Cairo, the Pyramids and Luxor via Air France La Première

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Nov 15, 2021, 5:09 am

#16

catmndu

Join Date: Oct 2009

Location: TUS

Programs: AA EXP

Posts: 489

Like a moth drawn to the flame I have another SFO777 trip report to read :-)

This time is a bit tortuous as I have a trip this week to Paris on AA. Needless to say the food will be from an alternate universe :-(

Thanks for the wonderful pictures. A trip like this is something for me to aspire for! For now, the vicarious experience will have to do.

Nov 15, 2021, 11:46 am

#17

NYC1

Join Date: Jun 2000

Location: NYC -- UA 1K; SPG Platinum; HH Diamond.

Posts: 2,910

Quote:

Originally Posted by Synapseturquoise

Another great TP! I went to Egypt in 2010, a couple of months before the Arab Springs. I had a fantastic time. Your trips are so inspiring. I was looking at LP prices from the east coast and some are reasonably priced about $7.5k RT as you mentioned above. I was wondering is the hard product better on certain aircrafts than in others? If so which would you recommend?

Since the A380s have been grounded (forever?), right now, there's only LP on the 77W and they're all the same. One row, 4 seats.

And SFO777 Great report, as usual.

Nov 16, 2021, 3:29 am

#18

seat38a

Join Date: Jan 2014

Location: Denver, Colorado

Programs: IHG Spire, Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Titanium, Mileage Plus Gold

Posts: 1,736

OMG that Sky Club offerings look 1000000% better than the garbage at the DEN United Club.

Nov 16, 2021, 5:16 am

#19

SFO777

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Original Poster

Join Date: Nov 2007

Location: Denver • DEN-APA

Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist

Posts: 21,593

Quote:

Originally Posted by lamphs

I don't know how you do this re: food. I am middle aged, fairly good shape, but I've noticed my food consumption is much more limited than it was 10 years ago. Now if I eat in a (good) lounge, I have to limit my intake or else I can't eat on the plane. So good for you. Knowing you excellent tastes in lodging, I'll be curious as to why you chose the RC vs. the St. R. When I was in Cairo this past May, a couple of other fellow FTers provided me some really good input on available Hilton and Marriott properties. I am generally happy with a clean room and comfortable bed, but having had a stay at the St. R., I am a bit spoiled now!

Although my metabolism is still pretty good, I find myself reaching my limit a little sooner than when I was younger. Generally, I won't eat the entire serving unless it's too good not to. And I almost always just nibble on the cheese plate. As for the RC vs. St-R, although the St-R was newer and slightly higher rated, they appeared not to have a Club Lounge while RC advertised it. Although we did get Platinum upgrades to the Club Level and had keys that opened the Lounge door, front desk clerk said the world wide Ritz policy was no Club access for elites. I'm newly minted Platinum so no idea whether this is true or he was just blowing smoke. In the end, the RC was a great choice for us. Thanks lamphs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 757

Excellent report as always - and can't wait for the rest of the trip. Looks like a great day/night for flying, and Air France La Premiere looks incredible as always. Business Class food looks also very good and plentiful - definitely an impressive spread on both flights! The more I see your reports on Air France, the more I want to fly with them - and visit Paris again. All best wishes, Matthew

Thanks very much Matthew. The LP experience is so good that it's dangerous. I keep thinking about unnecessary trips with super long CDG connections just to fly La Première and visit the La Premiere Lounge.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeaHawg

Wow! As always, I’m drawn to your LP reviews! Glad you loved Egypt! Wife and I had such a wonderful time there. We want to go back soon for a few days then perhaps to Turkey or Jordan. Hope you enjoyed the Ritz. We could see it from across the Nile.

Thank you SeaHawg. Although Cairo was one hot mess IMO, I'd like to return and spend more time in other parts of the country.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Synapseturquoise

Another great TR! I went to Egypt in 2010, a couple of months before the Arab Springs. I had a fantastic time. Your trips are so inspiring. I was looking at LP prices from the east coast and some are reasonably priced about $7.5k RT as you mentioned above. I was wondering is the hard product better on certain aircrafts than in others? If so which would you recommend?

Thanks so much Synapseturquoise. AF does have the occasional "sale" so I typically check GF once a week for SFO/MEX/IAD/JFK-Europe and the Europe map will show the cheapest cities. I f you travel to Europe a few times a year, it is almost almost always cheaper to look at ex-UE round trips. BUD and WAW are generally good starting points. As NYC1 noted below, AF only operated one type of aircraft with La Première, the 4 seat single row 77W.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sl00001

So exciting another La Premiere trip.....if I read all trip reports on AF it seems that their F is the most consistent, and oh boy the ground service is amazing. I compare this to F on SQ and it is not that consistent and more so the lack of ground service is at times a shame

Thank you sl00001. It's Air France's ground service that sets it apart for others. It's the complete package that makes it best in the world IMO..

Quote:

Originally Posted by catmndu

Like a moth drawn to the flame I have another SFO777 trip report to read :-). This time is a bit tortuous as I have a trip this week to Paris on AA. Needless to say the food will be from an alternate universe :-( Thanks for the wonderful pictures. A trip like this is something for me to aspire for! For now, the vicarious experience will have to do.

LOL, thanks so much catmndu. Once you get used to AF La Première, the thought of flying AA (or UA/DL) is tough to take. Having said that, we picked up a very reasonable DEN-DFW-LHR-CPH AA/BA First weekend fare for March for just $2,500.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NYC1

Since the A380s have been grounded (forever?), right now, there's only LP on the 77W and they're all the same. One row, 4 seats. And SFO777 Great report, as usual.

Hopefully forever. LOL. Thanks NYC1.

Quote:

Originally Posted by seat38a

OMG that Sky Club offerings look 1000000% better than the garbage at the DEN United Club.

At least UA tries...

And light years better than Admirals Clubs these days.

palmanfr likes this.

Last edited by SFO777; Nov 16, 2021 at 5:29 am

Nov 16, 2021, 7:20 am

#20

wakesetter93

Join Date: Feb 2017

Location: Austin, TX

Programs: BAEC Gold, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Titanium, UA Gold (*G), DL Silver, Makers Mark Ambassador

Posts: 4,635

Was following along with this trip on your website and via batmandds' Instagram. Looked like a great time and looking forward to reading the rest!

SFO777 and batmandds like this.

Nov 16, 2021, 3:49 pm

#21

ruby&carlos

Join Date: Jun 2011

Location: New York

Programs: Delta SM

Posts: 153

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeaHawg

Nice! Wife and did almost the same Egypt trip in January- Loved Luxor! Flew AF Biz (no LP😅&#128517

FS First Residences and Hilton Luxor are very nice. Egyptair A220-300 is a good experience as well- lol they give amenity kits on a 1:15 flight in Business.

Like Bart Scott! Can’t wait! Do the hot air balloon tour in Luxor as well.

Have Fun!

How did you find the Wifi at the Hilton Luxor? Good enough for video calls?

Nov 16, 2021, 4:09 pm

#22

abeyro

Join Date: Aug 2009

Posts: 215

Having read your latest instalment (Cairo and the Pyramides) and feeling the treat was too short :-), I chose randomly one of your previous reports, namely the RENFE journey (Spain).
It was a pleasant reading as usual, but suddenly I realized one section of your well-established pattern is missing nowadays.
Haha, what's happened to " The girls of...." chapter?

Nov 16, 2021, 4:14 pm

#23

glasman19

Join Date: May 2010

Location: MidCal

Programs: UA MM 1K, UC, Lifetime HH Diamond, Avis President’s Club

Posts: 353

Wonderful start to another great trip. Glad you weren’t confined to your hotel in Egypt. Life is good. 😜

Nov 18, 2021, 2:34 am

#24

seat38a

Join Date: Jan 2014

Location: Denver, Colorado

Programs: IHG Spire, Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Titanium, Mileage Plus Gold

Posts: 1,736

Wow, I can't believe the difference between the Denver United Club and the LAX Club food offerings. If the Denver club had just 1/4 of what the LAX club has then I would be happy.

Nov 18, 2021, 6:26 am

#25

SFO777

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Original Poster

Join Date: Nov 2007

Location: Denver • DEN-APA

Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist

Posts: 21,593

Quote:

Originally Posted by wakesetter93

Was following along with this trip on your website and via batmandds' Instagram. Looked like a great time and looking forward to reading the rest!

Thanks wakesetter93. batmandds has some great Instagram videos.

Quote:

Originally Posted by glasman19

Wonderful start to another great trip. Glad you weren’t confined to your hotel in Egypt. Life is good. 😜

OMG, that would have been awful. We almost never made it to Luxor as our promised Covid test results by midnight weren't delivered to the hotel until 3:30am. What a relief that was.

Quote:

Originally Posted by abeyro

Having read your latest instalment (Cairo and the Pyramides) and feeling the treat was too short :-), I

Thanks so much abeyro. Our visit to Egypt was indeed all too short.

Quote:

Originally Posted by seat38a

Wow, I can't believe the difference between the Denver United Club and the LAX Club food offerings. If the Denver club had just 1/4 of what the LAX club has then I would be happy.

Not to mention how dumpy and crowded the lone open DEN club is.

Nov 18, 2021, 6:28 am

#26

SFO777

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Original Poster

Join Date: Nov 2007

Location: Denver • DEN-APA

Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist

Posts: 21,593

Air France La Première Lounge at CDG

Our La Première PA Angelique meet us in the jetbridge as door 1L opened, and escorted us downstairs...

... to our BMW for the ride to the Lounge.

Off for a shower before lunch.

Time for an Alain Ducasse lunch.

Oh yeah.

We both started with the fabulous croque-volaille/comté/truffe noire.

Followed by the amazing Coquillettes jambon/truffe noire with more comté.

At about T-30, Angelique stopped by to escort us to our Cairo fliight. One last view. See you in 3 days.

lamphs likes this.

Nov 18, 2021, 6:31 am

#27

SFO777

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Original Poster

Join Date: Nov 2007

Location: Denver • DEN-APA

Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist

Posts: 21,593

Paris to Cairo
Air France 570
777-300ER (77W)
6:40pm-12:05a +1
November 7, 2012
Business Class
Seats 6E and 6G
Departed 35/36

Since our flight departed from a nearby gate virtually adjacent to the lounge, we decided to walk. Down the elevator to the concourse and a minute later we were at Gate K47.

After a final doc check, Angelique escorted to the plane and introduced us to our crew. Sadly, this 77W was an old crock of a plane with no La Première cabin... and terrible 2-3-2 angled flat seats. We opted for the last middle and lucked out as we had to only empty Business Class seat between us.

Tonight's dinner menu. Pretty impressive for a 4 hour Business Class flight.

Pre departure beverage options of champagne, orange juice or water.

After take-off, it looked like we were served drinks before the rest of the cabin.

Our excellent starter tray setting.

For my main, I went with the Beef Tournedos, with macaire potato patties, roasted beets and smoked jus.

This was really good.

Dessert was a wow... Yuzu macaron by Philippe Urraca, Opera cake, Paris-Brest cake, with a bonus sorbet cup.

Sadly, no La Première escort on arrival, so we were on our own.

In line for our $25 Visa on Arrival.

Five minutes later, we were thru customs.

Since non-passengers are not permitted in the terminal, everyone waits behind the fence across the street, where we met Assen, our driver for the next 48 hours.

For more pics and an HD version of this report, please visit SFO777.com...

lamphs, palmanfr, roadwarrier and 2 others like this.

Last edited by SFO777; Nov 22, 2021 at 5:41 pm

Nov 18, 2021, 11:06 am

#28

offerendum

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Mar 2006

Location: Germany

Programs: Some

Posts: 11,506

Well, at least AF use a plane with something like a Business seat on this route. With Lufthansa and other airlines you fly in a nice and comfortable Economy seat

SFO777 and Duck1981 like this.

Nov 18, 2021, 3:22 pm

#29

Duck1981

Join Date: Feb 2017

Location: London

Programs: BAEC Gold, Marriott LT Platinum

Posts: 2,327

I had a girlfriend called Angelique when I was a student. I believe she was from Toulouse. Thanks for the memories

SFO777, Yahtzee, Parterre and 1 others like this.

Nov 22, 2021, 5:35 pm

#30

SFO777

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Original Poster

Join Date: Nov 2007

Location: Denver • DEN-APA

Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist

Posts: 21,593

The Nile Ritz-Carlton Cairo

After a quick 25 minute middle of the night drive from the airport, we arrived at the Ritz-Carlton just before 2am local time.