Flight Review: Air France A350-900 Business Class – YYZ-CDG

We spent a weekend in Paris and got there thanks to a good fare I found on Air France. This had us connecting in Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ). Before we took off, we checked out the KLM Crown Lounge (review here). The flight was uneventful, but the crew was mostly indifferent and nonexistent for most of the flight. This was my first time flying Air France’s A350. I liked the aircraft and seat design.

Anthony’s Take: Service was mediocre to poor and if I based Air France solely on this flight, I would likely not fly them again. The crew was in a rush to serve, so that they could hang out and chat, eat, and read in the galley. They did not proactively offer anything on the flight and when anything was requested, it was begrudgingly provided.

Booking

This flight was booked as a roundtrip paid ticket on Delta.com. We flew to and from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)
on Air France. The round tickets in Business Class cost $1,685 each. I booked separate WestJet and Air Canada flights to get us to and from Tampa International Airport (TPA).

Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ)

We arrived and departed Terminal 3. Lines for both immigration and security were short and we had time to check out the KLM Crown Lounge. It was only a short walk from our gate and was largely uneventful.

Boarding

The flight was on time. Boarding was kind of a mess. There appeared to be three lanes, but only one was being used. The Zone signs did not face the correct directions and everyone was confused as to where they should be lining up. The staff was junior and did not seem to know how to properly designate where the various Zones should be standing. This resulted in a mass of people standing outside of the roped off lanes.

On-Board

We selected seats 6E and 6G 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 raised with the push of a button if traveling alone.

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

Bottled water and headphones were found in the small cabinet at the seat.

A remote for the light, flight attendant call button, and entertainment system was also inside.

Another light and more controls were found on the left side of the seat.

Additional seat controls were found below.

The screen was big and bright. Much better than what was on the Boeing 777-200ER (review here).

A USB port was found under the screen.

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

No predeparture beverages were provided. A flight attendant came through about 30 minutes into flight and handed out champagne and crackers. I was given neither and had to flag down the flight attendant to get crackers.

Food

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

Service did not start until we were almost two hours into the flight. Flight attendants brought trays out and plunked them down with dishes still covered. The salad, appetizer, cheese course, and dessert are all on the tray. Apparently, Air France does this on shorter flights to save time. If we didn’t wait so long to start they might not have to offer this poor, rushed service. The scallops were severely overcooked (like little leathery rocks) and the salad could not be plainer. A bowl of lettuce does not make a salad, Air France. The bread was delicious as always.

My entree followed. My husband and I both ordered the beef and will not be doing so in the future. It was so dry and overcooked. I ate half and got tired of sawing through it. It’s odd to me that I should have to remove my cheese and dessert. There is no reason the flight attendants could not bring it out after I was finished with the entree.

About two hours before we landed, flight attendants came through and asked if we wanted drinks. These were served with a chocolate and a madeleine. I had iced tea.

Breakfast was served around one hour before landing. There was no choice. It was eggs, fruit, and yogurt. I did not eat the eggs and was fine with my granola. The pain au chocolat was tasty.

Wi-Fi

The Wi-Fi worked for 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 are two lavatories in the front of the cabin. These are standard airplane bathrooms with a sink and toilet. I was surprised at how dirty and worn the lavatory was on a plane that isn’t even three years old. The sink was dirty and stained. The toilet chipped and stained. The flight attendants also did not keep up with stocking or cleaning the lavatories.

The toilet was chipped and stained.

Clarins toiletries were in the lavatory.

Service

The flight attendants were not warm nor friendly. They acted like they did not want to be there and were barely seen throughout the flight. When they were around, they were rushed and tried to get through service as quickly as possible. I do not agree with Air France’s service flow and think that dessert can be served separately. Flight attendants were more interested in hanging out in the galley, chatting, and eating than serving any passengers.

Overall Impression:

We departed on time and arrived as scheduled. The service was mediocre to poor and the food was overcooked and meh. Seat comfort, working Wi-Fi, and being able to finally watch Barbie were the only saving graces of this flight.