Feel free to cringe at my pronounciation of "Air France"! I probably deserve it. 😂 When I did the review about Aeromexico last year, tons of people complained about how I pronounced Aeromexico in English and not Spanish, so I figured it might be appropriate to do the same here with French. (I tried to pronounce it like they do in the safety video.) But hearing it in the video now...I get it. But trust me, I tried the English pronounciation, and it wasn't much better haha.
I'm French, and i can say your prononciation of French names is really not bad, far better than the average English speaker. You can pronounce the French 'r' sound, that's usually the main problem for most foreigners.
@simply_aviation It is a rather common problem on youtube. I also love to know how youtubers deal with similar issues, with names like "Changi", "Schiphol" and so on. Anyway, I appreciate your effort while speaking non-English language names. Your mother tongue is German, right?
btw, the AF safety video is one of the best ever safety videos ever. It manages to condense every film French stereotype in a 5-minute video in a very entertaining manner.
Just flew on Air France from CDG to MEX about a month ago and it was absolutely fantastic. Aeroméxico is always my first choice for traveling to/from Europe but I think this past flight may have changed that. Flight was on time, seats were super comfortable, food was outstanding, and all of their cabin crew members were so nice and polite to everybody. I was offered (and served) champagne a few times, along with two individual bottles of Bordeaux, soft drinks and Cognac as digestif at the end of the meal. All of them without any hesitation. FAs kept coming back asking passengers whether they desired something else to drink and, to me, they never seemed too tired nor bothered if someone needed something or had a question throughout the 12+ hours journey. To me, Air France is the representation of French elegance at its best. "S´envoler en toute élégance" is as accurate as it can be.
What class of ticket was it? 😏. I got free champagne 🍾 on an AF economy 💺 777-300 ER flight from SFO to CDG....it was in a plastic cup, but I ain't complaining.
Just a small comment about making sure to drink onboard, staying hydrated mostly means drinking water, because other drinks such as Alcoholic, soft drinks and hot drinks contribute more to dehydration rather than keep you hydrated. This is especially important for us as crew to ensure that we get enough hydration.
@@MYSTICMANDY22usually no. But you can’t bring your own water through airport security. Look for water fountains in the airport to fill up your bottle after security
@@Rafa-hs7bz you’ll get some hydration out, and if you’re not JUST drinking Wine/Beer and Caffeinated beverages you’ll probably be fine. But basically, alcohol and caffeine in particular make you pee more. The more of them you drink, the harder it is for your body to compensate.
This is by far, my favorite aviation review channel. You’re so concise and honest! It’s also one of the only channels to provide respectable reviews to economy class without demonizing it or making it a joke. Most of the review channels are catered to business/first travelers off which I could never afford. Thanks for all your hard work over the years. As a fellow airline nerd, I appreciate you very much! Also, Air France long haul economy is wonderful! ❤️
My last CDG transfer (arriving from the US in 2E) was roughly 20 minutes from stepping off the plane to the lounge in 2F. The trick is, if flying AF, to hope that you arrive from the US or Canada (and probably Japan or Singapore as well) at a gate on the western side of Concourse L, as those gates are able to drop you right at transfer immigration without having to reclear security.
In my return trip from Paris to Atlanta due to changes in their network I had to fly Airfrance instead of the scheduled Delta. What a difference, my God. From the professionalism of the flight attendants which in my opinion is THE MOST important aspect at least in my view, in an airline, to the food, the way more spacious room in the seats (in economy). In all, in all the aspects they beat not only Delta but any of the US airlines. If you ever have a chance fly with Airfrance you'll not regret.
I'm very delighted to read this, I'm used to AF as a FF but I've never flown Delta on a long haul. It's just a different service ... I'm sure Delta is good too :)
I never ever fly US airlines transatlantic. Night and day! US airlines behave as if they make you a huge favor for being their customers. Americans don’t seem to know any better
I flew Air France from Dallas to Cairo because it was the cheapest one-stop option out of DFW. And am I ever glad I chose them. They really do put the US airlines to shame. Before that, I flew AA to London, and Delta to Istanbul, then back from Athens. Air France was absolutely the best. I got lucky as I didn't have to leave the concourse where I landed at CDG, and had plenty of time to make my connection both ways.
My experience has been mixed. Some AF flights are good, some less so. My last flight from CDG to ATL on the 777-200 is a case in point. Pros: Champagne Blanket and pillow The seats were not uncomfortable. The IFE was good Good service from the FA Cons: The cabin was freezing. It would be intolerable if it weren't for the blanket. No choice for the evening meal. The breakfast sandwich was greasy and unappetizing. The bread was cold and hard The plane is old. The cabin needs a refresh. Business class doesn't look like it's worth the money No mid-flight snack AF is often better than Delta but at least Delta is consistent.
I'm so pleased that Air France still offer the Champagne 🍾 in economy. I flew AF quite often when I lived in Manchester as the network fed in to a better range of destinations than BA or Star Alliance. Everything was also done in the same terminal at CDG too.
Simply aviation videos are just so consistently good, but still even after many years doing this, you guys manage to make every new video a bit better. The french accent and the aircraft odor eliminator 155 were highlights on this one! Congrats and keep it up!!
I'm French, living in Montreal. I favour KLM instead of Air France not only because of the service, but for the connection in AMS. This airport is so practical. CDG, as you said, is a pain when you come from outside of Europe to connect to a domestic flight.
I flew Air France from Paris to Bangalore some years ago - economy- and was impressed by every aspect of the flight. The crew, the food, the drinks all exceeded my expectations on that very long flight. Would fly AF anytime, anywhere.
A few secrets of why Air France does so well: First off, linens for the return trip are sent with the departure. It means that all of their blankets, pillowcases, and the like are generally treated at their "home" laundry. Their quality standards as a result are much higher and easier to reach. When it comes to food, they are also very particular about quantity and quality, and to my knowledge do more meal tastings and such than most others to perfect the products from each of their bases. They also have generally very good staff on the ground at every destination that work hard to assure that the quality of the cleaning, prep, and ground services are up to standard every day. They are not the greatest airline ever, but they are an airline with high standards that translates generally to a good trip and consistent levels of service and such.
@@dodaz5604 For me, it shows an airline that is smart enough to control closely the phases of a flight that touches the customer directly. It is a smart move.
Speaking of convoluted transfer experiences, I was shocked by the layout in Frankfurt. It's not an easy airport to navigate...almost missed my connecting flight because of that. Thanks for the heads up about CDG!
@@patrickmcmahon4536 I had a long layover and left the airport to go to Heidelberg. This was last fall. I got back to the airport figuring three hours would be enough. Nope. The signage messed me up, so I wound up going to the wrong section of the airport. When I got to the right section, security lines and passport control were the longest I've seen in any airport I've been through. I had to beg a worker at passport control to let me skip the line. Luckily he was kind enough and helped me out. I made it on my plane about three minutes before they closed the door!
@@mlorthiothat combined with terrible signage, or at least that was the case a few years ago. Instead of directing you left to your terminal, it made us walk a good 360 degree walkaround. I guess the french like exercising
Frankfurt's Terminal 1 is a nightmare. Terminal 2 is ok, and they're currently building Terminal 3 (which hopefully will have better layout). T1 is one of the oldest terminals in Germany, which at least needs more "people movers" to shorten the 3km walks to the gates.
I flew AF on the A380 before it was retired. They had a small economy section on the rear upper deck with cabinet space at the window seats. It was very nice.
A great video as usual, you guys never dissapoint. I really love the extra information you provide about airline´s routes, fleets seat configuration and airports. Kudos to you!
A point on landing in CDG: I travelled to Europe for the first time this March, landing in Paris from Seoul ICN on Asiana. I was very confused about the terminal layout, including the long travelator hallways in Terminal 1 and the fact that Terminal 2 was divided into six sections (A-F). What really boggled my mind was passport control though. I was called forward to an officer who was clearly on break, because he was swiping through TikTok while stamping my passport. He barely even looked up at me. So much for security control, I guess.
CDG is an airport I kind of love despite being confusing. I nearly missed a tight connection going through there ten years ago and only made it because the cleaning staff had gone on strike.
I won’t use CDG if my life depended on it. Coming from DC it was just confusing to say the least. I had a super early morning arrival yet it was busy as there were many flights arriving in that 6 am hour. Going back home I departed Europe via Amsterdam and it was a breeze. The signs are clearly marked and the staff was helpful.
@@JeanClaudeCOCO sounds like you had a rough arrival there mate. Unfortunately I had to fly out of there to get back home too but I first flew VIE-CDG on Austrian, and Vienna Airport is so much more efficient and easy to understand than CDG.
@@TGreerTGreer Believe me, when you arrive and depart CDG 2-3 times every year from age 10, eventually you get a hang of where things are. You know you nailed CDG when you can explain where Terminal 3 is (let alone you know it exists!) and where the cargo terminal 4 is! That level of a CDG nerd I became =)
@@jeankashikov7830 I actually had the opportunity to go to Terminal 3! After landing in Paris I was supposed to go to Germany, but because of the transport strikes I couldn't fly or take the train there, so I reluctantly took FlixBus. The bus terminal is next to Terminal 3, so I went inside the terminal for a quick look, but was thoroughly disappointed with the lack of facilities.
Sweet video! I do want to add at 17:58 that LOT still gives free soft beverages and a snack, which is usually a choice of pastries. I flew them on a bunch of flights two weeks ago and they were serving them even on the short 30 minute domestic hops.
I know that there are multiple people on this channel who do trip reports and they each have their own style, but I really love voice over commentary! It is more entertaining and I can look away from my screen instead of having to read all the time. All of you guys do great, but I would love to see everyone do voice overs
Thank you for including the entire takeoff and landing, something that is mostly missing in other airline vlogs and increasing all the time. I enjoy hearing about the onboard product, but I also like to fly and enjoy seeing these 2 points of the experience. Pretty soon everyone will just be hosting online product vlogs without any flying footage.
From my personal experience, Air France is the #1 best airline in Europe, having 9 short haul flights with them. My list of best European airlines are: -Air France -KLM -Swiss (Easily the best airline in the Lufthansa Group)
@@denizyilmaz5381 I've flew all three of those airlines long-haul. I am basing this from an Economy standpoint as I have not flown SWISS bussiness class before. My favourite long haul airline out of those above would be KLM, Air France is a bit of a gamble service wide and some of their aircraft are really showing their age. SWISS doesn't have much of a long-haul network at all and therefore cannot be taken seriously on most flights. If we were to excuse those above, my favourite airlines depend on where I am going. Asia/Pacific would be Singapore Airlines or Qatar Airways. North/South America would be Delta or Avianca. Business Class would be Qatar or Singapore Airlines with ease. I haven't flown much PE, but BA and Emirates have really good offerings in their newest products.
Have you drunk or something???Air France is pure shit....Flight attendants are patronizing but its really an art compared to Iberia with their arrogant cabin crew....Being kind does not cost anything.....
I love Air France for short haul in Europe. Nice to see that their long haul is good too. By the way, if you didn't work it out, if you have a flip-case tablet enclosure you can slot the cover into the tablet holder and reliably hang the tablet from it, turning it into a well-positioned media screen.
Is this flawless? Missing good times when Aeroflot was flying to LAX from SVO. Then the pandemic happened and after - the war which didn't let this company beat LH and AF in Europe in long haul routes across the Atlantic. All in all the review is amazing- so detailed and well directed. Thank you so much. It was pleasure to watch this 😊great job
Thank you for sharing you flight. Yes, I have flown on the 777s with a couple of the USA airlines and I love doing the Business or Polaris or Premium Economy first row at the bulk head wall for the long-haul flights that I have taken. I need the leg room so bad with me standing 6'2". And the privacy being on a long-haul is so so needed!!!!!!!
Thank you for this review. Air France will definitely be an option for my next trip from Tokyo to Europe come Christmas, as I'm getting particularly fed up with Emirates/Qatar, etc.
Air France is a nice option for sure! But if you're flying from Tokyo, don't skip out on ANA if the price difference is not too big, they are also incredible!
@@Jayasiatic Of course! It boils down to two bad experiences with them that clash with the general praise I read online with these two companies In the case of Emirates, it was a flight from Barcelona to Dubai on a 777. My main gripes were that the lavatories were incredibly dirty (just departed from BCN and the floor was full of piss, as if during the layover they didn't even clean the lavatories). Also, the entertainment system was laggy to the point of simple movies getting all jumpy, and the provided headphones only played on the left channel. As for Qatar, it has to do with the seat pitch. I'm 188cm tall, and those seats were torture. Add to that some extreme monetization tactics regarding seat selection, and a webpage that was buggy as hell and made me lose the miles of a Tokyo - Doha - Barcelona trip, and you may see why I don't hold them in high regard. Do keep in mind that these are just my circumstances and my opinions, so your mileage may vary. I'm not saying each trip with them has to be like this for everyone.
AF economy is awesome. It's my go-to to Europe, particularly for Promo Rewards. The terminals at CDG are AWFUL, especially if your flight is delayed and you have a tight connection. I had to run nearly 500m between Terminals 2EK to 2EL on a flight recently. I always opt for the longer layover at CDG, given the option.
Top-notch reviewy-stuff. Bonus points for NOT giving any of those boring collar-mic monologues that ruin the output of some of your competitors. I watched this all the way through. Another, today, by one of the big names, held my attention for all of two minutes. Keep it up! Air France? On a par with BA. Food in the back is good and the stewardesses reliably glamorous. P.S. Cheddar? I am shocked. Shocked, I am.
Back in 2010 I flew to France with Air Canada and back to Canada with Air France. I remember both had the 3 x 3 x 3 seating in economy. However Air France seats had more space and the food was much better. I was in middle school at the time so I can't comment on either's alcoholic beverage service, but back then Air France had a better product.
I enjoyed the thoroughness of your review. based on your review it seems that there is no need to try and upgrade to PE since flying in Econ w AF is not awful like alot of US airplanes where seats are getting smaller and smaller.
I remember flying on Air France's Economy from Dallas to Paris, and admittedly, I had an asile seat, but it was surprisingly comfortable. Best long-haul economy I've had, even if it was just compared to American Airlines to London and Delta from ten years ago to Istanbul. Food was delicious, IFE had lots of options, friendly staff.
Sometimes the aircraft can make a big difference. For example, i flew 777 on both of my routes from DFW-BOM, on one flight they had the brand new Air France seats features on the 777-300ER while on the other flight they had the outdated B/E seats.
I flew yesterday (17 Aug 24) Paris to Houston in economy. Excellent service, personnel, food. As most people have commented, there is no comparison between AF and any USA carrier .. AF wins hands down. I used to prefer Lufthansa but now I think AF is better. Also I particularly appreciated the well trained, polite and efficient ground staff in CDG. Passing security was almost pleasant with plenty of staff present to patiently and politely explain what was required... even helping to arrange items in the trays for the x-ray. What a difference compared to USA airports where rude staff seem to be there just to bark orders at the 'customers'.
Great video! You are definitely right when it comes to staying hydrated. My rule is to never turn down a refreshment on a plane, even if I’m not thirsty in the moment.
I flew AF business from Miami to Paris (CDG) aboard their 777-300 last December and it was phenomenal. I'll flying the same route but in economy aboard their A350 in the near future. Excited to see what's in store.
As French living in Paris, I've no other choice but to be loyal to Skyteam. But for short haul travels, I do love Air France (-KLM) the most since I know (except for breakfast), wine and a USB charging port are always guaranteed. I've flown almost all non-budget European airlines, and for the wine I totally would always choose Air France over others. Austrian, British, Finnair, LOT, SAS, Air Serbia, Aegean, Alitalia/ITA. Indeed no one offers alcohol and USB ports. Now since I've been silver for a while, there is even less motivation to choose others when AF is operating the given route too.
We traveled with Air France from YUL to CDG and back and we really enjoyed it. Food was good, on board entertainment was really nice and the crew was friendly. We really loved the on board cameras, we could see our house on our screens when we were on approach to YUL last Thursday to Montreal. I'd fly with them again. Going through customs at CDG wasn't that bad, and here at YUL was a breeze cause I did our customs declarations on line the day before via the ArriveCan app. The only problem we had was driving home in a really big thunderstorm, in pm rush hour traffic, lol.
Agree with Paris, Airfrances A220 had technical difficluties so we were late in Paris, but thanks to the crew we where still able to reach our connectiing flight because we were let out first. We could run to make it, but as it seems baggage can't run. Tomorrow it's 1 week ago, only one bag arrived today, the otherone is still in Paris
The flight camera exists, but the only use for it is to watch landing and takeoff (and it's definitely better in day). Every time I've flown with AF they had a camera installed.
I flew Air France a few times from Stuttgart to Paris for business reasons. If I'm correct, the flight time was about 70 minutes. Afterwards we drove around the taxiways for around 40 minutes to reach one of the weird terminals. I hated it. 🤣
If you take into account the no-flight times at airports, I don't know if it's worth flying on such a short haul, if you have fast trains from Stuttgart to Paris.
It’s a pitty you weren’t able to try the newest cabin… such an evolution from this very old one… Also, the catering when departing from France is way better
I actually found / subscribed to your channel a month ago because I was looking for advice on which to book for SFO WAW / GDN SFO -- KL 787 or AF 777. In the end, I changed to WRO / GDN and KL is the only non stop option. Thank you for your informative videos. ✈
Hi, I barely comment on youtube videos, but I really enjoy your youtube videos! I like how you cut to the chase and show us what's really important, instead of dramatizing everything. Also, could you do a review of Korean Air, there arent many on yt.
13:57 Could it be the camera is attached to the nose gear? You only see something when the gear is extended. I've seen this on some older planes (Emirates A330). Originally, the purpose was to simplify ground navigation for the cockpit crew. Only on newer planes, the camera has become a "gimmick" for the passengers and thus isn't attached to the gear anymore.
You switching between English and French pronunciation reminded me of UA-cam user 'Tom Scott'. (16:05) I'm not sure either, but your description reminded me of the chicken pies I would sometimes get from Polar kiosks in Singapore.
This AF economy catering is a first class meal compared to the economy catering I received last month by United Airlines on a TATL flight from ORD to CDG
Agree on all points! AirFrance my preferred route Chicago to Paris- if prices are OK. It’s like an extra 8 hours of being in France both ways- worth it for all you mentioned. Thanks
No better way to set the mood to Paris. Sadly, prices forced us on AA from PHX-DFW, but in Premium on a Dreamliner. Myself and 2 sons are over 6' tall. Great video showing a bit of what were missing!
Your French accent is perfect!!! Come on CDG is one of the best airports in Europe. Yes it's always packed, but at least you go through security check and passport control first and after that you enter Duty Free area and Boarding.
Great video and really appreciate the info on all of Air France's seating configurations. I have to say it looked impressive. I am spoiled to be able to fly mostly Asian and Middle Eastern carriers, and while AF is still not on par with them, I wouldn't be disappointed if I flew AF between Europe and North America, for example, based on this video.
I almost forgot this was a video anymore. I am flying Air France to get back to America from India. You are really making me excited for this experience
I know it is a year old but this is a great video, David. The wife and i are going to be flying Air France early next year for the 1st time. Not a fan of no personal air vents since i am naturally hot blooded. But i think i can be ok for 6.5 hrs from JFK to CDG. I just want to check the 777 of my list. I would much rather like to be on Delta (not really a Delta fan boy but at my height they are the only airline i have found wehre regular economy seats are fine and they have aire vents) but since they reitred their 777 air france or klm is the next best option. We never had an issue with transiting CDG (granted it was 2022) we had 1 hr connection and they got us through passport and security wihtin 30 min (of course we check everything so we have no carry ons.) Got on the plane and still waited for 20 more minutes waiting on connections.
As a economy flyer, I always choose big 3 from Sky Team ( Delta, Air France and KLM) versus big 3 from Star Alliance ( Lufthansa, Air Canda and United👎)
110% agree on everything. Air France is top nocht in crew, seat and overall meal. Will always choose Air France to get from my beloved Colombia to Europe. And yes, the worst part of traveling with Air France, is arriving to France. 4h migration line, humongous airport with complex pathways.
In March, we flew from LHR via CDG to HKG and then ICH via CDG back to LHR in the economy, and it was great. The food was nice, but I don't recommend the pasta. It was way too dry.
We just flew AF Boeing 777 in economy class this pasty June. It’s clean and leg room but seats aren’t comfortable as my lower back hurt a lot versus Lufthansa economy which was comfortable. Food was so much better via Lufthansa versus AF as AF meal are lactose intolerance folks
Good review, only difference in view is that a 3-4-3 layout in Eco is bad. Thankfully SQ still have 3-3-3 and JAL has 2-4-3. Long-haul European airports with the exception of Zurich and Munich are all crap.
thanks for such a great review video! I am seated in the exact seat as you for my upcoming flight, and I was wondering: how is the recline with the bulkhead behind?
I fully agree with your review of AF, they really go the extra mile. And I fully agree with your opinion about CDG. My home airport is NUE and CDG is my main hub for flights to Japan and Korea. All flights to NUE go via terminal 2G, which is a pain in the butt. When flying home I will spend my waiting time in one of the large terminals and tranfer to 2G at the last minute (by bus, over bridges and through tunnels, my subway from NUE back home is faster).
I agree that CDG is a major letdown for AF. I’m based in London and have tried several times to switch my preferred legacy airlines from BA to AF. The terrible connections at CDF failed miserably every time, and I had to come back to BA for the sake of convenience. Otherwise, AF is better than BA in most aspects in all travel classes (according to my personal experiences with both airlines).
I think another aspect is route availability. Though there are better airlines, I usually end up flying American domestically and Air France internationally. It just works for me. I try to use others, but it just isn't as affordable.
I must have been extremely lucky when I flew from YYZ to ATH via CDG with 90 minutes transfer. The terminal naming can definitely improve but security line was surprisingly short.
Omg I was waiting for a comment on CDG, yes!!! LAX-CDG-PRG you need to take a bus between parts of terminal 2 (saw some even had to connect between buses), you get to your new terminal AND YOU STILL NEED TO EXIT THE AIRPORT!!! I also loved AF but honestly for CDG, I'll rather fly KLM next time. And also because AMS should of been the best airport to transfer at.
Feel free to cringe at my pronounciation of "Air France"! I probably deserve it. 😂 When I did the review about Aeromexico last year, tons of people complained about how I pronounced Aeromexico in English and not Spanish, so I figured it might be appropriate to do the same here with French. (I tried to pronounce it like they do in the safety video.) But hearing it in the video now...I get it. But trust me, I tried the English pronounciation, and it wasn't much better haha.
I'm French, and i can say your prononciation of French names is really not bad, far better than the average English speaker. You can pronounce the French 'r' sound, that's usually the main problem for most foreigners.
it is true masterpiece, continue plzzz, waiting for air china pronounce on chinese
@@BsamohT228he does exaggerate it quite a bit though
David, it is part of the entertainment value of this series. 😂
@simply_aviation It is a rather common problem on youtube. I also love to know how youtubers deal with similar issues, with names like "Changi", "Schiphol" and so on. Anyway, I appreciate your effort while speaking non-English language names. Your mother tongue is German, right?
Only relatable aviation vlogger who still travels economy class. Thank you
for the people
There are so many economy reviews out there. But I get what you mean.
The Layover Aviation is also good.
Could not agree more 👏👏👏 comrade Simply Aviation
OnboardHD travels in economy too :D
btw, the AF safety video is one of the best ever safety videos ever. It manages to condense every film French stereotype in a 5-minute video in a very entertaining manner.
That's on par with the Singapore airlines one as well! Both are really entertaining to watch.
I think the Air New Zealand ones are some of the best but I may be biased.
Plus the guy in the safety video is hot!
That and the ANA one rocks. Captures the essence of what a flag carrier should do.
that video is so lame and boring
Just flew on Air France from CDG to MEX about a month ago and it was absolutely fantastic. Aeroméxico is always my first choice for traveling to/from Europe but I think this past flight may have changed that. Flight was on time, seats were super comfortable, food was outstanding, and all of their cabin crew members were so nice and polite to everybody. I was offered (and served) champagne a few times, along with two individual bottles of Bordeaux, soft drinks and Cognac as digestif at the end of the meal. All of them without any hesitation. FAs kept coming back asking passengers whether they desired something else to drink and, to me, they never seemed too tired nor bothered if someone needed something or had a question throughout the 12+ hours journey. To me, Air France is the representation of French elegance at its best. "S´envoler en toute élégance" is as accurate as it can be.
bro was drunk on the plane haha
What class of ticket was it? 😏. I got free champagne 🍾 on an AF economy 💺 777-300 ER flight from SFO to CDG....it was in a plastic cup, but I ain't complaining.
Just a small comment about making sure to drink onboard, staying hydrated mostly means drinking water, because other drinks such as Alcoholic, soft drinks and hot drinks contribute more to dehydration rather than keep you hydrated. This is especially important for us as crew to ensure that we get enough hydration.
How can a soft drink contribute to dehydration instead of hydration?
Because of the caffeine and sugars that are in soft drinks it causes dehydration.
@@martinthor4000is it a problem to bring a large water bottle with water on board
@@MYSTICMANDY22usually no. But you can’t bring your own water through airport security. Look for water fountains in the airport to fill up your bottle after security
@@Rafa-hs7bz you’ll get some hydration out, and if you’re not JUST drinking Wine/Beer and Caffeinated beverages you’ll probably be fine.
But basically, alcohol and caffeine in particular make you pee more. The more of them you drink, the harder it is for your body to compensate.
Great video! My first ever international flight was on Air France (19 years ago), I still fondly remember that flight.
This is by far, my favorite aviation review channel. You’re so concise and honest! It’s also one of the only channels to provide respectable reviews to economy class without demonizing it or making it a joke. Most of the review channels are catered to business/first travelers off which I could never afford.
Thanks for all your hard work over the years. As a fellow airline nerd, I appreciate you very much! Also, Air France long haul economy is wonderful! ❤️
My first long haul flight SCL-CDG was in AF economy class on a 777-200ER. It was superb, I'll never forget that flight. Très magnifique!!
Santiago to Guadalajara on Air France? Or did I get one of the airport codes wrong?
@@joaocardoso6697 sorry, my mistake, SCL-CDG, that is right. GDL was another trip
I am sorry about it but Economy is pure shit I only travel in Business.....I would be in full agony travelling in Economy
@@fabiensiquet2188 so? Why are you posting here then? May be Sam Chui's Channel is an appropriate channel for you 😊
Molto magnifico you mean.
My last CDG transfer (arriving from the US in 2E) was roughly 20 minutes from stepping off the plane to the lounge in 2F. The trick is, if flying AF, to hope that you arrive from the US or Canada (and probably Japan or Singapore as well) at a gate on the western side of Concourse L, as those gates are able to drop you right at transfer immigration without having to reclear security.
I am sorry about it but Economy is pure shit I only travel in Business.....I would be in full agony travelling in Economy
In my return trip from Paris to Atlanta due to changes in their network I had to fly Airfrance instead of the scheduled Delta. What a difference, my God. From the professionalism of the flight attendants which in my opinion is THE MOST important aspect at least in my view, in an airline, to the food, the way more spacious room in the seats (in economy). In all, in all the aspects they beat not only Delta but any of the US airlines. If you ever have a chance fly with Airfrance you'll not regret.
I'm very delighted to read this, I'm used to AF as a FF but I've never flown Delta on a long haul. It's just a different service ... I'm sure Delta is good too :)
European and Asian airlines are far better than American ones. It’s well known.
I never ever fly US airlines transatlantic. Night and day! US airlines behave as if they make you a huge favor for being their customers. Americans don’t seem to know any better
I flew Air France from Dallas to Cairo because it was the cheapest one-stop option out of DFW. And am I ever glad I chose them. They really do put the US airlines to shame. Before that, I flew AA to London, and Delta to Istanbul, then back from Athens. Air France was absolutely the best. I got lucky as I didn't have to leave the concourse where I landed at CDG, and had plenty of time to make my connection both ways.
My experience has been mixed. Some AF flights are good, some less so. My last flight from CDG to ATL on the 777-200 is a case in point.
Pros:
Champagne
Blanket and pillow
The seats were not uncomfortable.
The IFE was good
Good service from the FA
Cons:
The cabin was freezing. It would be intolerable if it weren't for the blanket.
No choice for the evening meal.
The breakfast sandwich was greasy and unappetizing. The bread was cold and hard
The plane is old. The cabin needs a refresh. Business class doesn't look like it's worth the money
No mid-flight snack
AF is often better than Delta but at least Delta is consistent.
I'm so pleased that Air France still offer the Champagne 🍾 in economy.
I flew AF quite often when I lived in Manchester as the network fed in to a better range of destinations than BA or Star Alliance. Everything was also done in the same terminal at CDG too.
I love how high quality your videos are! So much detail and it’s very entertaining as well 😊
Simply aviation videos are just so consistently good, but still even after many years doing this, you guys manage to make every new video a bit better. The french accent and the aircraft odor eliminator 155 were highlights on this one! Congrats and keep it up!!
I'm French, living in Montreal. I favour KLM instead of Air France not only because of the service, but for the connection in AMS. This airport is so practical. CDG, as you said, is a pain when you come from outside of Europe to connect to a domestic flight.
I flew Air France from Paris to Bangalore some years ago - economy- and was impressed by every aspect of the flight. The crew, the food, the drinks all exceeded my expectations on that very long flight. Would fly AF anytime, anywhere.
I am sorry about it but Economy is pure shit I only travel in Business.....I would be in full agony travelling in Economy
A few secrets of why Air France does so well: First off, linens for the return trip are sent with the departure. It means that all of their blankets, pillowcases, and the like are generally treated at their "home" laundry. Their quality standards as a result are much higher and easier to reach. When it comes to food, they are also very particular about quantity and quality, and to my knowledge do more meal tastings and such than most others to perfect the products from each of their bases. They also have generally very good staff on the ground at every destination that work hard to assure that the quality of the cleaning, prep, and ground services are up to standard every day.
They are not the greatest airline ever, but they are an airline with high standards that translates generally to a good trip and consistent levels of service and such.
Absolutely agreed. Alitalia does the same thing too on all their long haul flights !!!
@@dodaz5604 For me, it shows an airline that is smart enough to control closely the phases of a flight that touches the customer directly. It is a smart move.
Speaking of convoluted transfer experiences, I was shocked by the layout in Frankfurt. It's not an easy airport to navigate...almost missed my connecting flight because of that. Thanks for the heads up about CDG!
@@patrickmcmahon4536 I had a long layover and left the airport to go to Heidelberg. This was last fall. I got back to the airport figuring three hours would be enough. Nope. The signage messed me up, so I wound up going to the wrong section of the airport. When I got to the right section, security lines and passport control were the longest I've seen in any airport I've been through. I had to beg a worker at passport control to let me skip the line. Luckily he was kind enough and helped me out. I made it on my plane about three minutes before they closed the door!
Frankfurt is a breeze compared to CDG. Back in 2010 i was Flying to Bilbao and Had to take a Van ( Navette ) to another teminal?! 😂.
@@EsteOeste-vw7ps Judging by the map in the video, you're probably right about that. CDG certainly does look confusing.
@@mlorthiothat combined with terrible signage, or at least that was the case a few years ago. Instead of directing you left to your terminal, it made us walk a good 360 degree walkaround. I guess the french like exercising
Frankfurt's Terminal 1 is a nightmare. Terminal 2 is ok, and they're currently building Terminal 3 (which hopefully will have better layout). T1 is one of the oldest terminals in Germany, which at least needs more "people movers" to shorten the 3km walks to the gates.
I flew AF on the A380 before it was retired. They had a small economy section on the rear upper deck with cabinet space at the window seats. It was very nice.
A great video as usual, you guys never dissapoint. I really love the extra information you provide about airline´s routes, fleets seat configuration and airports. Kudos to you!
A point on landing in CDG:
I travelled to Europe for the first time this March, landing in Paris from Seoul ICN on Asiana. I was very confused about the terminal layout, including the long travelator hallways in Terminal 1 and the fact that Terminal 2 was divided into six sections (A-F). What really boggled my mind was passport control though. I was called forward to an officer who was clearly on break, because he was swiping through TikTok while stamping my passport. He barely even looked up at me. So much for security control, I guess.
CDG is an airport I kind of love despite being confusing. I nearly missed a tight connection going through there ten years ago and only made it because the cleaning staff had gone on strike.
I won’t use CDG if my life depended on it. Coming from DC it was just confusing to say the least. I had a super early morning arrival yet it was busy as there were many flights arriving in that 6 am hour.
Going back home I departed Europe via Amsterdam and it was a breeze. The signs are clearly marked and the staff was helpful.
@@JeanClaudeCOCO sounds like you had a rough arrival there mate. Unfortunately I had to fly out of there to get back home too but I first flew VIE-CDG on Austrian, and Vienna Airport is so much more efficient and easy to understand than CDG.
@@TGreerTGreer Believe me, when you arrive and depart CDG 2-3 times every year from age 10, eventually you get a hang of where things are. You know you nailed CDG when you can explain where Terminal 3 is (let alone you know it exists!) and where the cargo terminal 4 is! That level of a CDG nerd I became =)
@@jeankashikov7830 I actually had the opportunity to go to Terminal 3! After landing in Paris I was supposed to go to Germany, but because of the transport strikes I couldn't fly or take the train there, so I reluctantly took FlixBus. The bus terminal is next to Terminal 3, so I went inside the terminal for a quick look, but was thoroughly disappointed with the lack of facilities.
Sweet video! I do want to add at 17:58 that LOT still gives free soft beverages and a snack, which is usually a choice of pastries. I flew them on a bunch of flights two weeks ago and they were serving them even on the short 30 minute domestic hops.
I know that there are multiple people on this channel who do trip reports and they each have their own style, but I really love voice over commentary! It is more entertaining and I can look away from my screen instead of having to read all the time. All of you guys do great, but I would love to see everyone do voice overs
18:31 skytrax equals scamtrax. I don't see why it is named as the best airport in Europe.
Love how Air France serves Champagne in economy! So nice!
Thank you for including the entire takeoff and landing, something that is mostly missing in other airline vlogs and increasing all the time. I enjoy hearing about the onboard product, but I also like to fly and enjoy seeing these 2 points of the experience. Pretty soon everyone will just be hosting online product vlogs without any flying footage.
From my personal experience, Air France is the #1 best airline in Europe, having 9 short haul flights with them. My list of best European airlines are:
-Air France
-KLM
-Swiss (Easily the best airline in the Lufthansa Group)
I think that list would change if you had took any long-haul.
@@coopa2002 What would your long-haul list be? It seems somewhat accurate for long-haul as well.
@@denizyilmaz5381 I've flew all three of those airlines long-haul. I am basing this from an Economy standpoint as I have not flown SWISS bussiness class before.
My favourite long haul airline out of those above would be KLM, Air France is a bit of a gamble service wide and some of their aircraft are really showing their age. SWISS doesn't have much of a long-haul network at all and therefore cannot be taken seriously on most flights.
If we were to excuse those above, my favourite airlines depend on where I am going. Asia/Pacific would be Singapore Airlines or Qatar Airways.
North/South America would be Delta or Avianca.
Business Class would be Qatar or Singapore Airlines with ease.
I haven't flown much PE, but BA and Emirates have really good offerings in their newest products.
@@coopa2002ty going on long from the states to Italy. It’s between delta, ita, Air France and klm. Still undecided
Have you drunk or something???Air France is pure shit....Flight attendants are patronizing but its really an art compared to Iberia with their arrogant cabin crew....Being kind does not cost anything.....
I love Air France for short haul in Europe. Nice to see that their long haul is good too. By the way, if you didn't work it out, if you have a flip-case tablet enclosure you can slot the cover into the tablet holder and reliably hang the tablet from it, turning it into a well-positioned media screen.
the quality of this channel is genuienly immaculate and unique. relatable & proper good videos. been with you guys since 2017!! keep at it
Is this flawless? Missing good times when Aeroflot was flying to LAX from SVO. Then the pandemic happened and after - the war which didn't let this company beat LH and AF in Europe in long haul routes across the Atlantic. All in all the review is amazing- so detailed and well directed. Thank you so much. It was pleasure to watch this 😊great job
Thank you for sharing you flight. Yes, I have flown on the 777s with a couple of the USA airlines and I love doing the Business or Polaris or Premium Economy first row at the bulk head wall for the long-haul flights that I have taken. I need the leg room so bad with me standing 6'2". And the privacy being on a long-haul is so so needed!!!!!!!
Thank you for this review. Air France will definitely be an option for my next trip from Tokyo to Europe come Christmas, as I'm getting particularly fed up with Emirates/Qatar, etc.
Air France is a nice option for sure! But if you're flying from Tokyo, don't skip out on ANA if the price difference is not too big, they are also incredible!
Can I ask why your fed up with Emirates / Qatar .
@@Jayasiatic Of course! It boils down to two bad experiences with them that clash with the general praise I read online with these two companies
In the case of Emirates, it was a flight from Barcelona to Dubai on a 777. My main gripes were that the lavatories were incredibly dirty (just departed from BCN and the floor was full of piss, as if during the layover they didn't even clean the lavatories). Also, the entertainment system was laggy to the point of simple movies getting all jumpy, and the provided headphones only played on the left channel.
As for Qatar, it has to do with the seat pitch. I'm 188cm tall, and those seats were torture. Add to that some extreme monetization tactics regarding seat selection, and a webpage that was buggy as hell and made me lose the miles of a Tokyo - Doha - Barcelona trip, and you may see why I don't hold them in high regard.
Do keep in mind that these are just my circumstances and my opinions, so your mileage may vary. I'm not saying each trip with them has to be like this for everyone.
12:38 The champagne part really lmao. That is really funny French-English.
I'm always puzzled by the coat hooks that are installed over IFE screens. The only way they ever get used is if they're in front of an empty seat.
AF economy is awesome. It's my go-to to Europe, particularly for Promo Rewards. The terminals at CDG are AWFUL, especially if your flight is delayed and you have a tight connection. I had to run nearly 500m between Terminals 2EK to 2EL on a flight recently. I always opt for the longer layover at CDG, given the option.
2F is claustrophobic
To avoid stressfull tranfert you have to opt for a 2/3 h layover, in any airport
I agree with your assessment of the AF Economy class review. I've flown it many times and it was good. The food was good, the service was good.
Top-notch reviewy-stuff. Bonus points for NOT giving any of those boring collar-mic monologues that ruin the output of some of your competitors. I watched this all the way through. Another, today, by one of the big names, held my attention for all of two minutes. Keep it up!
Air France? On a par with BA. Food in the back is good and the stewardesses reliably glamorous.
P.S. Cheddar? I am shocked. Shocked, I am.
I know, I'm hysterical...upset and hysterical...2 points for unsalted butter though but still...
US catering for you
@@MelvisVelour unsalted butter is perfect, same for chocolatine...
Back in 2010 I flew to France with Air Canada and back to Canada with Air France. I remember both had the 3 x 3 x 3 seating in economy. However Air France seats had more space and the food was much better. I was in middle school at the time so I can't comment on either's alcoholic beverage service, but back then Air France had a better product.
Not even an hour before this was uploaded I wondered when the next Brutally Honest would be and I didn’t think it would be this short! 😊
I enjoyed the thoroughness of your review. based on your review it seems that there is no need to try and upgrade to PE since flying in Econ w AF is not awful like alot of US airplanes where seats are getting smaller and smaller.
I remember flying on Air France's Economy from Dallas to Paris, and admittedly, I had an asile seat, but it was surprisingly comfortable. Best long-haul economy I've had, even if it was just compared to American Airlines to London and Delta from ten years ago to Istanbul. Food was delicious, IFE had lots of options, friendly staff.
Sometimes the aircraft can make a big difference. For example, i flew 777 on both of my routes from DFW-BOM, on one flight they had the brand new Air France seats features on the 777-300ER while on the other flight they had the outdated B/E seats.
I flew yesterday (17 Aug 24) Paris to Houston in economy. Excellent service, personnel, food. As most people have commented, there is no comparison between AF and any USA carrier .. AF wins hands down. I used to prefer Lufthansa but now I think AF is better.
Also I particularly appreciated the well trained, polite and efficient ground staff in CDG. Passing security was almost pleasant with plenty of staff present to patiently and politely explain what was required... even helping to arrange items in the trays for the x-ray. What a difference compared to USA airports where rude staff seem to be there just to bark orders at the 'customers'.
Great video! You are definitely right when it comes to staying hydrated. My rule is to never turn down a refreshment on a plane, even if I’m not thirsty in the moment.
I flew AF business from Miami to Paris (CDG) aboard their 777-300 last December and it was phenomenal. I'll flying the same route but in economy aboard their A350 in the near future. Excited to see what's in store.
Flying on Air France tomorrow actually! Can’t wait, great video! ❤
Have a safe flight😊
Have a safe flight
Thanks! ❤
As French living in Paris, I've no other choice but to be loyal to Skyteam. But for short haul travels, I do love Air France (-KLM) the most since I know (except for breakfast), wine and a USB charging port are always guaranteed.
I've flown almost all non-budget European airlines, and for the wine I totally would always choose Air France over others. Austrian, British, Finnair, LOT, SAS, Air Serbia, Aegean, Alitalia/ITA. Indeed no one offers alcohol and USB ports.
Now since I've been silver for a while, there is even less motivation to choose others when AF is operating the given route too.
I love your reviews, they are always honest and straightforward.
Fantastic trip report as always David!😸
We traveled with Air France from YUL to CDG and back and we really enjoyed it. Food was good, on board entertainment was really nice and the crew was friendly. We really loved the on board cameras, we could see our house on our screens when we were on approach to YUL last Thursday to Montreal. I'd fly with them again. Going through customs at CDG wasn't that bad, and here at YUL was a breeze cause I did our customs declarations on line the day before via the ArriveCan app. The only problem we had was driving home in a really big thunderstorm, in pm rush hour traffic, lol.
Agree with Paris, Airfrances A220 had technical difficluties so we were late in Paris, but thanks to the crew we where still able to reach our connectiing flight because we were let out first. We could run to make it, but as it seems baggage can't run. Tomorrow it's 1 week ago, only one bag arrived today, the otherone is still in Paris
Said it before and will say it again - this is broadcast quality! Keep it up David!
The flight camera exists, but the only use for it is to watch landing and takeoff (and it's definitely better in day). Every time I've flown with AF they had a camera installed.
I flew Air France a few times from Stuttgart to Paris for business reasons. If I'm correct, the flight time was about 70 minutes. Afterwards we drove around the taxiways for around 40 minutes to reach one of the weird terminals. I hated it. 🤣
If you take into account the no-flight times at airports, I don't know if it's worth flying on such a short haul, if you have fast trains from Stuttgart to Paris.
It’s a pitty you weren’t able to try the newest cabin… such an evolution from this very old one… Also, the catering when departing from France is way better
How comfortable was the seat, is really the important part. Great video
I actually found / subscribed to your channel a month ago because I was looking for advice on which to book for SFO WAW / GDN SFO -- KL 787 or AF 777. In the end, I changed to WRO / GDN and KL is the only non stop option. Thank you for your informative videos. ✈
Hi, I barely comment on youtube videos, but I really enjoy your youtube videos! I like how you cut to the chase and show us what's really important, instead of dramatizing everything. Also, could you do a review of Korean Air, there arent many on yt.
Look very closely at around 4:45 in what I'm saying (and showing) there... :D
13:57 Could it be the camera is attached to the nose gear? You only see something when the gear is extended. I've seen this on some older planes (Emirates A330). Originally, the purpose was to simplify ground navigation for the cockpit crew. Only on newer planes, the camera has become a "gimmick" for the passengers and thus isn't attached to the gear anymore.
Great video as always! I flew on AF69 LAX-CDG in 777-300ER and it was a great flight.
Long live the 777-300ER!
You switching between English and French pronunciation reminded me of UA-cam user 'Tom Scott'.
(16:05) I'm not sure either, but your description reminded me of the chicken pies I would sometimes get from Polar kiosks in Singapore.
Thank you for pronouncing french names as it should be pronounced, your effort is appreciated
This AF economy catering is a first class meal compared to the economy catering I received last month by United Airlines on a TATL flight from ORD to CDG
A delightfully detailed / nerdy review. the back of the 777 is the best.
Agree on all points! AirFrance my preferred route Chicago to Paris- if prices are OK. It’s like an extra 8 hours of being in France both ways- worth it for all you mentioned. Thanks
No better way to set the mood to Paris. Sadly, prices forced us on AA from PHX-DFW, but in Premium on a Dreamliner. Myself and 2 sons are over 6' tall. Great video showing a bit of what were missing!
Hello. Nice Tripreport. It Was very cool. Thx. Daniel
fun fact you can find few flights with 777-300 with new COI cabin with 14J especially for YUL - CDF
Your French accent is perfect!!! Come on CDG is one of the best airports in Europe. Yes it's always packed, but at least you go through security check and passport control first and after that you enter Duty Free area and Boarding.
Great video and really appreciate the info on all of Air France's seating configurations. I have to say it looked impressive. I am spoiled to be able to fly mostly Asian and Middle Eastern carriers, and while AF is still not on par with them, I wouldn't be disappointed if I flew AF between Europe and North America, for example, based on this video.
I'm glad you mentioned that bit about CDG at the end there. You couldn't pay me to deal with the stress of a short transit time there. It's horrible.
I almost forgot this was a video anymore. I am flying Air France to get back to America from India. You are really making me excited for this experience
I enjoyed the sudden transition to French English! Great video!
I know it is a year old but this is a great video, David. The wife and i are going to be flying Air France early next year for the 1st time. Not a fan of no personal air vents since i am naturally hot blooded. But i think i can be ok for 6.5 hrs from JFK to CDG. I just want to check the 777 of my list. I would much rather like to be on Delta (not really a Delta fan boy but at my height they are the only airline i have found wehre regular economy seats are fine and they have aire vents) but since they reitred their 777 air france or klm is the next best option.
We never had an issue with transiting CDG (granted it was 2022) we had 1 hr connection and they got us through passport and security wihtin 30 min (of course we check everything so we have no carry ons.) Got on the plane and still waited for 20 more minutes waiting on connections.
David, dear lord everytime you pronounce something in its intended way, my heart skips a beat!! (Safran, Reunion....... man)
As a economy flyer, I always choose big 3 from Sky Team ( Delta, Air France and KLM) versus big 3 from Star Alliance ( Lufthansa, Air Canda and United👎)
This is an amazing quality video. I love it
110% agree on everything. Air France is top nocht in crew, seat and overall meal. Will always choose Air France to get from my beloved Colombia to Europe. And yes, the worst part of traveling with Air France, is arriving to France. 4h migration line, humongous airport with complex pathways.
Amazing review! Keep up the great work!
Loved this review! Funny, relatable and so informative!! Ty!! 🌹
In March, we flew from LHR via CDG to HKG and then ICH via CDG back to LHR in the economy, and it was great. The food was nice, but I don't recommend the pasta. It was way too dry.
Agree that AF is a great choice, in any class. Enjoyed the video.
Great video
We just flew AF Boeing 777 in economy class this pasty June. It’s clean and leg room but seats aren’t comfortable as my lower back hurt a lot versus Lufthansa economy which was comfortable. Food was so much better via Lufthansa versus AF as AF meal are lactose intolerance folks
Good review, only difference in view is that a 3-4-3 layout in Eco is bad. Thankfully SQ still have 3-3-3 and JAL has 2-4-3. Long-haul European airports with the exception of Zurich and Munich are all crap.
Once again another amazing video!👌
thanks for such a great review video! I am seated in the exact seat as you for my upcoming flight, and I was wondering: how is the recline with the bulkhead behind?
Wow the safety video is amazing
Every so often, I'll get that safety video as a UA-cam ad. If I have the time, I'm not clicking skip.
I fully agree with your review of AF, they really go the extra mile. And I fully agree with your opinion about CDG. My home airport is NUE and CDG is my main hub for flights to Japan and Korea. All flights to NUE go via terminal 2G, which is a pain in the butt. When flying home I will spend my waiting time in one of the large terminals and tranfer to 2G at the last minute (by bus, over bridges and through tunnels, my subway from NUE back home is faster).
Great video David.
I agree that CDG is a major letdown for AF. I’m based in London and have tried several times to switch my preferred legacy airlines from BA to AF. The terrible connections at CDF failed miserably every time, and I had to come back to BA for the sake of convenience. Otherwise, AF is better than BA in most aspects in all travel classes (according to my personal experiences with both airlines).
Great video, does the row sit that you are at recline ? Or not
Flew last month through CDG with AF and managed to get my connecting flight while being 30mn late and only a 1h layover. I was quite lucky
Regardless of the airline and the airport, a layover under two hours is risky. Planes are often late.
I think another aspect is route availability. Though there are better airlines, I usually end up flying American domestically and Air France internationally. It just works for me. I try to use others, but it just isn't as affordable.
I must have been extremely lucky when I flew from YYZ to ATH via CDG with 90 minutes transfer. The terminal naming can definitely improve but security line was surprisingly short.
really well made
I love ur vids thy make me want to travel more
Omg I was waiting for a comment on CDG, yes!!! LAX-CDG-PRG you need to take a bus between parts of terminal 2 (saw some even had to connect between buses), you get to your new terminal AND YOU STILL NEED TO EXIT THE AIRPORT!!! I also loved AF but honestly for CDG, I'll rather fly KLM next time. And also because AMS should of been the best airport to transfer at.
My favourite series on UA-cam
Outstanding review as always
😊
Keep up the fabulous work