Join me today to try out Air France’s nearly brand-new business class suites on their A350 aircraft. I’ll be taking you along from Paris (CDG) to Chicago (ORD) to give you an exclusive inside look at this groundbreaking service.
Air France has several lounges at their principal hub in Paris (six at the time of writing), but I stepped into the one closest to my gate, Lounge 2E, Hall L. With how many lounges AF operates here, wouldn’t giving them each a name or theme make sense?
It was spacious and airy, with a whole wall of floor-to-ceiling windows. Amenities included shower suites, a designated silent room, and a spa. While I wanted to try out a complimentary Clarins express service, they were fully booked during my entire (short) stay.
The food spread looked decent, but having just connected off a catered business class flight, and heading straight to another, I passed on any more grub.
I made the short walk through the obligatory duty free tunnel to my gate, where boarding had just begun. After a few quiz questions from “Air France Security,” I was headed to the jet bridge.
Today I’ll be seated in 4D, one of 48 new suite-style seats with chest-height closing doors.
These gorgeous suites consist of soft-touch, high-contrast, and premium-feeling materials. The door becomes unlocked once airborne and can be closed to provide some additional privacy.
A flight attendant quickly came by to take my jacket, which was returned at the end of the flight. This was a nice touch that I hadn’t yet experienced on other airlines.
There is plenty of storage space inside the suite, including in a panel on the right side. A small door opens, revealing AF branded wireless headphones, a water bottle, and a mirror. This is a nice spot to stow things like a tablet or cellphone during takeoff and landing.
And, one of the crowd favorite Air France A350 features, a live tail camera!
Service began with a glass of Champagne, of course. Air France serves real Champagne in all classes, but you’ll be treated to bubbles of ascending quality in the various premium cabins.
An amenity kit was also waiting for me at my seat.
The kit is made in partnership with Clarins, a French skincare brand. Everything else in the kit is fairly standard and not of any notable quality: toothbrush and paste, socks, pen, eye mask, and ear plugs. I particularly appreciate pens on flights that still require a paper declaration form before landing.
Right after takeoff, the amuse-bouche was distributed, consisting of a chilled cashew nut cream with fruits and seeds, as well as delicious cheese crackers. Seriously, where can we get these in the U.S.?
The appetizer was an assortment of all the airplane usuals. Basic salad, bread and cheese, salmon. In my opinion, salmon is way overplayed in business class, appearing on almost every flight I’ve taken. I have to give Air France credit for this cut of salmon though – it was more flavorful and soft than any airline salmon I’ve had prior.
My entree of choice – the poultry. I’ll give presentation a C-, but luckily the flavor was at least a B. Really not much of note here. The quantity of silverware was a bit excessive, but removing any would probably make the Frech airplane catering staff go on strike.
Dessert was simple – thankfully – as I was stuffed. A choice of cheesecake, cheese, or both.
The staff were cordial and professional throughout. They didn’t disappear for long stretches of the flight (which seems to be the norm these days), nor visibly played Angry Birds on their phones (ehm, United), but, in French fashion, they offered no more than was expected of them.
Entertainment options were vast. The massive 4k resolution screen was phenomenal, offering bright, bold colors and excellent contrast. The movie and TV selection was among the best I’ve seen, but I just spent the whole flight watching the tail camera.
I took a nap of at least three hours, not bad for a daytime flight. I was surprised to have accomplished this, but the bed was comfortable and wide enough for me to sleep on my side.
Breakfast was served just before landing. Again, this was passable, but nothing much to comment on.
Overall, the brand-new business class on Air France’s A350 was spectacular, and definitely something I would go out of my way to book again. The real highlights come from the aircraft and cabin: bright, airy interior with all the modern comfort features you can expect. The only thing I was slightly let down by was the food – while it was better than average, I had pretty high expectations based on how Air France themselves hypes it up.
So the next time you’re traveling to – or through – Paris, check for AF A350 service. Drink the wines. Eat the copious amounts of food. Lay in your bed and gaze at the North Atlantic through the tail camera. There isn’t anyone who makes sophistication as easy as Air France.
Justin Reiling Editor-in-Chief
transitandtravel.com 
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