Air France’s La Premiere first-class is thought for being among the many finest on the earth. When it comes to exclusivity and floor expertise, it’s merely in a distinct league than anything, and is extra alongside the strains of what you’d anticipate in personal aviation than business aviation.
Alongside these strains, I wish to share an expertise that my buddy Nick (sure, a contributor right here from years in the past) had flying Air France first-class from Los Angeles (LAX) to Paris (CDG) not too long ago. It actually exhibits the extent to which Air France simply retains elevating the bar with regards to the primary class floor expertise.
Air France’s unreal first-class LAX floor expertise
Air France departs from Tom Bradley Worldwide Terminal (TBIT) at LAX, and particularly, from the Midfield Satellite tv for pc Concourse, the place it has its personal lounge. Truly attending to the Midfield Satellite tv for pc Concourse is a little bit of a trek, and Air France has seemingly determined that this requires an excessive amount of effort for its prime clients.
So right here’s what the bottom expertise is now like (together with another ideas from Nick):
I not too long ago flew from CDG to LAX and again in La Premiere. Outbound, my expertise was the identical as earlier than — upon arrival, a greeter escorted me from the gate at Bradley West (which, enjoyable truth, is situated three counties over and in a distinct time zone from the remainder of LAX) and walked with me throughout immigration after which to curbside (I hadn’t checked baggage). Whereas on our lengthy stroll from gate to curb, I requested her if AF had thought-about a automobile service for LP clients to shorten the journey, however she informed me it was really not possible as a result of LAWA (the airport authority) laws with respect to the worldwide terminal; nevertheless, she informed me my return expertise can be totally different… and boy, was it ever.
Departing LAX actually is one other story; as of only a few weeks in the past, LP check-in is definitely curbside on the finish of Terminal 1 (which is in any other case the Southwest terminal). This has two benefits: one, you possibly can skip a lot of the visitors on the LAX loop getting all the best way to the Tom Bradley terminal, and two, apparently they’ve LAWA authorization to make use of a non-public automobile service from T1. In follow, this meant as quickly as I used to be dropped off at Terminal 1, a La Premiere greeter instantly unloaded my baggage from the trunk of the automobile whereas one other greeter took my passport and inside moments I had my boarding cross and an escort to take me by way of a lesser-used safety line (what LAWA, apparently, refers to as “T1.5”).
He escorted me previous the road on to the ID examine (successfully not a lot totally different than Clear in that respect) after which he had me undergo the scanner whereas he waited to load my baggage into the X-ray belt. (There was a little bit of a line which he attributed to decrease staffing as a result of shutdown — he informed me in any other case it was much more of a breeze.). From there we took the elevator right down to the tarmac, he badged me by way of a door and a La Premiere-branded Tahoe was ready — at this level my greeter handed me off to the motive force, who drove me on to the outside entrance of the lounge elevator at Bradley West. (The La Premiere automobile rides by way of CDG are all the time enjoyable, however they’re on separated roads, and there’s actually nothing fairly as thrilling as *driving on the tarmac* at LAX).
Up we went to the lounge after which he led me to the La Premiere salon inside the lounge — I’ve solely seen the small La Premiere rooms inside IAD and SFO, however this was a bit greater with a number of tables arrange for eating in addition to lounge chairs and devoted workers pouring Bollinger. I checked out the menu however didn’t order from it (flight was at 6:30 and wished to avoid wasting my urge for food for dinner on the airplane) however appeared to overlap an important cope with the menu on the LP salon at CDG, no less than so far as the “best hits” go (e.g., the hen croque monsieur).
I’ve been fortunate sufficient to have flown LP a good quantity of occasions and I’ll say that is probably the most distinctive outstation expertise I’ve skilled with LP — Air France acquired shafted a bit with the Bradley West gates however the upside is that they acquired to construct out their very own giant lounge to spec they usually discovered a method to whisk LP passengers instantly there from T1 whereas minimizing the often-ghastly LAX expertise.
Now if solely AF might do a greater job on sourcing bread for its outstation catering– the LAX bread basket no less than featured a kind of semi-edible ciabatta roll, however ex-SFO the bread is supbar and ex-IAD the bread is legitimately disgraceful (hilariously gigantic slices of limp white sourdough, I consider). The croissant I had earlier than touchdown tasted like they acquired it from the day-old bin at a Dunkin. There are nice bakeries in L.A., S.F. and even D.C. that make implausible demi-baguettes and croissants!
It looks like such a foolish knock on an in any other case superb product however for the flag service of a nation that prides itself on superlative bread, AF must do what it takes to load the cabin with nice product. It’s an precise disgrace on AF that their outstation bread is so dangerous (severely, it’s not simply me — examine FlyerTalk, it is a fairly fixed criticism).
No airline tries as arduous as Air France on this regard
Understandably, airways sometimes create their passenger expertise based mostly on what the competitors is doing, and what they really feel they should do to be aggressive. That is an space the place Air France has determined “overlook what the competitors is doing, we’re going to make this the perfect on the earth.”
For instance, I like Emirates first-class, however the first-class floor expertise is non-existent at outstations. There’s no devoted first-class part in lounges (regardless of being run by Emirates), not even an escort by way of safety, and no precedence boarding over enterprise class.
Now distinction that to Air France first-class. The airline has determined that the terminal structure at LAX is simply too inconvenient for its first-class passengers, so the airline meets clients curbside on the most handy terminal (to keep away from visitors), escorts them by way of safety, and drives them in a automobile to the lounge.
This simply exhibits an uncompromising dedication to being the perfect on this regard, and you’ll by no means see one thing like this at one other airline. Different airline executives would say “hey, properly too dangerous it’s an extended stroll, that’s simply how the terminal is laid out, it’s not our fault.”
In the meantime I’d’ve liked to be there when the dialogue befell that led to this — “yeah, it’s sort of an extended stroll to the lounge, what if we as an alternative meet the passengers on the most handy terminal, and drive them to the lounge from there?”
Now, there are two issues price acknowledging. First, Air France first-class is priced on the very prime finish of the market, so it’s not going to come back low-cost. Nevertheless it’s additionally clear that Air France is more and more making an attempt to mannequin the La Premiere expertise after personal aviation greater than business aviation.
Second, I also needs to acknowledge that Starlux Airways sends its first-class passengers to PS LAX, the personal terminal on the airport. That being mentioned, the primary class expertise is in any other case kind of a joke (at that value level, no less than), as there’s not even a curtain between first and enterprise class, or a devoted bathroom.
Backside line
Whereas Air France’s La Premiere floor expertise is constantly wonderful, the airline has taken its outstation service to a brand new stage at LAX. The airline now meets La Premiere passengers at a very totally different terminal, escorts them by way of safety, after which drives them throughout the apron, on to the lounge.
It’s fascinating to me how Air France is solely in a league of its personal with regards to first-class floor service. Then once more, Air France’s first-class pricing can also be in a league of its personal… however hey, honest sufficient, as a result of persons are paying it, and clearly worth this expertise!
What do you make of Air France’s unimaginable first-class floor expertise effort?
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