This is not a destination TR - for that see @JapesUK inaugural 'Krakow Kraziness' TR from 2023, or indeed several others on this forum. Instead, this is looking at AF (and one KLM) flights.
Who and Why? I'm a time-rich leisure traveller (no more work trips for me) who does some travel solo to maintain status and several holidays with Mrs T to make full use of that status. Now dipping my toe in the water of SkyTeam after several years in the BA and Oneworld comfort zone. Regular readers of FT will know what has driven this! Even before 30 Dec, I had done a match to SAS and a five flight trip extend EuroBonus Gold status. After 30 Dec, I applied for the Flying Blue match to Platinum (from BA GGL) and was lucky enough to get the FB Ultimate match.
When I mentioned the trip in passing on FT, I was 'asked' to provide an update on the travel experience. Not a good photographer (Mrs T does that) so this will be a photo-lite first TR from me.
Where and When? Over the weekend 15-16 Feb, the route was NCL-CDG-AMS-KRK on Saturday, and KRK-CDG-NCL on Sunday. Just a weekend because I had to fit it in between a BA holiday to Luxembourg (to get my last GUF1s) and a long-haul holiday to South America, starting our Avios burn.
What? A combination of E190/5 and an A321 short-haul flight in Eurobusiness, a few notes on the airports and lounges and some comparisons between the AF/KL and BA experience. I'll include basic information that I found helpful as a newbie to these airlines and alliance.
Mrs T dropped me off at NCL just before 9am for a 1055 departure. [Side tip 1 - a 200m walk from the short stay 2 car park where 15 minutes is free saves a £5 charge for the official drop-off in front of the terminal]
As I wasn't able to print/ download all the boarding passes, a quick trip to the AF check-in desk sorted that. It also meant I could check the seating status for my first flight. [Tech note 1 - With BA, ExpertFlyer will show the seat map all the way to departure with occupied and blocked seats easily identified. With AF the seat map errored out from about check-in, 30 hours before departure. On the AF app, I could see the seat next to me was unavailable to select, but was that occupied or blocked?] Check-in agent confirmed it was blocked - yes!
The Sky Priority logo on the BP gave me access to Fast Track and the Aspire lounge at NCL. Fast Track was totally empty, though my single overnight bag went to secondary for a quick Kindle swab, it was still a speedy process. Next, which bit of the Aspire lounge would I be directed to? There are three - basic, Luxe (which BA uses), and Suite (Emirates, I think). AF pay for Luxe - nice, as there's a bit of an airfield view. The food is ok, the staff are friendly and cheerful, and the fizz is free, though I stuck to coffee and juice with my bacon butty.
[Tech note 2 - I use a Google of the flight number and FR24 to check on flight and gate info (and the BA Wayfinder at LHR). AF departure times/ gate did not update on Google, so I used the AF app for gate info and FR24 to track the incoming aircraft.]
Who and Why? I'm a time-rich leisure traveller (no more work trips for me) who does some travel solo to maintain status and several holidays with Mrs T to make full use of that status. Now dipping my toe in the water of SkyTeam after several years in the BA and Oneworld comfort zone. Regular readers of FT will know what has driven this! Even before 30 Dec, I had done a match to SAS and a five flight trip extend EuroBonus Gold status. After 30 Dec, I applied for the Flying Blue match to Platinum (from BA GGL) and was lucky enough to get the FB Ultimate match.
When I mentioned the trip in passing on FT, I was 'asked' to provide an update on the travel experience. Not a good photographer (Mrs T does that) so this will be a photo-lite first TR from me.
Where and When? Over the weekend 15-16 Feb, the route was NCL-CDG-AMS-KRK on Saturday, and KRK-CDG-NCL on Sunday. Just a weekend because I had to fit it in between a BA holiday to Luxembourg (to get my last GUF1s) and a long-haul holiday to South America, starting our Avios burn.
What? A combination of E190/5 and an A321 short-haul flight in Eurobusiness, a few notes on the airports and lounges and some comparisons between the AF/KL and BA experience. I'll include basic information that I found helpful as a newbie to these airlines and alliance.
Mrs T dropped me off at NCL just before 9am for a 1055 departure. [Side tip 1 - a 200m walk from the short stay 2 car park where 15 minutes is free saves a £5 charge for the official drop-off in front of the terminal]
As I wasn't able to print/ download all the boarding passes, a quick trip to the AF check-in desk sorted that. It also meant I could check the seating status for my first flight. [Tech note 1 - With BA, ExpertFlyer will show the seat map all the way to departure with occupied and blocked seats easily identified. With AF the seat map errored out from about check-in, 30 hours before departure. On the AF app, I could see the seat next to me was unavailable to select, but was that occupied or blocked?] Check-in agent confirmed it was blocked - yes!
The Sky Priority logo on the BP gave me access to Fast Track and the Aspire lounge at NCL. Fast Track was totally empty, though my single overnight bag went to secondary for a quick Kindle swab, it was still a speedy process. Next, which bit of the Aspire lounge would I be directed to? There are three - basic, Luxe (which BA uses), and Suite (Emirates, I think). AF pay for Luxe - nice, as there's a bit of an airfield view. The food is ok, the staff are friendly and cheerful, and the fizz is free, though I stuck to coffee and juice with my bacon butty.
[Tech note 2 - I use a Google of the flight number and FR24 to check on flight and gate info (and the BA Wayfinder at LHR). AF departure times/ gate did not update on Google, so I used the AF app for gate info and FR24 to track the incoming aircraft.]