Trip Report: Air France A350 to Dubai Business Class

19^th Jan 2023

Just how good is Air France in Business Class on one of their key routes, the twice a day flight to Dubai, where the airline goes head to head with Emirates. With high hopes of French high cuisine and some Parisian style I headed to Paris CDG. However, surly staff, woeful catering, non existent wifi, and belligerent passengers - and that's just on the ground - set this up to be a flight like no other.

For this Trip Report on the Air France A350 in Business Class I was determined to tryone of their key routes, the twice a day flight to Dubai, where the airline goes head to head with Emirates. With high hopes of French high cuisine and some Parisian style I headed to Paris CDG.

I had arrived off a 40 minute hop from London Heathrow - which was an eyeopener in itself. The beautiful Air France lounge at London heathrow has been demolished, and now Air France direct you to an overcrowded third party lounge where. Passengers stage hostile takeover bids of the lounge chairs by placing shopping on three of the four chairs around them. I call it game of thrones.

As far as food goes, Air France chucked a bit of pasta and a couple of lumps of cheese at me, and it was moderately adequate. Air France even cracked open the wine cellar for me, and offered a choice or white or red Cote Du Rhone before I landed at CDG K gates.

Paris Charles Du Gaule is often complained about it, for being unfriendly, disorganised and rambling. The problem is that Terminal 2E, where Air France is based, is actually five separate terminals in one, separated into short haul, Schengen, non Schengen, international, and all the rest. With separate passport controls and security at each hall within the terminal, which are linked by trains pre security.

My problems started, at the lounge in Hall K gates which sent me away with a flea in my ear. I booked an Air France Business ticket through a points redemption on Qantas. Who, yes, are oneworld. And Air France are Skyteam. The lounge crew however didn't get the memo, and told me that I couldn't possibly have a ticket from Qantas. Thankfully Qantas provided me with the parallel PNR on Air Frances' system, so I just check in online.

Wisdom has it - and indeed all the guides to the horror that is CDG - say that it is impossible to get from Terminal 2E to Terminal 2E airside, and you can't lounge hop from Hall E to Hall L. I've tried before, and been met with a firm non at the lounge. But I thought I'd try challenging that, by leaving the K gates 2E secure area, and taking to train to 2E hall L.

Air France Paris CDG Terminal 2E L gates Lounge

At the Air France Paris CDG Terminal 2E L gates Lounge I was admitted without a problem, however the lounge staff then ran after me and told me I was in the wrong lounge. I explained, and said I would leave before my flight left, which assured them I knew was I was doing.

The Air France Lounge 2E L gates is a brand new, modern, swish lounge that Air France offer at it's hub. For a few of it's Business Class passengers.

The central cocktail area - called Le Balcon - gets most of the attention. It should have waiter service until ten at night, but it was already shut by the time I arrived.

There are so many sitting options here - and yet, most of them are pretty beige. Large, comfy chairs, or hard upright dining chairs. And occasionally you get a chair that's red.

There is a children's room at one end, and at the other, there is a large bar, however in the evening the staff just leave wine and spirits on the worktop.

There is a large wine selection - with French wines, naturally, to the fore. However, they really aren't presented very well, with just a bucket on the self serve bar, with all the white wines, and reds just on the worktop.

However, if you in the Air France 2E Business Class Paris CDG Lounge, don't miss the 'Le Balcon' which is an impressive looking cocktail bar with a cocktail menu curated by Hotel Lancaster in Paris. It is in the centre of the lounge, and wait staff will bring you a cocktail and nibble list. However, it is closed from early evening, which rather defeats the purpose.

Air France 2E CDG Lounge - Le Balcon Copyright lux-traveller

There is a buffet at one end of the lounge, but it wasn't the high quality French food I expected. Nope, soup, burgers, or quiche, plus a mixed meat curry. There's a salad bar too, slices of ham, and some slices of cheese.

But the dessert section is the best, with lots of different sweet deserts, sponge, and cream cake.

Alas, there isn't really a view so to speak over the airport. Instead the room has windows that overlook the main airport access road, which is a mesmerising effect - part motorway service station, and part connecting you to the frantic world of the Paris suburbs.

I had a wander through the back of the lounge to look at the light installation, opposite the Clarins Spa. I did hope for a treatment, but apparently they were solidly booked, despite the lounge being deserted. Instead I went to the relaxation zone referred to as Zero G. IT's quite odd, as the main sleeping area has daybeds in a central circle, which is not relaxing at all. There are private curtained booths but these occupied by youths - they were yelling into their phones, or listening to loud rap music on speakers.

I have already extensively reviewed the Air France Lounge K.

Air France Paris CDG Terminal 2E K gates Lounge

With the lounge ticked off, it was time to go back in the K gates, and the Air France Paris CDG Terminal 2E K gates Lounge

I wish I hadn't - it's miserable. A real throwback to the 1980s - which is when it last saw a redecoration - this lounge is dull. There are the low ceilings and a beige colour scheme really make for a depressing, bunker-like feel. There are two parts to the lounge, with the really old 1960s section having an ancient staircase, despite having windows and two levels. It really is a depressing start to any journey.

Since this lounge sits underground, it was never going to be light and airy. On the right hand side, the most depressing, although an effort has been made to add some light through fake windows that just have lights behind them, the low ceilings and neutral colour scheme really give the space a dismal, bunker-like vibe.

There is hot food, which consists of a large bowl of soup, and hot rolls, Next to this are three or four hot dishes. There are also a couple of large tourines with a hot curry and rice or pasta.

Duval Leroy champagne is served, slightly downmarket on the Laurent Perrier champagne previously offered. It's in the bucket along with a bottle of Cote du Rhone.

Alas the lounge staff saw me taking photos, and came over to demand I delete them as Air France ban all photos in their lounges.

Air France A350 Business Class

With only 20 minutes to go to boarding, it was time to shuffle up to the gate.

There are 34 seats in Business with a 74 inch flat bed, and a 21 inch width.

I had a look at the back of the bus, where there are just three rows of premium economy, 37 inch pitch - smaller than normal - in a 2-4-2 layout. The Premium economy seat comes with a reading lamp, noise reducing headset, and a 13 point 3 inch High definition screen.

Then, at the back of the bus where the Air France A350 economy has a 3-3-3 layout and a 31 inch pitch, and 17 inch width.

It was packed, rammed to the gills, and boarding was totally chaotic.

Back in Air France Affaires Class -- that's French for "business" - Business class on the Air France A350-900 has a roomy seat, with personal storage compartments for smaller items built-in. Seat adjustments can be made via buttons and both a USB and power outlet are available. There were no personal air vents (though the cabin did not get warm during the flight):

Air France configures the A350 with 34 business seats in a 1-2-1 layout. The seats themselves are essentially a classic reverse herringbone seat - similar to that used by United, and many other carriers.

There are all the little cubby holes you would expect with a very convenient cupboard for storing headphones, water, and even a mirror, so you can see the headphone plug.

Mains power as you'd expect, they even take UK and Australian plugs, and a USB power socket.

The tray table extends from under the TV screen, and swivels so that you can get in and out of the seat easily.

these aircraft were originally destined for Air France's now-defunct low-cost subsidiary Joon and are actually better than the mainline Air France cabins, but not screwed together well. Unfortunately my seat was falling apart, and it was held together with tape!

Air France A350 Business Class service

Even before the seatbelt sign was off, the crew come over, and ask if I'd like another Champagne. I tried it to ensure it was of the finest possible quality.

Well worth while savouring the flavour with a packet of Air France Kreeek's mixed nuts - a French Family Company, they are famous for their peanut packing.

The cabin crew were superb, and immediately poured Pommery Brut Royal Champagne - a bit cheaper than the usual Laurent-Perrier brut, and handed out amenity kits, with an apparently eco-friendly herringbone pattern and features Air Frances winged seahorse, the airline's historic emblem.

There's a toothbrush and a pen made from maize straw, as well as earplugs wrapped in craft paper to avoid using plastic; A sleeping mask, socks, toothpaste, hand cream and face gel from Clarins.

Air France A350 Business Class IFE

I flicked on the Inflight entertainment system, which was pretty good, with an amazing 18 inch High definition TV screen.

There were multiple camera views available, including an underbody one.

There were plenty of new films to choose from, as well as many individual shows and series.

Indeed I counted the odd 200 films, with a good mix of new releases, classics, oldies, although sadly you had a choice between French and American films, and there didn't seem to be any British content, or indeed much from other countries.

There was also a decent selection of TV shows - though only two to four episodes of each, so unless you had been following obscure American series, you were pretty much out of luck.

There was Wifi too, although at 30 euro for the flight.

Air France A350 Business Class meals

The crew went to great length to entice me into the menu, and explained all the available options.

Alas no amuse-bouche on these flights, instead there is just the basic entre of shrimp tartare with pea cream and salmon with lemon cubes and ginger.

When this arrived I was surprised that both of the options were there on the same plate, and indeed everything else, all on one tray. I guess it speeds up delivery, even if it doesn't look that good.

The menu had 4 options for main courses:

Beef Cheek in coffee pot au feu with onion consomme
Poultry and poulette sauce with Tonka bean and and creamy polenta
Pollock with seaweed in a lovage sauce plus spinach compote
Conchiglie pasta, with swiss chard and lemon coulis and ash coated cheese.

I decided to dial up the Frenchness with Roast Beef Cheek in coffee with onions, which at 35 thousand feet was amazing, with lots of flavour.

There were a number of French cheeses which I just had to try. These included Crottin de Chavigol, Forme d'Ambert and Cantal cheeses.

Finally for dessert there were again three on the tray, with Vanilla cream puff, morello cherry tart and an Opera cake.

The most important part of the flight is the wine list.

Champagne was very good, with Pommery Brut Royal

White Wine

2021 Pouilly fume saint andelain
2020 chablis Jean-Marc Brocard

Red Wine

2020 Rhone Valley Crozes Hermitage
2017 Bordeaux Saint Estephe chateau Lilian

There are two fairly decent White Wines, the 2021 Pouilly fume saint andelain or the 2020 chablis Jean-Marc Brocard.

Redwines are the 2020 Rhone Valley Crozes Hermitage or the 2017 Bordeaux Saint Estephe chateau Lilian. It's from the Cá?te des Blancs lively and assertive notes of red fruits - at 40 quid in Tesco of 75 in Dan Murphy

All the wine is quite comfortably around 25 quid in Tesco, or 40 dollars in Dan Murphy.

The crew were very keen to serve dinner - after all , it was only a short hop of about 7 hours, and discussed all the options available - but there weren't actually many options - you couldn't choose an entre, as both were presented on the tray at the same time.

The shrimp tartare with pea cream and salmon with lemon cubes and ginger is unusual - but also unusually good - it comes with extra flavour, even the baguette went great with the 2020 chablis.

Really tell the limestone terroir for this grape - at least according to the airlines tasting notes - which has a citrus nose, combined with poached pear, green apple, iodine. That's the wine, not the notes.

I was a little disappointed that everything was served on the one tray, with no attempt at individual service - and spot how even the three desert options - of three small pastries - are laid out on the tray.

Next up the Beef Cheek in coffee pot au feu with onion consomme, which looked like it had been slopped around a rural bistro in Normandie. Pot-au-feu is one of France's most famous home-cooked dishes with beef and vegetables, all simmered in a pot over the fire - the clue is in the name - but Air France did this most humble of dish superbly. topped off with Dijon mustard, and a 2017 Bordeaux chateau Lilian silky yet decomplexed - if there is such a word - designed for epicureans according the tasing notes, it has smoky cherries and tobacco flavous. And its $64 down Dan Murphys so I determined to gulp a couple of tumblers.

The salad however, not the best.

All of the Appellation d'Origine Contrelae certification cheeses

Crottin de Chavignol is a goat cheese produced in the Loire Valley while the Fourme d'Ambert is a semi-hard French blue, and the Contal is an aged French cheese with a natural rind.

All amazing, and go down nicely with the sweet dessert wine, before moving swiftly into the morello cherry tart Dessert Vanilla cream puff, and an Opera cake. Which is enough to keep me full for this life and probably the next.

Trip Report: Air France A350 to Dubai Business Class

Only 4 hours to arrival, so no chance to sample the snacks, and I was determined to get some kip, and woke up over Kuait as the lights snapped on, and the sunrise, errr.. rose.

The same delightful crew asked if I'd like the French, healthy or the cooked breakfast - which of course can't be French, or even if I was really hungry I could take both.

Breakfast:

Breakfast pastries
Plain thick yoghurt
Fruit tartare and pistachios
Mushroom and spinach flan

The French version has Croissant. The healthy version has Plain thick yoghurt and fruit.

And the unhealthy - or at least, English option - is the mushroom and spinach flan.

There was no jam on the tray, but I asked for some of Air Frances specialty apricots and it appeared within seconds, as the towers of Dubai loomed in over the heat haze of early morning.

Air France A350 Business Class review

Good food and drink is the foundation of good hospitality - and also ensuring your customers come back. Where Air France lounges failed, but Air France in the air pushed the metaphorical boat out here

Compare that to the somewhat overrated Emirates product, where Emirates have enhanced the second meal out of existence in Business Class, and Bon chance of getting much sleep, with Emirates triple 7s still having old fashioned recliners and five a row to add salt to injury.

Now, there is no doubt that Emirates have better lounges, but Air France excel in the air, particularly on the A350.

Never the less, the cabin and seat on the Air France A350 is fantastic. The seats are extremely comfortable and well designed. Some seats are better than others.

On the Air France A350 the Business Class seats are in a semi-angled staggered configuration. So my seat is near the window and away from the aisle. It was very private. Other seats however are right up against the aisle.

On the opposite side of the aisle the Air France A350 Business Class Seat are also somewhat angled towards it. While very comfortable and having a lot of space, they aren't as private as the other style of seat.

In general Air France is very much a mixed bag though.

the Inflight entertainment system failed on me, the seat and panels fell off, buttons became lava hot in operation, and it was just badly put together.

These aircraft were originally destined for Air France's now-defunct subsidiary Joon, which only lasted a few years and therefore have a different design language than the rest of AF's business-class cabins. I liked it. The predominantly gray, navy and white colours work together well to create an air of relaxed luxury.

All seats are equal, in that they allow for direct aisle access at each seat, but some seats are more equal than others, because of the staggered layout some have inherently more privacy than others.

But, in general, it was a comfortable and well thought out experience.