Air France is phasing out its Airbus A318s.
THE ROAD
Flight AF1066 from Paris to Florence
THE PLANE
Airbus A318. A smaller version of the A320, the airline is gradually abandoning its A318s in favor of the new Airbus A220.
THE LOYALTY PROGRAM
The Flying Blue program operated by Air France and KLM also includes other carriers such as Kenya Airways and AirCalin. Points are calculated on ticket prices; passengers with entry-level Explorer status earn four miles per euro spent. Air France is part of the SkyTeam alliance.
TO CLASSIFY
Economy seat, 10C (corridor)
DURATION
One hour 45 minutes
CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSION
104kg according to the Air France carbon calculator. Each fare from France includes a small sustainable fuel contribution in the price. Travelers can also choose to participate in the Trip and Tree reforestation program.
FREQUENCY
The schedule changes with the season but there are usually around five flights a week.
HEALTH
Passengers are required to wear a mask at the airport and on the plane.
REGISTRATION
Online check-in opens 30 hours before the flight, so I printed my boarding pass before arriving at the airport. However, I still need to print my luggage tag. Attaching the tag and scanning my bag using a handheld scanner isn’t as easy as it sounds, but once the bag has been sent, it’s an easy pass through security.
HEADQUARTERS
The seats are 18 inches (45.7 cm) wide with a pitch of 32 inches (81.2 cm). I paid $30 more for a seat in the exit row, which has generous legroom.
BAGGAGE
Air France’s entry-level fares do not include checked baggage, but I chose a fare that includes 23 kg of baggage plus one carry-on and one personal item, up to a total of 12kg.
ENTERTAINMENT
There are no seat screens on this flight, but Wi-Fi is available for those who can’t stand being disconnected for a few hours. The most basic “Surf Pass” is five euros; for the faster “Stream Pass”, designed for video and music streaming, the cost is 15 euros. The “Message Pass”, which allows you to use messaging apps such as WhatsApp, is free.
SERVICE
The staff offers a warm welcome and efficient service. When a passenger complains that the seatbelt sign is still on halfway through the flight, preventing people from using the lavatory, the attendant goes to speak with the captain, who turns off the sign shortly afterwards .
FOOD
It’s a quick jump rather than a long flight, so it’s no surprise that the snacks are pretty straightforward. The staff arrives just after take-off and offers a cookie and a selection of beverages including coffee, tea, juice and water.
ONE MORE THING
Charles de Gaulle Airport is notorious for flight connection delays – transiting passengers often find themselves sprinting from gate to gate. It is therefore not a big surprise that our departure is delayed by half an hour while waiting for connecting passengers. Our captain keeps us informed of what’s going on and we make up most of the delay during the flight.
VERDICT
No complaints about this well-managed short-haul flight.
OUR SCORE OUT OF FIVE
★★★★
The writer traveled as a guest of Viking Cruises.
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