The end of my short business trip to Paris, with this return to London.
Itinerary reminder :
Ground experience and lounge
I arrive at the airport just under two hours before my flight to London is due to leave. At Paris CDG, all flights outside the Schengen area are grouped together in terminal 2E, and access to the terminal is strictly reserved for departing passengers.
To speed up boarding, I go to the SkyPriority check-in counter to have my documentation checked. But a La Première agent recognized me in the queue and came to assist me. She tells me that the check-in formalities are carried out at the gate anyway, and that waiting at check-in would just be a waste of time. So I go straight to the SkyPriority PAF checkpoint, operated by an ADP agent.
The wait is very long, almost 30 minutes before reaching the gate. As far as I’m concerned, the checks will be extremely fast and I’ll be moving on to security in boarding area K… which is a veritable zoo! The priority lane is not signposted and joins the normal queue, and the security posts are very poorly organized and do not allow social distancing to be respected… A horror!
I finally make my way to the K lounge, located in the basement, and here again it’s a zoo! I have trouble finding a free, clean table, and have to wait again to get to the buffet, where the staff are rude.
Boarding
I leave about 40 minutes before the start of the lounge, to allow time for check-in formalities, which can be time-consuming given the large number of supporting documents. No priority boarding is offered, and boarding starts 10 minutes early. 7 passengers out of 63 were turned away for lack of PCR test.
Cabin and welcome
The cabin is classic for an A318, and unlike on the outbound flight, an oshibori and a bottle of water are already on the seat. The interactions with the purser are very pleasant.
Service and catering
As on the outward journey, an announcement indicating the absence of service is made during the ascent… but as soon as the curtains are drawn, the purser asks each passenger individually for their choice of beverage, and the entire bar is available. ! I’ll have a glass of champagne, brought to me with Medoc vine shoots and a savory mix.
I’ll also be offered (and accept) a refill during the descent. Perfect!
Arrival and disembarkation
We arrive at Heathrow 10 minutes early, and immigration will be deserted and cleared in 2 minutes. Perfect!
Bottom line
A very good flight, with motivated cabin crew, but what a mess at CDG!
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