Transfer in CDG

My flight from Casablanca ends at Terminal 2E. We land at 14:15, and my onward connection to Basel is at 17:35.

Immigration and entry into the Schengen area is done in 2E. There are three queues: one for EU citizens with biometric passports, one for the others, and a separate lane for SkyPriority.

I have no idea what’s going on, if the French immigration officers just having a go-slow or if perhaps their system isn’t working properly. But whatever the case may be, it takes me one hour to get through and the place is a mess. People are yelling at each other and at the airport staff, while some old bat gets herself stuck in the automatic passport gate. So much melodrama…!

Still, at least the views are good.

Behind immigration I follow the signs for Terminal 2G, which take me straight to the bus stop for the airside shuttle. The transfer takes ten minutes.

Le Salon Air France Terminal 2G

Once I arrive at 2G I head straight for the lounge, which is very busy when I get there but then quickly calms as passengers start leaving to catch their flights. I grab a comfortable seat and do some work for the office.

I really like this lounge. It has a nice homey feel, quite as though you’re sitting in somebody’s living room.

Boarding

Originally, my flight is scheduled to start boarding at 17:05 for a 17:35 departure. However, at around 16:00 I receive an alert that the inbound from Naples is delayed and so, my flight to Basel will depart with a delay of fifty minutes.

The flight today is operated by HOP with an Embraer 190. At 2G there are no airbridges, which is always nice despite the cold.

The Cabin

There are two rows of Business Class on todays’s flight. I am seated on row 1, where the seat pitch is excellent. It also helps that the aisle seat next to me stays empty.

The Service

There are two friendly young ladies working the cabin. No pre-departure water or towels are offered on this flight.

After take-off, the crew close off the cabin divider and start the service. The flight time to Basel is 45 minutes.

I ask for a cup of Perrier, which the cabin crew hands me with a bottle of still water, a round box of salty sablés and a small bar of dark chocolate.

Arrival

Eventually, we land with a delay of forty minutes. My suitcase is the second to arrive on the belt, and then I’m out the door to catch the bus to the station.

The airport is rather quiet this evening, but maybe that’s because it’s still a bit early for easyJet’s evening inbound wave.

Conclusion

That brings to an end my Moroccan adventure. Air France gave a solid performance again on all the flights. The crews were professional and friendly. I’m always amazed by the high level of consistency they achieve in their service delivery at Air France.

CDG is an impressive place. The queues for immigration to enter the Schengen area were unfortunate of course, but that’s hardly Air France’s or the airport’s fault. I think during Covid we lost a lot of our social skills, and two years down the line we still haven’t fully readjusted – and that creates tensions.