Angostura

Just got back from my 1st trip on AF since the equipment change on the Rio-Paris route in early November. My outbound was in Y on a recently retrofitted 747 (PTVs in Y with AF's limited VOD system, but without NTC installed up front), but the return last night was in J on an older 747. So AF's announcement that this route was being served by a "new" aircraft are only half true (unless the use of the older aircraft last night was a one time thing).

AF has also opened the new lounge in Terminal 1 @ GIG, a vast improvement over the previous situation.

blairvanhorn

I hadn't heard one way or the other if the 747s on this route were retrofitted ... I'll be flying this route on the 747s for the first time in December so I'll post back with any news.

So no more TAP lounge?

JuPe

I flew GIG-CDG in Y last thursday. It was a B747-400 without PTV's. The flight was OK: decent food and service.

blairvanhorn

I used the new lounge a few weeks back and it is, indeed, a vast improvement. The "showers" touted in some of the press releases are, in fact, one shower in a good-sized bathroom to the back of the lounge and on the far right.

One of the WCs (women) was out of service.

The Wi-fi service was not working and there was just one PC available for internet access.

The decor is nice (looks like some of the other more recent lounges, sort of an upscale Sofitel look), nice selection of drinks and papers, food was fairly limited due to a large crowd, very nice AF woman attendant ...

About the crowds: our flight (747-400) was full, and the lounge was also completely full about an hour before the flight. There was a sign for CO passengers in front of the lounge entrance as well, so there is some sort of agreement with their premium and elite customers (who, by the way, were very loud and already quite drunk when we arrived in the lounge about two hours before the flight). This may be a problem.

The lounge apparently opens at 15:00 for a current departure time of 18:50.