Flight Review: Air France 777-200ER Business Class – CDG-ATL

After spending some time in Luxembourg and Budapest to visit Christmas markets, we were headed back to Tampa. We flew Air France from Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport (BUD) to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) and were then off to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) before connecting to Tampa International Airport (TPA) on Delta Air Lines. The flight was fairly uneventful except for one passenger who attempted to poach seat 2A (more here).

Anthony’s Take: Air France Business Class is a perfectly acceptable way to cross the Atlantic. The crew was friendly, the food was decent, and the seat was reasonably comfortable. I want to try La Première, but Air France’s Business Class is fine for most trips to Europe and competitive with Lufthansa, KLM, and other European carriers that we’ve recently flown.

Booking

This flight was booked as a one-way paid ticket on Delta.com. We flew to Europe on United and connected on British Airways. We flew between Luxembourg and Budapest on Luxair (review here) and then returned home on a combination of Air France and Delta. The one-way tickets in Business Class cost $1,985 each.

Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)

Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) is not always the easiest airport to manage. It’s large and spread out. Signage is not always the clearest either. We arrived from our connection and did not have far to go for our connecting flight back to the US. We walked from our plane to immigration and through security before going to the Air France lounge.

Air France Lounge (Terminal E, Hall L)

We had some time before the flight and got to check out the impressive and spacious lounge in Terminal E, Hall L. It offered lots of space for working and relaxing, a tasty buffet, drinks, showers, restrooms, and even a spa and sauna (I did not get to use these).

Boarding

The flight was on time and boarding was pretty straightforward. Business Class was Zone 1 with Sky Priority and Premium Economy in Zone 2. Economy Class was divided among several other groups. We were on the plane within minutes of boarding commencing.

On-Board

We selected seats 2E and 2F as they were the only two together when I booked. We both liked how open the seats felt and that we were able to easily converse. These seats are much more conducive to traveling with someone than the Polaris® seats we were in on the way to Europe. There is a privacy divider that can be added between the seats if you’re traveling solo.

A blanket, pillow, and coat hanger were at the seat when I arrived.

Bottled water was found underneath near the outlet and USB port.

Headphones were inside of the individual compartment.

A mirror was also found in here.

Amenity kits were distributed. They contain a pen, toothbrush and toothpaste, socks, a blindfold, and a few other toiletries.

We were also provided with a choice of orange juice or champagne before departure.

Seat Features

The seats on this Boeing 777-200ER are relatively comfortable and do not induce claustrophobia like others (like the Polaris® coffins). The seat had multiple controls for different positions, several lights, and more. The seats are showing signs of their age with some wear.

Screens are not large, but were fine for watching movies or TV shows. The TV selection was meh, but there were a good number of movies to choose from onboard.

A remote control handled the entertainment system as well as a light and call button for service.

A pop-out button near the screen was another spot to hang a jacket.

Food

Menus were distributed shortly after we boarded. Air France has a nice wine list, but the food selection was not as exciting.

Cheese filled crackers and a Cashew Nut and Garlic Cream appertizer were brought out first with a choice of beverages.

Next, a tray with a salad (pretty blah), Smoked Salmon, and a Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Mousseline. The salmon was good. I wasn’t a fan of the rest of it. The bread was warm and delicious.

Entrees came next. I selected the Pollock with Carraway Sauce. My husband had the Beef Chuck with Arabica Coffee. Both meals were fine, but nothing memorable.

Cheese was brought next. It’s odd (and kind of cheap) that it’s not served with any fruit or crackers.

Dessert was a choice of a Yuzu cake or ice cream. I opted for the plain vanilla ice cream.

Flight attendants dropped off boxes of chocolate a bit later in the flight.

About 60 minutes before landing, we were provided with a second meal. I had the Roasted Chicken Fillet with Tarragon Jus. It was fatty and also just okay. The food on our KLM flight last month was much better.

Wi-Fi

The Wi-Fi worked for nearly the entire flight. It was speedy and reliable from about 30 minutes into the flight until we landed. The cost for the full flight was €18 for a slower speed or €30 for a faster speed (you could also pay €8 for one hour). This is reasonable for a transatlantic flight.

Lavatory

There is a lavatory in the front center of the cabin. It was a standard airplane bathroom with a sink and toilet.

The sink was rather stained.

Clarins toiletries were in the lavatory.

Service

The flight attendants were warm and friendly. They were efficient and passed through frequently. The woman working my side of the aircraft kept my drink continuously refreshed during the meal service.

Overall Impression:

We departed on time and arrived as scheduled. Our gate was not ready for 40 minutes, which made our connection tight. Luckily, we made it to our other flight and home to Tampa.