SCL - CDG L'Espace Premiere
Jan 30, 2006, 10:20 am
#1
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Join Date: Jan 2005
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Posts: 2,934
SCL - CDG L'Espace Premiere
Check-In
Santiago has a very open, glassy design. In fact, there was so much glaring sunlight - at the height of Chile's summer - that it was difficult to see where to check-in ! Once found, there were two check-in agents for the premium cabins. I'd say I'd waited about 10 minutes in line.
Security - Immigration
Both security and immigration (Chile has equal formalities for leaving the country as for entering it) were very efficient - hardly any wait. We first, however, had to get through the huge masses of families and friends who were accompanying departing passengers!
Lounge
AF uses the Delta Crown Room in Santiago. It's definately not up to AF lounge standards. There was a good selection of bad wines together with minimal food items. The overall appearance of the lounge was shoddy.
Boarding
A boarding announcement was made in the lounge 45 minutes prior to departure. At the gate, there was no obvious separte boarding area for premium passengers. A few made their way straight to the machine and were told to form a separate line from the other sides of the boarding card machines - so the agents manning the machines had passengers coming at them from two opposite directions! Surely, a better system could be envisaged.
Pre take-off
We were on the plane probably 35 minutes ahead of scheduled take-off. The crew immediately offered to take our coats - yes, people were dressed for the weather at the destination!
About 20 minutes later, the crew started coming along with PJ's and amenity kits.
Next came an offering of newspapers - there was just a single copy of an English language paper available (the IHT), so I was glad to be sitting in Row 1.
As the plane started its pushback, they served champagne. This was poured into a glass from the bottle at the seat.
Finally, they brought separate kits with slippers and socks - once a passenger had requested it. This had either been forgotten or the crew had wanted to do it after take-off.
The cabin director also came around and introduced himself individually to all F passengers - but did not use their names.
Seat
This was an old-style First Class seat. I have absolutely no complaints about the seat, except there's no real place to securely place a beverage (without opening the tray) and the TV screen is tiny.
Post take-off
The crew passed out the menu and presented it opened to the page of the language of the passenger - French, Spanish, English.
Shortly afterwards, they took orders for cocktails, the starter and the main.
The choices were as follows:
Cocktails
The cocktail came served with 4 canapes and a box of Fauchon (a luxury French food store) box of crackers.
No refills were offered on the cocktails.
Meal Service
The meal service was all done at once, i.e. no variations in the eating times of passengers. This was not offered on the flight.
The crew set each table individually, i.e. no tray was brought to you. It was however all served from large trolleys, which didn't seem necessary in a cabin that had only 2 rows !
The quality of the food was not as good as on flights leaving Paris, but very good nonetheless.
The beverage selection was excellent but the beverage service was very slow. 15 minutes elapsed before they offered a refill !
The cheese selection was very good and they were cut at your seat, i.e. not some pre-seleted assortment given to you.
Entertainment System
This was the only truly dismal aspect of the flight. All the choices were very old and had been dubbed into French and Spanish, with sub-titles in English. Foorest Gump, for example, was only available to an English-speaker by reading the sub-titles ! They also offered a bizarre selection of old TV programs - including Macgyver !!!
Turn-down Service
The crew offeed to do the turn-down service for veryone, but there were no takers. (AF offers fluffy pillows and duvets, which are great.) It was not even 9 pm local time when the crew had wanted to put the passengers to sleep (the flight left at 6:30 pm)
They did leave us with a large bottle of water.
The Overnight
Following the turn-down service, the crew no longer came around the cabin to see if anyone needed anything. You either had to ring the bell (which people did and the crew responded immediately) or go up to them in the galley (there's no bar area set out for F class).
There was however an incredible number of crew constantly walking through the F cabin to the front of the plane - apparently one of two of the F lavatories have been designated as crew lavatories. But they managed very well not to make any eye contact ith passengers as they wizzed by.
I think this aspect of the service needs a major upgrade - somebody needs to attentively do the rounds overnight as many people do not feel comfortable ringing the bell, and getting up from a sleeping position can be quite a chore !
Breakfast
About two hours prior to landing, the lights came on and breakfast service began:
The quality of the food and the service was all fine. You were however given it on a tray.
Overall, this was a very good experience - notwithstanding my observations above - on the longest non-stop flight in the AF network.
The AF crews are so classy and fit that it brings you back to the good old days of flying. I also very much like their new uniforms.
Santiago has a very open, glassy design. In fact, there was so much glaring sunlight - at the height of Chile's summer - that it was difficult to see where to check-in ! Once found, there were two check-in agents for the premium cabins. I'd say I'd waited about 10 minutes in line.
Security - Immigration
Both security and immigration (Chile has equal formalities for leaving the country as for entering it) were very efficient - hardly any wait. We first, however, had to get through the huge masses of families and friends who were accompanying departing passengers!
Lounge
AF uses the Delta Crown Room in Santiago. It's definately not up to AF lounge standards. There was a good selection of bad wines together with minimal food items. The overall appearance of the lounge was shoddy.
Boarding
A boarding announcement was made in the lounge 45 minutes prior to departure. At the gate, there was no obvious separte boarding area for premium passengers. A few made their way straight to the machine and were told to form a separate line from the other sides of the boarding card machines - so the agents manning the machines had passengers coming at them from two opposite directions! Surely, a better system could be envisaged.
Pre take-off
We were on the plane probably 35 minutes ahead of scheduled take-off. The crew immediately offered to take our coats - yes, people were dressed for the weather at the destination!
About 20 minutes later, the crew started coming along with PJ's and amenity kits.
Next came an offering of newspapers - there was just a single copy of an English language paper available (the IHT), so I was glad to be sitting in Row 1.
As the plane started its pushback, they served champagne. This was poured into a glass from the bottle at the seat.
Finally, they brought separate kits with slippers and socks - once a passenger had requested it. This had either been forgotten or the crew had wanted to do it after take-off.
The cabin director also came around and introduced himself individually to all F passengers - but did not use their names.
Seat
This was an old-style First Class seat. I have absolutely no complaints about the seat, except there's no real place to securely place a beverage (without opening the tray) and the TV screen is tiny.
Post take-off
The crew passed out the menu and presented it opened to the page of the language of the passenger - French, Spanish, English.
Shortly afterwards, they took orders for cocktails, the starter and the main.
The choices were as follows:
Appetizer
Canapes
Choice of hors d'oeuvre
Scallops and shrimp with cocktail sauce, cured ham with Mediterranean-style garnish.
Baby corn and heart of palm salad.
Fresh seasonal salad.
Choice of Main Courses
Grilled tournedos of beef, zucchini with fried carrots and sauteed ....ake mushrooms.
Sea bass with shrimp sauce, leaf spinch and steamed potatoes.
Ricotta totellini with sauteed vegetables.
Crabit humita (Traditional Chilean Dish)
Our Special Selection of Cheese
Fresh bakery selection
Dessert cart
Petits fours frais
Chocolate cake, lemon tart, fresh fruit tart
Sherbt served with cookies, assortment of fresh fruit
Wine List
Champagne - Jacquesson Avize Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs 1996
White Bordeau liqueur - Sauternes Chateau Suduiraut 1997 Premier cru
White Burgundy - Mersault Les Grands Charrons 2001 Vincent Girardin
Red Burdgundy - Pommard 2002 Domaine Bouchard aine et fils
Red Bordeaux - Saint Estephe Chateau les Ormes de Pez 2001 Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel JM Cazes
Canapes
Choice of hors d'oeuvre
Scallops and shrimp with cocktail sauce, cured ham with Mediterranean-style garnish.
Baby corn and heart of palm salad.
Fresh seasonal salad.
Choice of Main Courses
Grilled tournedos of beef, zucchini with fried carrots and sauteed ....ake mushrooms.
Sea bass with shrimp sauce, leaf spinch and steamed potatoes.
Ricotta totellini with sauteed vegetables.
Crabit humita (Traditional Chilean Dish)
Our Special Selection of Cheese
Fresh bakery selection
Dessert cart
Petits fours frais
Chocolate cake, lemon tart, fresh fruit tart
Sherbt served with cookies, assortment of fresh fruit
Wine List
Champagne - Jacquesson Avize Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs 1996
White Bordeau liqueur - Sauternes Chateau Suduiraut 1997 Premier cru
White Burgundy - Mersault Les Grands Charrons 2001 Vincent Girardin
Red Burdgundy - Pommard 2002 Domaine Bouchard aine et fils
Red Bordeaux - Saint Estephe Chateau les Ormes de Pez 2001 Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel JM Cazes
Cocktails
The cocktail came served with 4 canapes and a box of Fauchon (a luxury French food store) box of crackers.
No refills were offered on the cocktails.
Meal Service
The meal service was all done at once, i.e. no variations in the eating times of passengers. This was not offered on the flight.
The crew set each table individually, i.e. no tray was brought to you. It was however all served from large trolleys, which didn't seem necessary in a cabin that had only 2 rows !
The quality of the food was not as good as on flights leaving Paris, but very good nonetheless.
The beverage selection was excellent but the beverage service was very slow. 15 minutes elapsed before they offered a refill !
The cheese selection was very good and they were cut at your seat, i.e. not some pre-seleted assortment given to you.
Entertainment System
This was the only truly dismal aspect of the flight. All the choices were very old and had been dubbed into French and Spanish, with sub-titles in English. Foorest Gump, for example, was only available to an English-speaker by reading the sub-titles ! They also offered a bizarre selection of old TV programs - including Macgyver !!!
Turn-down Service
The crew offeed to do the turn-down service for veryone, but there were no takers. (AF offers fluffy pillows and duvets, which are great.) It was not even 9 pm local time when the crew had wanted to put the passengers to sleep (the flight left at 6:30 pm)
They did leave us with a large bottle of water.
The Overnight
Following the turn-down service, the crew no longer came around the cabin to see if anyone needed anything. You either had to ring the bell (which people did and the crew responded immediately) or go up to them in the galley (there's no bar area set out for F class).
There was however an incredible number of crew constantly walking through the F cabin to the front of the plane - apparently one of two of the F lavatories have been designated as crew lavatories. But they managed very well not to make any eye contact ith passengers as they wizzed by.
I think this aspect of the service needs a major upgrade - somebody needs to attentively do the rounds overnight as many people do not feel comfortable ringing the bell, and getting up from a sleeping position can be quite a chore !
Breakfast
About two hours prior to landing, the lights came on and breakfast service began:
The choices were:
Brunch
Fresh orange juice
Coffee, tea, hot chocolate
Fresh fruit plate
Yogurt
Smoked turkey, smoked trout, cheese
Choice of Main Courses
Omelette with tomato, kasseler pork and sauteed mushrooms
Crepes filled with apples, cheese and dulce de leche
Fresh bakery selection, breakfast pastries, butter and preserves.
Brunch
Fresh orange juice
Coffee, tea, hot chocolate
Fresh fruit plate
Yogurt
Smoked turkey, smoked trout, cheese
Choice of Main Courses
Omelette with tomato, kasseler pork and sauteed mushrooms
Crepes filled with apples, cheese and dulce de leche
Fresh bakery selection, breakfast pastries, butter and preserves.
The quality of the food and the service was all fine. You were however given it on a tray.
Overall, this was a very good experience - notwithstanding my observations above - on the longest non-stop flight in the AF network.
The AF crews are so classy and fit that it brings you back to the good old days of flying. I also very much like their new uniforms.
Last edited by Braniff; Jan 30, 2006 at 10:35 am
Jan 30, 2006, 11:17 am
#2
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Paris
Programs: BA ExClub Blue (ex Silver), Flying Blue Silver (ex Platinum), M&M forever base soldier
Posts: 723
Very interesting comments, thank you very much.
I flew the same leg last month, but in Business, and we had a very similar catering (except no canapes), with less prestigious wines of course, and tray (instead of table) service. So I guess what you buy with F is more privacy and a sky bed -- but the food is essentially the same.
I also noticed a very strong difference in the quality of the food offering between the CDG->SCL (top quality) and the SCL->CDG (only so-so) sectors.
A great bonus of this flight (at least during the southern summer) is that, shortly after take-off, you fly just above the Andes in the late afternoon -- this provides some of the most magnificient views that can be seen from a commercial airplane.
I flew the same leg last month, but in Business, and we had a very similar catering (except no canapes), with less prestigious wines of course, and tray (instead of table) service. So I guess what you buy with F is more privacy and a sky bed -- but the food is essentially the same.
I also noticed a very strong difference in the quality of the food offering between the CDG->SCL (top quality) and the SCL->CDG (only so-so) sectors.
A great bonus of this flight (at least during the southern summer) is that, shortly after take-off, you fly just above the Andes in the late afternoon -- this provides some of the most magnificient views that can be seen from a commercial airplane.
Last edited by albireo; Jan 31, 2006 at 12:11 pm
Jan 30, 2006, 12:45 pm
#3
Suspended
Join Date: May 2001
Location: DUS
Posts: 4,004
Thanks for the report, Braniff !
The first thing that came to my mind is also the fact that the meal service does not really sound like F class, more like C indeed, Fauchon crackers are also offered in C and in some lounges.
Kasseler pork for breakfast is a poor man`s dish by all means in Germany for example.
The IFE is indeed lacking channels as well as quality, while I enjoy Forrest Gump every time I see it, McGyver is pathetic !
The first thing that came to my mind is also the fact that the meal service does not really sound like F class, more like C indeed, Fauchon crackers are also offered in C and in some lounges.
Kasseler pork for breakfast is a poor man`s dish by all means in Germany for example.
The IFE is indeed lacking channels as well as quality, while I enjoy Forrest Gump every time I see it, McGyver is pathetic !
Jan 30, 2006, 1:34 pm
#4
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: JNB
Programs: Air France Platinum - Qatar Airways Gold
Posts: 1,659
Originally Posted by Braniff
Cocktails
The cocktail came served with 4 canapes and a box of Fauchon (a luxury French food store) box of crackers.
No refills were offered on the cocktails.
Originally Posted by Braniff
The meal service was all done at once, i.e. no variations in the eating times of passengers. This was not offered on the flight.
The crew set each table individually, i.e. no tray was brought to you. It was however all served from large trolleys, which didn't seem necessary in a cabin that had only 2 rows !
The crew set each table individually, i.e. no tray was brought to you. It was however all served from large trolleys, which didn't seem necessary in a cabin that had only 2 rows !
The trolley is definetely something I don't want to see in a P cabin. Hopefully I was the only PAX and they didn't use it.
Originally Posted by Braniff
The cheese selection was very good and they were cut at your seat, i.e. not some pre-seleted assortment given to you.
Originally Posted by Braniff
Turn-down Service
The crew offeed to do the turn-down service for veryone, but there were no takers. (AF offers fluffy pillows and duvets, which are great.) It was not even 9 pm local time when the crew had wanted to put the passengers to sleep (the flight left at 6:30 pm)
They did leave us with a large bottle of water.
The Overnight
Following the turn-down service, the crew no longer came around the cabin to see if anyone needed anything. You either had to ring the bell (which people did and the crew responded immediately) or go up to them in the galley (there's no bar area set out for F class).
There was however an incredible number of crew constantly walking through the F cabin to the front of the plane - apparently one of two of the F lavatories have been designated as crew lavatories. But they managed very well not to make any eye contact ith passengers as they wizzed by.
I think this aspect of the service needs a major upgrade - somebody needs to attentively do the rounds overnight as many people do not feel comfortable ringing the bell, and getting up from a sleeping position can be quite a chore !
The crew offeed to do the turn-down service for veryone, but there were no takers. (AF offers fluffy pillows and duvets, which are great.) It was not even 9 pm local time when the crew had wanted to put the passengers to sleep (the flight left at 6:30 pm)
They did leave us with a large bottle of water.
The Overnight
Following the turn-down service, the crew no longer came around the cabin to see if anyone needed anything. You either had to ring the bell (which people did and the crew responded immediately) or go up to them in the galley (there's no bar area set out for F class).
There was however an incredible number of crew constantly walking through the F cabin to the front of the plane - apparently one of two of the F lavatories have been designated as crew lavatories. But they managed very well not to make any eye contact ith passengers as they wizzed by.
I think this aspect of the service needs a major upgrade - somebody needs to attentively do the rounds overnight as many people do not feel comfortable ringing the bell, and getting up from a sleeping position can be quite a chore !
I would also have appreciated a more substantial bar in the F cabin and a more attentive service during the night (such as the replacement of my empty Evian bottle).
Originally Posted by Braniff
The quality of the food (breakfast) and the service was all fine. You were however given it on a tray.
Originally Posted by Braniff
The AF crews are so classy and fit that it brings you back to the good old days of flying. I also very much like their new uniforms.
Last edited by Falco Peregrinus; Jan 30, 2006 at 1:43 pm
Jan 30, 2006, 2:14 pm
#6
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Paris, France
Programs: FB Platinum for Life
Posts: 367
I know what you mean about getting put to bed early! Oddly enough in Affaires this does not happen as much! I agree that the IFE is absolutely ghastly. It seems odd that such a good overall airline should fall down so spectacularly on this. Compared to VS QF CX SQ or even CO it is quite embarassing.
Jan 31, 2006, 11:18 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Europe
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Posts: 2,934
Originally Posted by Falco Peregrinus
I didn't get any canapés in my recent CDG-SIN trip in F. I first thought it was because I declined the apéritif but I've checked the menu again and it doesn't mention them. Did your menu explicitly mention those canapés? Was it called a dinner or a supper service?
Yes, they were explicitly mentioned on the SCL-CDG flight. There were no canapes offered on the outbound flight - which left Paris just before midnight. My guess is that they don't do this on such late flights; only on dayflights.
Are you sure it wasn't offered? F meal is supposed to be a la carte. Even with a simplified F service (according to my own experience) they do offer this flexibility. My menu said "Please inform your flight attendant if you would prefer to be served later".
On rechecking the menu, it does in fact have that statement. But this was never mentuion by the crew.
I would also have appreciated a more substantial bar in the F cabin and a more attentive service during the night (such as the replacement of my empty Evian bottle).
Completely agree.
Nothing beats an AF flight attendant in Lacroix uniform, except maybe an AF flight attendant in Lacroix pajamas...
Indeed.
Jan 31, 2006, 11:21 am
#8
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Join Date: Jan 2005
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Originally Posted by Falco Peregrinus
And I have absolutely no doubt that the l'Espace Première food and wines are far superior to the l'Espace Affaires food and wines. At least from CDG.
As mentioned by Threy, the food leaving CDG was in a completely different league. But perhaps comparing Chile and France is not fair in this regard.
Jan 31, 2006, 11:23 am
#9
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Join Date: Jan 2005
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Originally Posted by AshleyB
I know what you mean about getting put to bed early! Oddly enough in Affaires this does not happen as much! I agree that the IFE is absolutely ghastly. It seems odd that such a good overall airline should fall down so spectacularly on this. Compared to VS QF CX SQ or even CO it is quite embarassing.