Air France's Spectacular 77W La Première... arguably the world's new #1 First Class
Sep 21, 2015, 4:31 am
#32
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Sep 21, 2015, 5:00 am
#33
Join Date: Oct 2014
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so frenchy, so chic. (sorry couldn't help myself)
like you hinted at earlier, with a 4/4 cabin that looks like it could be very claustrophobic?
interested to see whether the new 4 F seat cabins on SQ have a similar size perception problem.
like you hinted at earlier, with a 4/4 cabin that looks like it could be very claustrophobic?
interested to see whether the new 4 F seat cabins on SQ have a similar size perception problem.
Sep 21, 2015, 5:07 am
#34
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Great report and even though I've not tried the new F cabin, I agree that the overall experience is the top. Better than BA, LH, JL, and even CX.
Sep 21, 2015, 6:26 am
#35
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There are some great deals out there depending on your city pairs.
Thank you fivevsone.
Thanks Madone59. I know be both love Lufthansa but this was special. The only problem is you'll have to pay real money to fly them.
OK I am glad that you finally do this.... still remember I specifically emailed you right after my first round trip on AF La Premiere and encourage you to try!!
I did AF F 4 flights (2 round trips) (paid but found relatively cheaper ticket ~6K) ... I am addicted! They are really the best! One out of 4 the service was not that excellent because it was full 9/9 A380 CDG-JNB but it was still good. My best experience was CDG-JFK where it was almost full 8/9 on A380 as well; the crew both male and female were very attractive, food out of CDG was the best, and the crew were the best....very classy, attentive, nothing to beat.... I think when French people wanna be good at service, they are really good!
Actually the flight CDG-JNB, they served the best lobster I had in the sky. Took all the meat out and nicely presented, and still not dry. However AF flight out of other station other than Paris maybe not that good.
I am quite disappointed that you did not eat anything from Alan Ducasse Menu in the lounge because that is even better than the food on the plane. You could have arrived at the airport a bit early... eat, then relax, then massage... and when on the flight, you do not need to eat right away if you are still not that hungry.
My most impressive AF First Lounge experiences were:
1) One time I had a good talk with a male lounge agent, not sure if he was a manager or not, but he gave me a big box of chocolate as a gift. I told him that I will be at the lounge again on the way back in a few days so he said he would see me then. It turned out he could not be there so when I was sent out to the plane on my return trip. Aside from the agent that escorted me and introduced me to the lovely FA, there was another agent walk into the plane and told me that the person from F lounge sent her to tell me that he was sorry he could not be there that day and wish me a lovely journey back to the US. ... was very impressive!
2) One out of the 4 F experiences, the lounge was under renovation and I did not know and had a long lay over. They partitioned part of the J lounge and redecorated it to be nice and still offer Alan Ducasse's... but it was not that nice. They booked me a room at Sheraton right away when I said I wanna rest. Offer to drive me there even it was just a 10 minutes walk. They also offer me order any room service, food, or eat at the restaurant.... ANYTHING at all!!! for free! Sent someone to pick me and drove me back to the lounge... and again to the plane!
3) One time a person came to fix and expresso machine in the F lounge... it was not loud at all... but the agent was overly sensitive, she ran out to buy a box of cookies in a nicely presented bag and gave to me as a gift to apologized that they made noise!
I am so looking forward to my next trip on AF First class where I booked on the new 777-300ER on both legs! can't wait.
Some of you above mentioned EY Apartment, I did that a few times but aside from a very bad lounge (though haircut/shave/massage offering were great), the service on board was inconsistent, mostly just good but not great. And the food, where should I begin? Just not comparable to AF. Then there are SQ QF CX NH JL EK QR OZ KE TG LH LX BA... nothing can beat AF .. maybe NH out of Japan?
PS: I actually think the revamped version of the lounge was not as beautiful as the previous one (pre Sept 2014) where it was mostly white color, it was cleaner/classier, just my opinion. I also did not like the lamp that much.
I did AF F 4 flights (2 round trips) (paid but found relatively cheaper ticket ~6K) ... I am addicted! They are really the best! One out of 4 the service was not that excellent because it was full 9/9 A380 CDG-JNB but it was still good. My best experience was CDG-JFK where it was almost full 8/9 on A380 as well; the crew both male and female were very attractive, food out of CDG was the best, and the crew were the best....very classy, attentive, nothing to beat.... I think when French people wanna be good at service, they are really good!
Actually the flight CDG-JNB, they served the best lobster I had in the sky. Took all the meat out and nicely presented, and still not dry. However AF flight out of other station other than Paris maybe not that good.
I am quite disappointed that you did not eat anything from Alan Ducasse Menu in the lounge because that is even better than the food on the plane. You could have arrived at the airport a bit early... eat, then relax, then massage... and when on the flight, you do not need to eat right away if you are still not that hungry.
My most impressive AF First Lounge experiences were:
1) One time I had a good talk with a male lounge agent, not sure if he was a manager or not, but he gave me a big box of chocolate as a gift. I told him that I will be at the lounge again on the way back in a few days so he said he would see me then. It turned out he could not be there so when I was sent out to the plane on my return trip. Aside from the agent that escorted me and introduced me to the lovely FA, there was another agent walk into the plane and told me that the person from F lounge sent her to tell me that he was sorry he could not be there that day and wish me a lovely journey back to the US. ... was very impressive!
2) One out of the 4 F experiences, the lounge was under renovation and I did not know and had a long lay over. They partitioned part of the J lounge and redecorated it to be nice and still offer Alan Ducasse's... but it was not that nice. They booked me a room at Sheraton right away when I said I wanna rest. Offer to drive me there even it was just a 10 minutes walk. They also offer me order any room service, food, or eat at the restaurant.... ANYTHING at all!!! for free! Sent someone to pick me and drove me back to the lounge... and again to the plane!
3) One time a person came to fix and expresso machine in the F lounge... it was not loud at all... but the agent was overly sensitive, she ran out to buy a box of cookies in a nicely presented bag and gave to me as a gift to apologized that they made noise!
I am so looking forward to my next trip on AF First class where I booked on the new 777-300ER on both legs! can't wait.
Some of you above mentioned EY Apartment, I did that a few times but aside from a very bad lounge (though haircut/shave/massage offering were great), the service on board was inconsistent, mostly just good but not great. And the food, where should I begin? Just not comparable to AF. Then there are SQ QF CX NH JL EK QR OZ KE TG LH LX BA... nothing can beat AF .. maybe NH out of Japan?
PS: I actually think the revamped version of the lounge was not as beautiful as the previous one (pre Sept 2014) where it was mostly white color, it was cleaner/classier, just my opinion. I also did not like the lamp that much.
Agree on the willingness of the staff to move heaven and earth for La Première pax. Even in OSL before our first leg of the ticket, OSL-CDG in Business Class, we were singled out. We walked up to the check-in counter and the agent at the head of the Sky Priority lane greeted us with "Mr. and Mrs. SFO777, we've been waiting for you". Then the check-in agent asked if we would like to be escorted thru security and to the OSL lounge (we declined). Then on boarding, the GA held back the other Business Class passenger and boarded us first, telling the FA "Ils sont La Première".
In the lounge, our PA showed us around and said if we wanted a magazine or newspaper that wasn't in the rack, they would go downstairs and buy it for us.
I don't think AF has special F lounge with a cook making nice food for you other than the one in CDG. However, most of the out-station AF lounges have a partitioned area or even a separated room for First pax. It isnt that good to eb honest. The JFK lounge is big with F area and offering special food. However, it is not freshly cooked there. (Even LH F section at JFK has a cook made something fresh for you: hot food). One good thing to know is the LAX airport. Since QF opens a new F lounge there (hand down the best airport lounge in the US in term of food/service, but no outdoor patio), AF F pax are appointed to use this QF F lounge.
I think the airlines with the best over all out-station lounge service and food would be BA.
One thing to note that even the AF lounge at the out-station can vary, the escort service through immigration and to the plane are done quite consistently. Even when you fly J that connect to F. Once I flew from PRG to CDG to connect to AF F, they did walk me through the security and cut me through every lines at PRG as well.
I think the airlines with the best over all out-station lounge service and food would be BA.
One thing to note that even the AF lounge at the out-station can vary, the escort service through immigration and to the plane are done quite consistently. Even when you fly J that connect to F. Once I flew from PRG to CDG to connect to AF F, they did walk me through the security and cut me through every lines at PRG as well.
Merci JOUY31.
Sep 21, 2015, 8:11 am
#36
Join Date: Dec 2014
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All I can say is WOW! Just from the pics alone, it appears AF offers the best F Class product on a 777. This looks better than what SQ and CX are offering in F on their 777s. I'm glad you had a wonderful experience SFO777! I assume you and Mrs. SFO777 will be using this product in the future instead of Lufthansa?
Sep 21, 2015, 8:32 am
#37
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: FRA
Posts: 614
Thanks puls. After all my planning and DL mileage run, I didn't use miles.
I actually bought a ticket (roundtrip discounted F ticket of course). Flying Blue now wants 200,000 miles for a one way NA-Europe and with only limited new First 77Ws, they understandably aren't release many 77W seats.
Sep 21, 2015, 8:47 am
#39
Join Date: Jun 2009
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Great TR as always, SFO777...
AF new F looks stunning indeed, but considering
i) how small the cabin is
ii) how many miles are needed to fly it and
iii) how slowly planes are being refurbished
I guess it won't dethrone LH F as the best way to cross the Atlantic anytime soon. And even if it were to drive F customers away from LH, that would actually be welcome news considering how few F award seats are available these days.
Bottom line: please go on cheerleading for AF F SFO777, as it might just make my LH F award redemptions a little bit easier...
AF new F looks stunning indeed, but considering
i) how small the cabin is
ii) how many miles are needed to fly it and
iii) how slowly planes are being refurbished
I guess it won't dethrone LH F as the best way to cross the Atlantic anytime soon. And even if it were to drive F customers away from LH, that would actually be welcome news considering how few F award seats are available these days.
Bottom line: please go on cheerleading for AF F SFO777, as it might just make my LH F award redemptions a little bit easier...
Sep 21, 2015, 8:54 am
#40
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The La Première product really looks fantastic. Everything from the very private four seat cabin, to the china and service elements, to the ground experience looks thoroughly thought out and refined. I can really appreciate the level of attention to detail AF has put into this and look forward to hopefully using this product in the future.
Let this stand as a strong statement to those who like to preach that F is a dying class as it's just not that different from J. When managed properly, the difference between F and J is almost the same as the difference between J and Y.
Outstanding job capturing the experience in a TR SFO777! It definitely looks as though you all enjoyed the experience, made even more amazing by the fact that the whole cabin was your's for the flight!
Let this stand as a strong statement to those who like to preach that F is a dying class as it's just not that different from J. When managed properly, the difference between F and J is almost the same as the difference between J and Y.
Outstanding job capturing the experience in a TR SFO777! It definitely looks as though you all enjoyed the experience, made even more amazing by the fact that the whole cabin was your's for the flight!
... The first class product looks sensational, and OMG how about the wine selection in the Lounge alone!
Sep 21, 2015, 11:26 am
#43
Join Date: Jan 2010
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Great report! We've got seats for a day flight from CDG to DUB, so no sleeping but looking forward to all the rest!