This flight covers the first step of a trip to the fantastic land of Cappadocia. To get there I had to cross Europe vía Switzerland ( weirdly my most visited place in 2013) on to Istanbul where I'd change to a TK flight.
Complete itinerary:
BOG-FRA on LH, not covered, just like this flight which was already covered.
FRA-CDG on LH
CDG-ZRH-IST on LX
IST-ASR on TK
NAV-IST on TK
IST-FRA on LH
FRA-BOG on LH, not covered neither…practically identical to this FR
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So I had spent half a week in Paris with the (~)Mrs. and friends, we were received by the city by the worst weather ever…storms, strong winds, the works. Felt almost home Paris, thank you very much. Still, managed to have great hikes and walks around the city. Went to the top of the Tower, where my friends thought I would ask for my GFs hand, but I wouldn't succumb to clichés and stood my ground to bachelorhood. We also went to a great Vietnamese restaurant by Volontaires (really recommended) and had picnic on a park (only cliché I was willing to do)…In a blink our time in Paris had passed by, now on to the part of the trip I looked up the most: Turkey!.
We took an early RER B into CDG, zero hassle, even comfy…if one can really bearing in mind the filth and sad state of the train.
I expected CDG1 to be more like a dump…after all the horror stories, but I reckon ADP has done a decent job trying to keep the place up to date (IMO), it's still not like CDG2, but lets say traveling in Colombia regularly changes your standards.
Check in: Hassle free, and in no time. We were even with excess baggage and faced no trouble at all. The guys checking in on LH didn't seem to be enjoying their time.
These corridors are the same as the first time I went to CDG (14 years ago), and at that time my mum said they were just like the first time she went there (about 40 years ago)…curious I must say.
Since I had tag alongs I chose to go directly to the gate area instead of exploring the place for food. Security was a breeze and in no time we were on the gate. Problem: BIG BIG BORE, plus anything you'd like to eat, if you found something….a rip off. So as any other Aviation Geek…our fun is guaranteed as long as you can spot, and CDG didn't fail to deliver
LH A320…Lufthansa's presence at CDG is huge IMO
Srilankan A332 basking in the morning sun
AF Babybus, a company mérou had just passed by…found the contrast really nice
Pretty smart Luxembourgish junglejet
Its French cousin too
UA (CO)'s livery looks awesome on 757s…sad you don't get to see them often in BOG
But my all time favourite are AAs, those you still get in my hometown…
OK's livery is OK…but the previous looked stunning on A320s (IMO)
Contrary to 757s, 767s don't look so god IMO…it's like somethings wrong with them
Meh… but weirdness awards photo space for you my little Briton friend.
And our chariot made it! (sorry those were the best pics I could get with the sun conditions)
Boarding was called in no time…and I rushed into the bowels of HB-IJX a.k.a Bulle
I checked in the previous night so I could secure window seats and being seated beside my girl and with our friends nearby, but it was partially possible.
But window + girl at your side is more than OK I guess
Space for seats OK with the recaro seats, IFE also visible
Cabin view, not Airbus latest but well kept, also I like this interior more than the new (something about nostalgia)
And now…for taxi, more spotting!
Sri Lankan…
UA
US
Two mérous looking rather bullyish beside a little A346…
Taxi was sooo long! While it took place, we were greeted by the blokes at the front, informed us of our route and so on…nice guys. I managed to doze a bit while taxying, the GF fell asleep ASAP.
Hello there…looking great even as a museum piece
le management looks a bit gloomy
Passing thru le hub
Takeoff from RWY 26R
Managed to get great views while trying to get out of Paris
Dozed for a while…. then was service, if I'm not wrong croissant and drinks, contrary to AF, varied drinks where offered.
Little language glitch with the FA
She: what would you like to drink
Me: Apple juice for me please
She: Unintelligible gibberish….maybe translated as: sorry?
Me: Apple?
She: blinks…not copying.
(oh fck… should we try with french, nope, it sucks…. ehmmph let's try my crappy German then)
Me:Apfelsaft bitte…
Her: uh..Ja, sory…
Language impasse and juice problems solved….back to checking the outside
I guess we were over Alsace(?) by then
If my memory is not wrong this should be Mulhouse
This meant we would be engaging our approach pattern in no time…
Crossing the Rhine into Germany(?)
The views fill me with memories of summer…very happy memories
Grüezi Schwyz! once again! I was so excited showing the views to my GF…but she was more interested in sleeping…not travelling with you again woman.
Landing on RWY 14
Hello you…looking nice!
Other regulars…
Our plane at the gate
Swiss widebodies by the Swiss flag…looking great
Next plane?
Tiny LH 735…soon to be out I'd guess
Off the plane..and some time to spare, was asked about going out, but not enough time to make the expensive ticket to the city worth it. So we stayed at the airside.
To be continued…
Gracias por compartir otro interesante reportaje en esta serie. Lo mejor está por venir. ;)
CDG T1 has a nostalgic feel to it. Back in the 70's it was the model of contemporary design and it was often featured in films.
Thank you for this FR !
It's interesting to read a CDG review by a non-regular user of this airport (lots of them here ^^). Yes, Terminal 1 is vintage, but it's still doing the work quite well and you don't have to walk tremendous distances.
Picnic in October ? Humm...you should come back in summer ;)
Nice views, thanks for sharing.
Yeap, picnic in October is sort of out of place, but weather over here is so crappy, for us it's just the deal of having sun...we'd do it even in winter!
Thanks for sharing this leg of your trip to Turkey.
For you 2013 was the Europe Year, indeed !
The flight was kind of a routine one.
Thanks for sharing this FR
Gorgeous spotting and aerial pictures
Looking forward your next leg
This may be the first FR rating comfy the infamous RER-B line to CDG, in both current languages of the website, as RER-bashing is part of local etiquette :)
Yes indeed, CDG1's corridors did not change since my first flight from there, when there was no CDG2.
CDG1 is not very plane spotter friendly (before pushback, that is), but that is where a ramshackle of airlines are exiled for being either too far below or above AF standards.
Funny that OK displays its 90th anniversary livery at the same time young AF has its 80th anniversary livery.
The airport seen just after takeoff (and then later too) is LBG (Le Bourget), Paris' first civilian airport, now only used by private jets and general aviation and also host to a noteworthy airshow.
You had a good view of Paris, but unfortunately bad lighting conditions. Apart from the nearly vertical view of the Stade de France, and the good airport views.
Mulhouse was already confirmed by our Head of Geography Dpt.
This is an interesting local flight from a non local perspective. Thanks !
And IMO, I may never forget the meaning of IMO, now that I googled it and read it over that many times :)
Trust me...I was ready for the worst when waiting to ride the RER, my GF was really frightened, but then again, when you've dealt with the crappy S-Bahn that sunday, or deal with Transmilenio here in Bogotá or with Istanbul's public transport (wait for the FR) then you realize the RER wasn't all that bad.
Thanks for passing by
Thanks for this report.
Since its revamp CDG1 is nice, at least as nice as something this historical can be.
But I do enjoy this travel in time allowed by the architecture.
I actually find LX's catering better than LH's, I guess it's just a matter of taste.