Hello everyone!
This is my return trip to Paris after two weeks spent in beautiful Columbia :-)
My inbound flight (reported in French) is here.
A domestic Columbian LCC flight is http://flight-report.com/fr/report/23877/VivaColombia-fc8118-Bogota-BOG-Santa-Marta-SMR.
Air France has a new feature in its app! It now connects to mapping/transit applications when you open your application to check-in. I like it. However there is a tiny problem with the location as it passed on the location of the aircraft and not the airport to google maps… which thus included a 20 minute walk on the tarmac on my itineray.
We arrived at the airport 2h20 before departure by bus.
Our check-in area wasn't busy, we were almost immediately attended by somebody thanks to SP but the wait would not have been long anyway.
The desk agent asked me to confirm my vegetarian meal, checked passports, and also gave us a proper lounge invitation with our names handwritten on it. A nice service. We were told the flight was full in Economy.
FIDS before heading to security
Customs was very quick even though there is no priority lane. It just wasn't busy.
We spent some time in the duty free which I did not report. Just like any other duty free, but also selling Columbian coffee and chocolate and of course textile works from Columbia.
We headed over to the lounge which is a floor further up from the gates.
The offer was pretty good, although there was no real hot food except soup. Still, the food was refined and freshly made and the drinks choice was really good in my opinion.
Some more lounge impressions
We left the lounge and headed to our gate where boarding was already in process. We easily went on board through the SP lane.
A view from 35A
Pitch. Okay.
The inflight magazine – new maps and the 787 has arrived!
An attempt to show you the cabin
The screen – just horribly old and on top of that damaged on my seat. There was a black spot on it.
Push back was 15 minutes late. Some spotting
Take-off, fairly horizontal and always a bit scary in Bogotá, which is difficult terrain.
Menus were handed out shortly after take-off
Apéritif – Complementary glass of champagne in Economy, an AF signature
Food service was interrupted twice as we were flying over the Gulf of Mexico which can be very turbulent
I had ordedred a Vegetarian Ovo-Lacto meal… just to try, I just believe they are often more creative than normal dishes, and they're free.
My starter! Roasted vegetables, excellent!
My main course: rice with vegetables… not quite so great, a bit bland. The risotto inbound was much better.
My only dessert: Physalis fruit!
My partner's food. The chicken from the menu. Now notice he had Physalis AND another delicious columbian dessert AND cheese. All these things are vegetarian! So I could have had them too! My dish was actually more vegan, just like on the inbound flight. I think caterers are a bit lazy and just prepare vegan for everyone. I therefore asked the F.A to give me some cheese and butter, which he kindly did. I didn't dare to ask for the other dessert, I wish I had…
Tea and coffee was also given after the meal service with a liqueur. During this service the FA also asked us to push all the windowblinds down as the sun would rise again soon while our body clock was on night-mode.
Time for a walk to the loo, woohoo! Once inside I realised I should still be seated, but the seatbelt sign had actually not been switched off for an hour although there was no turbulence any longer and everybody was walking around.
I then slept for a few hours and listened to some music as watching a film was a disgrace with this screen.
We were approaching Ireland when I had a look at the screen again
Breakfast service started 1.5h before landing, which seems to be the usual AF procedure. Now my special veggie breakfast was quite interesting. Very interesting indeed…
I basically enjoyed the outside skin of a spring roll with some wilted spinach, broccoli, eggplant and garlic. And guess what, it was actually edible. However there was again no butter on my plate, which I asked for again. The FA seemed to be a little surprised herself. The juice had a fruit content of "at least 14%", ugh.
Here is the classic breakfast. It was a very very sweet pancake filled with Goyabana paste. Too sweet, said my partner.
Steady progress on the Channel between France and the UK
France! Cotentin region, Le Havre and Rouen
Descent into Charles de Gaulle
We arrived in 2E Hall M, the most recent and furthest of all Long Haul terminals.
Swift disembarking and some real cabin impressions
Also Premium Eco
Bye Bye A340, you'll be gone soon.
Lebanese A330-200 next door
And off to get my connection to Berlin from terminal 2F. You need to take a train to 2E-Hall K and walk over from there.
Thank you for sharing this interesting FR.
Pity about the IFE system. It seems that the VGML out of BOG are more creative than what one gets out of the U.S.
Hello. Thanks for this nice FR. The A340 used to be some very good aircraft...ages ago! The hard product is clearly out-date. Hopefully, newer machines will take over later this year. As you say, the TV monitor is a real disgrace.
I also find the veggie catering ex-BOG appalling. A lot more could be done to improve the general look and feel. It is clearly a vegan meal sold as vegetarian but lacks of interest. A shame, looks so 80's or 90's.
Overall, it seems you had a not so bad experience with AF. The positive point is the silence of the cabin compared to the 777.
Transiting at CDG is another real shame France has nothing to be proud of. Long lines for all, I guess it's what we call democracy here ;-)
Thanks for sharing this trip.
Best