Air France » Affaires (Business) » User reviews

PierreAntoine flew Air France Affaires (Business), on a B777-300ER (Config. 1) (21/04/2012 02:36)

I flew from CDG to GIG, the flight departed slightly delayed, but landed on time.
The service was professional and efficient, the food was good. I enjoyed the ITE very much, and think the choice offered by AF is one of the best. I slept for ab. 7 hours, AF seats in C being comfortable, and answering to my needs.
The breakfast was serves one hour before landing.
A quiet flight, I enjoyed it.

PierreAntoine flew Air France Affaires (Business), on a B777-300ER (Config. 1) (21/04/2012 02:36)

I flew from CDG to GIG, the flight departed slightly delayed, but landed on time.
The service was professional and efficient, the food was good. I enjoyed the ITE very much, and think the choice offered by AF is one of the best. I slept for ab. 7 hours, AF seats in C being comfortable, and answering to my needs.
The breakfast was serves one hour before landing.
A quiet flight, I enjoyed it.

talparis flew Air France Affaires (Business), on a B777-300ER (Config. 3) (06/01/2012 01:39)

HAV to CDG. Leaving HAV at around 20:30 after the airline informed me by SMS & E-Mail that the schedule was changed to 21:30. When I arriving at checkin 1H30 prior, I was informed that the flight is already boarding and checkin is closed. A visit to the AF office persuaded the personal to issue me with a boarding pass. Rushing through immigration & security with my suitcase, I have arrived as the door was closing. So no time for lounge experience. I was seated in 01E on a fairly empty flight, an aisle seats in a middle row of 3 with the centre seat free for me to use and my suitcase in the bin above the seat opposite.

Champagne & water was offered before take-off. Given that this was a night flight with a late morning arrival, Menus for supper & Breakfast were also handed. Noise canceling headphones are already at your seat with a bottle of water and modest amenity kits. Supper was served fairly straight after take-off into the humid night air.

On this flight the crew were extremely helpful & friendly and wore smart navy outfits. As the cabin was only half full, supper was quickly served. There was a small menu consisting of green salad and a plate of sliced cold lobster and grilled red peppers fallowed by a choice of 3 main courses, Beef filet, prawns, fish or chicken all served with different potato, rice & veg selections. Cheese & bread rolls were offered afterwards. For afters there was a chocolate mouse cake and some sherbets. The food was of OK quality but lack in presentation, a pity the fish was a little bland.

After supper I settled down with the IFE system. Plenty of choices to keep most people entertained for hours, but same as on the incoming flight. So I caught up on the couple of movies I'd missed out befor. The lie flat seat was not fully flat and set at 75% angle for sleep and a bit short for my 6'2" length. 2 mild sleeping pills helped me to snooze off for 5 hours.

Waking up over Normandy the view was a treat and quite mesmerizing. A disappointing breakfast of fresh fruit, yoghurt, and some baked goods was served. Then it was time to freshen up, and straighten ourselves before landing at CDG.

Arriving at Terminal 2D was like a step back in time. Those cramped narrow walkways give away its age. Finally getting to immigration on a fast track, the trip was over.

Overall a mediocre business product that did not ticked most of the boxes. An aircraft with an urgent need of a refit, to be in line with the A380's much better experience.

TominScotland flew Air France Affaires (Business), on a B777-200ER (Config. 1) (31/12/2011 19:04)

This review relates to the Paris - Saigon leg of a journey that commenced in Glasgow via Amsterdam, availing of Reward Tickets which were readily available on the route. Arriving at CDG from a Schengen destination, we exited Terminal 2F to go landslide before entering 2E via security. As it was the holiday period, the airport was very quiet and formalities speedy. I did, hover, encounter a major dislike in security as, having activated the bleeper, I was patted down by a someone smelling strongly of tobacco, making the experience doubly unpleasant.

Terminal 2E has a dated feel to it and many of the shops appeared to be closed or in refurb. We went to the large AF lounge for our wait and enjoyed the good range of drinks and limited by tasty snacks.

Boarding commenced on time and there was a priority lane for Business and Skyteam Elite passengers. However, a lack of signage at the two air bridges meant that many Economy passengers chose the forward air bridge and made the settling in time in Business difficult. There must have been some problems with connecting flights because the whole boarding process was protracted and went on past the scheduled departure time.

Jackets were taken, hung on pre-numbered hangers and a choice of champagne or a very tasty red berry fruit cocktail given. A simple amenity kit and water was available at the seat. This service is 3 class without First so we had chased seats in Row 1. Configuration is 2-3-2 so window/ aisle is best for couples. There is no forward galley and only one toilet so Row 1 was peaceful enough.

Pushback was some 20 minutes late and then there was a very long taxi so that take-off was some 45 minutes after schedule. The flight was 11'45" and a late arrival of about 30 minutes predicted.

AF seating is frequently criticised and, while not fully flat, I found the options available for both sitting and sleep very acceptable. The traditional seating does not give the privacy of other airlines or the sense of space but comfort was not an issue.

Service throughout was cheerful and attentive - cabin crew had clearly 'got to know' their customers in advance. Menus were provided early and the choice of both food and drinks great. - a real strength on AF upon which they capitalise. I wanted a light meal and chose a delicate steamed tilapia with fluffy rice - melt in the mouth stuff!

The Business Cabin, although full, was very quiet throughout the night and I did not avail of the snacks available throughout the journey in the galley. Breakfast was served at the last possible time, just 55 minutes out (unlike Emirates with their 2.5/3 hour before landing service) and again was excellent. The coffee has to b the best I have tasted in the sky.

Arrival was 30 minutes late as predicted and Vietnamese visa/i immigration, chaotic to the the uninitiated eye, worked well so that we were airside in our taxi, together with our luggage within 30 minutes of landing.

All in all, a very pleasant travel experience notwithstanding the somewhat messy boarding procedures.

HappytobeSilver flew Air France Affaires (Business), on a A380 (18/10/2011 09:50)

My wife and I recently flew AF business class from Paris to Johannesburg on the A380 where we were seated in 61E/F.

We connected from Edinburgh on a Cityjet flight. The lounge at CDG offered a good selection of beverages and snacks. Upon boarding we felt that the Affaires cabin was somewhat dark and claustrophobic (brown and beige seat coverings).

The seat pitch is not great and the 'bed' as has been previously reported is not lie flat (nor would I say even angled flat). Sleeping was pretty difficult on account of this. I found the IFE difficult to navigate my way around (and I have a reasonable understanding of the French language).

The service offered by the cabin crew was excellent and the food was tasty if perhaps overcomplicated for my palate. The breakfast omelette was however cold when served.

The toilets on board, apart from the one at the front of the business cabin, were very cramped.

The A380 has at the front right of the business cabin a 'lounge space'. This is certainly an error in the way that AF has chosen to fit out its A380 aircraft as there is no buffet/bar there nor any proper seating. The space to my mind could have been better used had another toilet been installed there.

We connected on a South African Airways A340-600 to Cape Town which was configured for their longhaul product which was definitely more comfortable to my mind than that offered by Air France.

mrgcmorse flew Air France Affaires (Business), on a A380 (30/07/2011 20:05)

I purchased these seats with some trepidation, given the comments I had seen. But the service and the comfort proved to more than satisfactory. We sat in the second back from the front of the plane and it was exceptionally quiet and spacious. You can adjust these seats to umpteen different positions and even get a massage. The video choices are many and the screen is large. The food was fine and the personnel on both flights were uniformly pleasant and attentive. The plane itself is a marvel and I had a chance to roam around and check out the Premium Economy section, which sits on the upper level just behind Business. I sat in an open seat for a while and, for the relatively short Atlantic hops, it would be fine, too. Air France may have its good moments and bad, but the 380 flights are excellent. I would fly again with them and plan to do so.

Lujoleasing flew Air France Affaires (Business), on a B777-200ER (Config. 1) (21/06/2011 07:16)

I does april 3 2011 , from SCL TO PARIS CDG , the French are and will be the first in service, the food was an effort to impress without a doubt, its too bad that this 777 did not have the new configuration of Business Affairs which make the distance between the seat in front about 10 inch apart. Sou ou really want to get the seat Guru here, the best seat us the one behind the first class row, other than that I wish I was in 747, better bar there....

jamesa0330 flew Air France Affaires (Business), on a B777-200ER (Config. 1) (13/01/2011 15:49)

Let me tell you from experience, Air France Business Class is NOT WONDERFUL ! AF are not telling the truth, their B777 Biz class seats DO NOT make lie flat beds - the foot end ducks down to squeeze under the seat in front so if you are over 1metre tall/long, the "bed" slides to the floor from the knees down, making you feel sick when trying to sleep! Even the upper portion of the “bed” doesn’t become fully horizontal, so in effect the whole seat reclines within its shell and does NOT lie flat or become totally horizontal. What a rip off, selling “lie flat” and charging for it! Cabin crew agreed with me when I complained ! AF was too cheap to make room for REAL lie flat beds like BA ! DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY !!!!!!!!!!

J.Augusto flew Air France Affaires (Business), on a A380 (22/12/2009 22:40)

I flew this weekend from Paris CDG to New York JFK with Air France A380.

A fantastic experience! The flight was 3h30 minutes delayed due to the weather condition in Paris and New York, but I spend a very nice time at Air France VIP loung at CDG terminal 2E. The flight boarding was realy confusing as the flight was delayed and the airline ground staff is still not prepared to deal with the huge airplane.

So, there were lots of people with lower deck seats boarding through the upper deck and vice-versa (a real mess). Also the lines were not well clearly marked... But, after everybody was seated I had only good surprises!! I was seated at the seat 60L (first Business Class 'Affaires' row, at the window at the upper deck - all the Business Class seats are ate the Upper deck).

A very polite cabin chief came to us to give individual welcome on the wonderful aircraft saying that they were glad to have them there and to provide any required information. The taxing took a while due to the snow and ice. The take-off was fast and VERY smooth - no noise at all!! At the upper-deck we have the feeling to be in a A330/340, but much quieter.

The front section lavatory is huge and very modern. For me, the stair, located just besides the lavatory could be quite dangerous during a night flight. They also have like a rest area with some video screens which is useless - It would be better to have like sofas or a bar... The seats are quite the same as other Air France aircraft but with a different and more 'clean' colour. The first row has more room for the legs and provides a feeling of a more space... The seats are very comfortable and easy to operate. The entertainment system is very good, but the first row has a lower screen size. The screen of the seat beside mine was not working well, but the airline had a support person. The food had a very good quality and 4 options of main course, including fish, meat, chicken and vegetarian.

Very good selection of wines as well. Before the arrival, it was offered a light meal - nothing special... The flight attendants were really fast and polite - I hate when they are slow...! At the arrival another mess to have all the 530 people out of the airplane.... In general I would give a 9 for the flight!

martinique flew Air France Affaires (Business), on a B777-300ER (Config. 3) (08/10/2009 17:01)

JohnSmith8 flew Air France Affaires (Business), on a B777-300ER (Config. 1) (24/07/2009 18:04)

The staff were very helpful and the food was excellant. Even the Omlete for breakfast which is usually quite rubbery. The IFE was good. And the toilettes were very clean. Ground staff in LAX were great and at CDG. I had a tendancy to slide down the seat when i was sleeping but this did not bother me.

Pascal75 flew Air France Affaires (Business), on a B747-400 (Config 2) (09/06/2009 05:17)

CDG-SFO 04/06/2009 on "Affaires" seat 1B Unfortunately all AF 747-400 are equiped with the first generation "lie-flat" seat. It has proved rather unconfortable... Being seated on the forefront raw is not so "peaceful" because of the coat and luggage cupboard which is almost non-stop opened and closed by the crew members during the flight. The inflight video system is simply hopeless with only 4 movies dislayed on rather poor quality screens without any pause-stop or go system. Good quality food, very good wine, but the service is too long. You wait about 15mn between the cheese plate and the desert... The expresso machine - which is usually great - was out of order! The crew was nice and smiling but rather slow... It would be high time AF revamp its Affaires cabin in the 747. Unfortunatly there are two business classes on AF, the one on the 777 (mostly all equiped with a new seat - not great, but at least new) and all the other planes of the fleet (including the 747 and some 340), with the hopeless first generation seat. So, choose your aircraft if you really want to sleep on AF long-haul flights...

terminalfive flew Air France Affaires (Business), on a B747-400 (08/03/2009 17:50)

CDG - MIA. Normal business configuration had a window sit that was comfortable albeit not a lie - flat bed. Service up to the high standards of AF and everything went smoothly on a packed flight (both economy and business were full). Entertainment system desperately needs revamping though - very poor selection of films (three) and problems with the audio

Ranerane flew Air France Affaires (Business) (19/11/2008 19:33)

Seat is very good new generation angled lie-flat. On last four intercontinental flights with Af they lost my bag every time. One was direct from CDG others I had 1h30 to 3h connecting time.