Last leg of this Bordeaux getaway. After a pleasant stay, both in terms of hotels and gastronomy, I just have to get back to Paris, hoping that this flight on Air France will raise the level of the outbound flight a little.
For the record, the trip program.
| # | Type | Review |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hotel | Sheraton Roissy CDG |
| 2 | Flight | Paris-Bordeaux – Air France – Economy |
| 3 | Hotel | Renaissance Bordeaux |
| 4 | Restaurant | Le Pressoir d’Argent Gordon Ramsay |
| 5 | Restaurant | Le Quatrième Mur |
| 6 | Flight | Bordeaux-Paris – Air France – Economy (here) |
Booking
As explained on the review of the outbound flight, I booked this flight at the beginning of July for a flight at the beginning of August with little hope of getting a good fare, but frankly I felt sick in front of the 400€ asked for this trip.
Luckily I had a voucher for a cancelled flight at the time of the COVID that I wanted to use as quickly as possible, which made it less indigestible otherwise I would have flown via Zurich on Swiss with a business ticket €50 cheaper than this Economy ticket.
Ground experience
Although I arrived at the airport with a good head start, I noticed that there was a long wait at check-in. Maybe vacation departures with connections at Roissy and luggage to check-in.
I don’t have any luggage to check-in, so I go straight to the security checkpoint through the Skypriority access…and there it’s totally deserted.
The controls will go very smoothly, but it’s about time Bordeaux Airport increased the clearance area after the control, as it’s really inconvenient to have to collect your belongings so quickly in such a confined space.
The terminal is virtually empty.
I don’t dawdle and head for the lounge.
Lounge
This August, the Air France lounge has just reopened after a long closure due to the COVID.
The agent at the entrance looks really bored. She murmurs a hello, looks nonchalantly at my boarding pass and lets me in.
It’s a small lounge with a lounging area:
And a catering area…
The offer is very, very limited.
The legendary Monique is here too.
I’ll ask for the Wifi code so I can get some work done while I wait for my flight. Well, I’ll have to wait and see as the staff have deserted. I’d like to take this opportunity to point out that while the lounge staff seem to have their own toilets, customers aren’t so lucky and have to leave the lounge to use the terminal’s toilets.
She shows up again after about ten minutes. So I ask her for the wifi code. She replies “they’ve cut it off”. and immediately turns her head. End of conversation.
Annoyed as much by the lack of wifi as by the attitude of the agent at reception, I called Air France on Twitter for explanations. Annoyed as much by the lack of wifi as by the attitude of the agent at reception, I asked Air France for an explanation on Twitter. Duly noted, better a questionable explanation than no explanation at all. But either it takes a really long time to reactivate it or the subject didn’t seem to be a priority, which still leaves me puzzled.
I still have the airport wifi, but you have to create an account and then…it doesn’t seem to work any better, the connection being totally unstable.
So I’ll be even if I have to finish the work I had to do at home when I arrive, instead of making the most of downtime in the lounge.
So I’m left waiting with nothing to do. But boarding time finally arrives and I leave the lounge hoping that the flight won’t be delayed, as flights are not displayed in the lounge.
Boarding in Bordeaux
Finally it filled up.
We are then told that boarding will be delayed due to technical checks. Priority passengers will therefore start boarding 10 minutes late.
The Air France A320 cabin
A now-familiar cabin.
No leather as on the outward journey, but fabric that looks less premium, but the seat is less worn. However, I’m still not convinced by the comfort of these “ironing board” seats.
As for the pitch, it’s very good.
The flight is full and with a 10-minute delay boarding is complete and we can leave.
The flight and the service on board
We take off to the south, forcing the pilot to make a loop that takes us back over the airport.
Quickly, the curtain separating us from the business is drawn. When you’re in the front row, you ‘d better not be claustrophobic.
The service starts quickly and runs just as fast. As this was an afternoon flight, I was finally able to get the Perrier I couldn’t get on the outbound flight because it was a “breakfast” service.
In the end, it remains as minimalist as ever, and this ersatz service finds its place on the mini table next to my iPad.
Uneventful flight to Paris, but nothing to get excited about either.
The crew
Unlike the outbound flight, where the crew were rather unpleasant, there was nothing notable on this flight, but relations were admittedly minimal. Apart from ordering the drink, I didn’t see or talk to anyone. But non-existent is better than bad.
Landing and arrival in Paris
Flying over the city, it’s easy to spot the imposing building of the Grand Palais Ephémère.
The good news is that the delay has been made up. So we’re just in time…..but we’ll have to wait a while for the jetway to be put in place. Thanks ADP!
Bottom line
A disappointing visit to the lounge, a flight that was neither good nor bad, but at an outrageous price for the service offered. Experiences like these don’t make you want to travel.
Articles similaires
Paris-Bordeaux in economy class on Air France: basic
Bordeaux-Paris in Economy on Air France : messy
Review : Air France – Economy – Lisbon-Paris – A321
Air France Economy, Madrid – Paris
Review : Air France Economy post-COVID, Amsterdam-Paris, Airbus A320-100
