minutes until scheduled departure, I cut in near the front and spent 15 minutes getting through security. Fully expecting to have missed my connection, I arrived at the gate to be pleasantly surprised that boarding was continuing. The gate attendant told me that the flight was delayed because the terminal was evacuated due to some security problem. That (hopefully) explained the long passport/security line.
