CDG - IST L'Espace Affaires

Old Jun 28, 2004, 10:15 am
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CDG - IST L'Espace Affaires

I have done a search through the website and have seen the subject has been more or less discussed at various points but could not find exact answers to my questions.
I am actually mostly flying on long hauls and occasionally on very short hauls (CDG-LHR, CDG-BCN...) but I have never been flying on a 3 or 4 hours flight on AF! I have to go to Istanbul in two weeks time and was wondering how the seating and service were in these flights? Is it similar to the very short hauls with only an empty seat to separate passengers or is there a separate cabin with better seats (and service?). Is the menu only composed of a sandwich or is a real meal being served? Generally how are the facilities like in Istanbul (any special check-in area? Also I do not see any lounge listed at Istanbul (is there any partner lounge that can be used?)

Thanks for your help and tips!
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Old Jun 28, 2004, 2:48 pm
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Originally Posted by greggyfroggy
I have done a search through the website and have seen the subject has been more or less discussed at various points but could not find exact answers to my questions.
I am actually mostly flying on long hauls and occasionally on very short hauls (CDG-LHR, CDG-BCN...) but I have never been flying on a 3 or 4 hours flight on AF! I have to go to Istanbul in two weeks time and was wondering how the seating and service were in these flights? Is it similar to the very short hauls with only an empty seat to separate passengers or is there a separate cabin with better seats (and service?). Is the menu only composed of a sandwich or is a real meal being served? Generally how are the facilities like in Istanbul (any special check-in area? Also I do not see any lounge listed at Istanbul (is there any partner lounge that can be used?)

Thanks for your help and tips!
You are not specifying which class of service you will be flying ... OK, here is my experience in C on similar flights (CDG-ATH):

- same seat as on other medium-haul flights
- no IFE
- food : a hot meal is served in C and in S (don't know about Y); the hot meal in C has been downgraded to a S type hot meal; not bad, but somewhat lower in quality of the ingredients; the only advantage in C over S is that you have long-haul wines, true Chateauneuf du Pape or Bordeaux Cru Bourgeois, not the basic Merlot Pays d'Oc or other similar horrors; and, concerning service, you are not asked to choose tea or coffee when you are served your sandwich or what is labelled a meal. This is for flights over 3 hrs, not for flights such as Sofia (2h55 if I am not mistaken)
- overall, not as bad as the standard intra-European business class flight, but really nothing special, you no longer have coat hangers on board, nor liquors as it used to be just one year ago

Last edited by JOUY31; Jun 28, 2004 at 2:51 pm
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Old Jun 29, 2004, 3:56 am
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Originally Posted by JOUY31
- same seat as on other medium-haul flights
- no IFE
- food : a hot meal is served in C and in S (don't know about Y)
(
Thanks very much JOUY31. I confirm C Class. That's exactly what I wanted to know. Any better Airline to recommend on that route?

Remain info on the check-in + lounge at IST if anybody is in the know!?
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Old Jun 29, 2004, 3:20 pm
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Originally Posted by greggyfroggy
Any better Airline to recommend on that route?
CSA: Spirits available in both classes, coat hangers and choice of main dish in C, as well as AF miles. I don't particularly like their Moravian wines though.
Of course you'd have to change planes at PRG, but IMHO the lounge there is a nice place to be.
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Old Oct 15, 2005, 10:03 am
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CDG - IST L'Espace Affaires

I have an AF flight coming up, from CDG to IST in business class. Is this considered short or medium haul? meals? Wine? Anyone flown this recently? KLM cityhopper-esque service, or something better?
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Old Oct 15, 2005, 10:44 am
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Considered as a medium haul flight. You will definetly have food and Wine (however if you are really hungry that might not really feed you)

Seat are Economy seats (3-3) but with the middle seat empty and the arm rest a little retracted allowing a slightly larger seat width.
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Old Oct 15, 2005, 11:19 am
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One of the few medium-haul destinations where you have a hot meal (above 2h55mn flights), an unimpressive amenity kit and some nice long-haul wines.
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Old Oct 16, 2005, 3:21 am
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Post

AF websites should be more consistent about meal service offered on medium haul flights in l'Espace Affaires cabin:
Originally Posted by www.airfrance.com/uk

On medium-distance flights

Depending on the time of day, your meal may be served with champagne, an apritif, or a digestif.
Hot and cold beverage service is available on all flights.
Originally Posted by www.airfrance.us

On short- and medium-distance flights

Depending on the time of day, your meal may be served with champagne, an apritif, or a digestif.

On flights longer than one hour and forty minutes, your meal includes a hot main course.
Hot and cold beverage service is available on all flights.
Originally Posted by www.airfrance.fr

Sur les vols moyen-courriers

- Selon le moment de la journe, un repas accompagn de champagne, boissons froides - alcoolises ou non - et chaudes vous est servi.
- Au-del de 3h00 de vol (on flights longer than 3 hours), un apritf et un menu vous sont proposs, le repas comprend un plat chaud (hot dish).
- Une trousse confort vous est offerte (amenity kit).
The 3-hour limit for hot meals is also mentioned in AF's paper and electronic timetables. The information posted on the US site (1 hr 40') is clearly wrong. I think it dates back to 2004 and before when Air France still offered hot meals on flights over 1 hr 40. At that time they also offered a choice of 2 dishes on flights over 3 hours, something they also cut back end of 2004.

Therefore the following destinations (from and to CDG) should be eligible for hot meals in l'Espace Affaires: Istanbul, Athens, Kiev, Moscow, St Petersburg, Casablanca (3h05), Marrakech (to/from Orly). Helsinki is operated by AY and Tallinn is via AMS only.

The following destinations should *not* be eligible for hot meals in l'Espace Affaires:
Sofia (CDG-SOF: 2h45, SOF-CDG: 2h55). Varsaw. Tunis. Algiers (to/from Orly). Rabat. Bucharest is uncertain (CDG-OTP: 2h50, OTP-CDG: 3h10. Flights operated by Tarom are all over 3 hours. ).

Intra Caribbean flights are considered domestic (Y and S service only). EZE-SCL: about 2hrs.

Last edited by Falco Peregrinus; Oct 16, 2005 at 12:09 pm Reason: spelling for "Caribbean", as usual...
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Old Oct 16, 2005, 8:50 am
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They also had digestifs on medium-haul flights, something which was temporarily suspended and has not come back (yet ). Where, oh where have my Poire Williams, my Mirabelle and my Cognac (no Armagnac, unfortunately) gone ...
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Old Oct 16, 2005, 12:48 pm
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Someone has just posted pictures of a meal in l'Espace Affaires CDG - IST:

www.airlinemeals.net > Air France > pic #339.

I won't comment on... the comments.

The following pictures (#332 > #337) are also worth seeing. Christofle cutlery, Sevruga caviar... yes it's still Air France. Go and see by yourself.

Finally (#329 > #331), pictures of meals on EZE-SCL flights, which offer the full traditional l'Espace Affaires long haul meals for a 2-hour flight. ^

Last edited by Falco Peregrinus; Oct 16, 2005 at 12:59 pm
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Old Oct 19, 2005, 7:13 am
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Sounds nicer than I was expecting. Thanks for the info! ^
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Old Oct 19, 2005, 6:02 pm
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[/QUOTE] The following destinations should *not* be eligible for hot meals in l'Espace Affaires:
Sofia (CDG-SOF: 2h45, SOF-CDG: 2h55). Varsaw. Tunis. Algiers (to/from Orly). Rabat. Bucharest is uncertain (CDG-OTP: 2h50, OTP-CDG: 3h10. Flights operated by Tarom are all over 3 hours. ).
[/QUOTE]

Two weeks ago on AF from CDG to OTP the meal was hot, although nothing to write home about. Champagne was offered when we boarded the plane and some very good reds were served in flight. Enjoy!!
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Old Oct 20, 2005, 6:37 am
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Originally Posted by Falco Peregrinus
The following pictures (#332 > #337) are also worth seeing. Christofle cutlery, Sevruga caviar... yes it's still Air France. ^
It was Air France
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Old Oct 20, 2005, 10:40 am
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I do confirm I did CDG - IST 2 days ago and the meal in l'Espace Affaire was hot and pretty tasty (as usual in J on Af), along with wine & champagne :-)
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Old Feb 11, 2008, 7:25 am
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Sorry to resurrect a thread that old but have things changed for the better since?

I can't get Aeroflot metal on the SVO-CDG legs of my trip to TNR in July. I'll try changing the flights closer to the date but should I end up flying AF - will the food be as gross as pictured above?
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