It’s tough to put into words just how terrible my recent flight with Air France was. From the moment we stepped on the bus to board the plane, everything went downhill.
Boarding Chaos: A Long and Winding Road
The boarding process was a disaster. The plane should have been at the gate, but it wasn’t. And to add insult to injury, we were crammed onto a bus to take us to the aircraft. This isn’t what you’d expect from a premium airline, especially when you’re paying top dollar.
A Business Class Nightmare: A Series of Unfortunate Events
The business class lounge at Charles de Gaulle Airport was off-limits to us, despite flying business class. It’s unbelievable that an airline would deny lounge access to its paying business class passengers! And the food? Absolutely horrendous. It felt like Air France deliberately went out of their way to prepare unappetizing dishes. Even the ice cream was awful! To top it all off, the cabin temperature was unbearably hot. Despite our repeated complaints, nothing changed.
Unjustified Fees and Unnecessary Waiting
The check-in process at Guarulhos Airport was equally frustrating. I was forced to pay €100 for each of my teenage kids traveling in economy premium on the same flight. Air France claimed they needed extra care from the flight crew because they were in a different class, even though my wife and I were just a few meters away in business class. We were charged €200 for absolutely nothing. My kids are seasoned travelers and independent, and they didn’t receive any special attention from the crew, not even a “hello” or a “thank you” for the extra money we paid. The audacity of Air France! They made us wait for everyone to deplane in Paris before we could leave, even though their representative confirmed our kids were with us. We almost missed our connecting flight to Malta as a result of this outrageous scheme.
Inconsiderate Service and Lack of Basic Amenities
Throughout the flight, I requested antibacterial wipes three times. Each time I was told they’d bring them right away, but nothing ever arrived. I finally went to the galley and was told they didn’t even have any! In a post-COVID world, that’s unacceptable. The crew was also very unhelpful and dismissive of passengers asking basic questions about the food.
A Slow and Uncomfortable Journey: More Than Just a Flight Delay
The entertainment system, once I finally got it to work, had a touch screen that was unresponsive. Boarding was incredibly slow, and the security line at the airport was even worse. We stood there for ages while security personnel meticulously searched every item belonging to one passenger, holding up everyone else. The only lane open was clogged, and there were plenty of security machines available. I would have missed my connecting flight if it hadn’t been delayed by an hour.
A Stressful Delay and Unreliable Security Measures
Our flight delay was stressful, not because of the delay itself, but because we couldn’t get any information from the staff or crew about our connecting flights. If we had been better informed, we would have been less anxious. And to add to the unpleasant experience, the security machine at Newark Airport detected something “foreign” in my crotch and behind area. In 2024, these machines should be able to distinguish between a sanitary pad and a dangerous object. The security officer who conducted the body search was kind and apologetic, and offered to take me to a private area, but it’s clear that these machines need to be upgraded.
Conclusion: A Journey I Would Rather Forget
Air France has lost a loyal customer. Their blatant disregard for their passengers, their unreasonable fees, and their poor service have turned me off from ever flying with them again. It’s a shame because I used to enjoy flying with them, but their recent performance has been abysmal. I’m sure they’ll find many other passengers willing to tolerate their substandard service, but I’m not one of them.
