I’m on my way to Montreal again to present another working paper to ICAO.

Transfer in Paris CDG

I’ve just arrived in Paris on an Air France flight from Frankfurt which terminated at Terminal 2G, and which is also where emigration takes place. Once I’ve officially exited the Schengen area, I catch a bus for the airside transfer to Terminal 2F Hall M, which is in the satellite.

By the time I enter the terminal, it’s just gone 08h30 in the morning. There are some nice glitzy boutiques in Hall M, with many of the big brand names like Dior, Gucci, or Burburry. I have five hours to kill before my onward connection, so I browse through the shops for a while without the intention of actually buying anything and marvel at how much money people are willing to spend for a pair of gaudy sneakers that probably cost less than EUR5.- to produce in Cambodia… And then I go find the lounge.

Le Salon Air France Terminal 2E Hall M

The Air France Business Class lounge is busy but not overly full. Luckily for me that means that I am able to secure a seat by the window from where I can watch the aircraft climbing out right after take-off.

I settle my belongings and make my way to one of the two buffet areas where breakfast is currently being served. I ask one of the lounge attendants standing by the cheese counter if she can tell me what the different cheese are. That turns into a highly entertaining conversation with the lovely woman because it turns out that she’s a passionate foodie and particularly loves cheese. Her enthusiasm is charming and it’s impressive how knowledgeable she is about cheese. Eventually, she leaves me to it with exact instructions on the sequence in which to try the cheese I’ve chosen as well as ideal wine pairings in case I’m interested.

The buffet is nicely presented and offers rather a good selection of both hot and cold dishes.

Just before noon, an elegantly turned out middle aged female lounge attendant makes her way through the lounge with a young man in tow who is pushing a trolley with an ice bucket and several bottles of champagne in it. She asks me if I’d like a glass while the young man proffers a tray with canapés to accompany the champagne. I settle for the cream cheese and radish. And then they move on. This seems like such a typically Air France thing to do and I must confess I’m perfectly delighted!

Boarding

According to my boarding pass, boarding should start 55 minutes before departure, at 12h35, but I figure I might as well wait a bit for the initial scrum to pass. I arrive at the gate thirty minutes before departure and even so, there’s a long wait in the queue for the obligatory passport check.

Just as I reach the gate area, one of the gate agents servicing the flight makes an announcement informing passengers that the flight is full and they are looking for volunteers who would agree to take either one of the two flights the next day. There’s a denied boarding compensation of EUR600 in cash or EUR800 in Air France vouchers, plus complimentary accommodation for anyone willing to be offloaded.

The Cabin & Seat

Once I step aboard the mighty B 777-300ER, it immediately becomes clear to me why the flight is overbooked. Originally, this service should have been operated by an aircraft in a high density configuration with only 14 Business Class seats and 458 in Premium Economy/Economy. There’s been an aircraft change, so instead, the flight is operating with an aircraft configured with 48 seats in Business Class and only 321 in Premium Economy/Economy Class – over 100 seats less in total.

It looks as though I’m in luck today because the aircraft operating the service to Montreal is in the new configuration with the upgraded seats with privacy doors. And better still, I’m seated on 1A. The bulkhead seats in this configuration have considerably more space.

The extra space on the bulkhead row is just brilliant and even roomier than the standard seats, which are already very comfortable. What’s more, the bulkhead seats are available to select free of charge at check-in for Platinum members.

Amenities

When I arrive at my seat there’s already a bottle of Evian in the storage compartment. There’s also a hanger for my jacket, as well as a pillow, blanket and padded seat cover. Air France provides slippers in Business Class on all mid- and long-haul flights. And I’m happy to report that the slippers are big enough to comfortably fit my size elevens. Just before we push back, the crew pass through the cabin handing out the vanity kits.

The Service & Crew

While we’re still on the ground, the crew pass through the cabin with welcome drinks. There’s a choice of champagne, orange juice, or water. The crew on this flight are absolutely brilliant and such a delight. The maître de comes to introduce herself. She checks to confirm I’m still happy with the meal I pre-ordered a few days ago and apologizes for not having a menu to hand out for the drinks. Apparently, they were not loaded today by mistake. A while later, I’m quietly reading in my Kindle when another cabin crew passes my seat. He gives me a friendly smile and says “bonjour, Monsieur A., vous allez bien?”. I must say, I’m quite startled and more than just a little impressed.

At 14h15 we slowly push back from our stand and the B 777’s powerful engines come to life with a gentle, soothing hum. AF344 is officially on its way to Montreal. Eventually, we take off 45 minutes behind schedule. With a flight time of only seven hours that still means we’ll be arriving in Montreal on time.

The Meal – Late Lunch

The lunch service begins with the crew handing out piping hot scented towels, which are cleared away again before the food arrives.

Apéritif

Originally, I was just going to have a glass of sparkling water, but then the maître de convinces me that I just have to try the French gin they cater, which really is rather nice. With the drinks, the crew serve a small box of cheesy crackers and a ramekin with a chestnut mousse with pear and crushed pecans. The amuse bouche is simply divine. It’s full of flavour and has a rich, creamy texture.

First Course & Salad

Air France has definitely upped its game with the catering. Not only are there four options for the main course to pre-order. They also have different first courses to provide an ideal pairing with the main. In my case, the starter is a quinoa salad with edamame on a pumpkin and orange cream, as well as a gorgeous lobster salad. The first course is accompanied by a green salad served with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The crew make several rounds with the breadbasket throughout the meal service.

The first course is lovely! The lobster’s dressing is slightly spicy and sharp, which is nicely balanced against the sumptuous, fruity flavour of the quinoa salad.

Main Course

For the main course I have the small coquilles St. Jacques with a spicy hazelnut vinaigrette on a cream of Jerusalem artichokes. This dish is, quite simply, heavenly. Really good! It’s full of different textures and layered with interesting flavours that gradually unfold as you go.

Cheese Course

Another thing I greatly appreciate about Air France is that they don’t make you choose between the cheese and dessert like some airlines. Instead, the cheese is served between the main course and dessert. Unfortunately, I forget to ask what the cheese are, but I’m guessing one of them must be a Comté, which is a staple on Air France.

Dessert & Coffee

And then for dessert, I have a spectacular combo of chocolate ice cream and a crispy, creamy slice of chocolate cake served on a Japonais base, both of which are excellent. With that I have a coffee to drink.

Second Service

Eighty minutes out of Montreal the lights go on again and the crew start preparing for the second service.

It’s a simple meal that consists of a plate of Orzo pasta with a hazelnut pesto and pickled radishes on a spicy tomato sugo. This is served with a selection of bread rolls that are still warm from the oven. For dessert there’s a bowl of orange and pomelo slices. The meal concludes with another hot towel.

Arrival in Montreal

Thirty minutes out of Montreal we start our descent. The weather is not bad. It’s sunny with just a bit of cloud and haze. It’s much colder than it is back in Europe, though. The first officer reports a temperature of minus four degrees Celsius on the ground.

Initially, when I reach the arrivals hall my heart sinks. We landed just behind the SWISS flight from Zürich and the Air Algérie from Algiers, so the place is crawling with people. At least the self-declaration is quick and efficient. Even with the crowds it doesn’t take too long to enter the country. However, baggage collection is a huge mess. The Air France luggage is being delivered on the same belt as Air Algérie and it’s complete chaos. There are people everywhere and the handlers are obviously struggling to keep up, so that I eventually end up waiting for 45 minutes for my suitcase to arrive.

Conclusion

This flight today from Paris to Montreal was another good example of why I think Air France currently has the best overall Business Class product of all of the European carriers. It’s the little details that make the difference, like the champagne service in the lounge or the fact that the crews make the effort to acknowledge their frequent travellers. None of these things are really necessary or essential, but exactly that makes them so precious – because they make you feel taken care of and appreciated as the customer.