Review of Air France flight Paris Tokyo in Economy

Airline Air France
Flight AF272
Class Economy
Seat 43L
Aircraft Boeing 777-200ER
Flight time 12:05
Take-off 06 Apr 19, 17:40
Arrival at 07 Apr 19, 12:45
AF   #26 out of 96 Airlines A minimum of 10 flight-reports within the past two years is required to appear in the rankings. 5929 reviews
marathon
By GOLD 2934
Published on 24th April 2019

CDG Landside


This umpteenth trip to Japan is a direct consequence of my pilgrimage of last year, mentioned in the bonuses of the FR of these CDG-KIX and KIX-CDG flights. Walking more and more together, sharing more and more of our respective thoughts, I progressively became friend with a Japanese pilgrim. Well before we parted at the 88th temple, he had warmly invited my wife and I to visit him in his home. The trip to his place would have been a long one from either Osaka or Tokyo using surface travel; on the other hand, he lives close to an airport: this flight to HND made the connection to a domestic flight especially easy. I’ll unveil progressively our routing… suspense !

On the morning of our departure, extra care is needed to travel by subway inside Paris and reach the train to CDG, because there is a long list of subway stations closed upon orders of the police, due to “Gilets Jaunes” (Yellow Jackets) demonstrations.


photo clipboard02a

It’s the usual situation in the RER train on a Saturday morning heading to the airport. It’s simply slightly too crowded, with slightly not enough space for luggage, and slightly not enough seats for the passengers. These trains were actually designed for weekday commuter traffic, not travelers heading to the airport.


photo img_8579a-13706

Arriving in CDG2


photo img_8582a-31723

There is a barrage of ticket controllers when reaching the turnstiles : this station is an especially lucrative one for them thanks to the foreigners who did not realize that you need special tickets to reach CDG, even though you can enter the system with a standard subway ticket.


photo img_8584a

I buy tickets here for our return trip, because there can be a long line at the ticket machines fi you arrive at the wrong time of the day. Not here, where there is a line


photo img_8587a

But there : these machines are a lot less visible and mostly unused.
My wife was meanwhile answering the questions of a pollster who prodded her to tell how dissatisfied she is with the train link between CDG and Paris, a simple task actually, since this line is becoming from bad to worse, and we had a really bad experience on the previous Sunday.


photo img_8585a

All readers know about the FIDS of CDG2’s train station, or rather knew about it, because it has (temporarily?) disappeared, replaced by a picture of its giant curved display.


photo img_8588a

My guess is that they are replacing the screens, because the curved structure was still there two weeks later when I made it back to CDG.


photo img_8589a

Some use the travellators between the train station and Terminal 2E


photo img_8590a

And other walk next to it, with a rather different kind of hand luggage.


photo img_8592a-73516

Arrival in Terminal 2E landside which is far from being crowded


photo img_8593a

This was an amusing case of misguided goodwill : I stopped to take a picture of these deserted check in counters, waiting until this welcome staff would turn the face away. But she had seen me (small wonder, since there are so few passengers around), and kept looking at me with a smile which obviously meant something like “You seem to be lost, don’t be shy, come up so that I can help you”. I eventually came to explain her that my need was that she would disregard me.


photo img_8594a-54953

The access to the Skypriority check in counters did not impress me by its efficiency : there is a staff checking the eligibility of the passengers, manned by a single person, which means that a single passenger with a complex problem that I did not catch blocks the access, while all check-in agents are waiting behind. There is something wrong in the staff distribution when it results in such a bottleneck waiting to be jammed. It also annoyed me to go a long way through a meandering labyrinth of line separators when there is nobody between me and several check-in counters.


photo img_8595a-47682

A single 12.7 kg checked suitcase for two leaves us an ample allowance for souvenirs on the way back.


photo img_8597a

Skypriority access through the new generation PARAFE automated passport checks, using much faster face recognition, instead of fingerprint reading.


photo img_8598a

Plane spotting airside


Before going to the lounge (which I am eligible to use thanks to a FB Gold status whose survival beyond March 2020 is not guaranteed, I leave my wife for a small while to go to the gates area.


photo img_8600a

Terminal 2E has eye-catching wide vaults…


photo img_8603a

… but it has not been designed for the pleasure of plane-spotters, because not only the windows are far away (meaning that there are always window frames in the picture), but these windows are covered with black dots ruining the pictures. I can reasonably guess that this is an AF A380…


photo img_8605a

… but I would not dare taking chances at guessing the type of this Hainan Airlines aircraft.


photo img_8614a

The only decent place for plane spotting in this terminal is this end where you can be next to windows devoid of black dots,


photo img_8612a

… facing Hall L, with a view on the right on the taxiway to/from the runways


photo img_8607a

AF 787


photo img_8608a

Cityjet Avro RJ85


photo img_8609a

Take off of an AF 777-300ER


photo img_8610a

AF A319


photo img_8611a

An anonymous passenger tested this water fountain for me


photo img_8613a

A piano for self-use, that this passengers should not have used, IMHO.


photo img_8615a-14495

Playgrounds for young and not so young passengers


photo img_8616a-44497photo img_8617a-35925

The lounge in CDG-2E, hall K


We then head up to the lounge where there is a friendly welcome, and go directly to the upper level which is always less crowded because the access is by these stairs only.


photo img_8620a

The offering of magazines at the top of the staircase


photo img_8621a

A FB Ultimate passenger has been cordoned off in this area for the safety of the other passengers


photo img_8665a-82847

A first seating area opposite the corridor


photo img_8666a-63193

We settle down closer to the buffet. Breakfast cereals have spilled in the foreground and thought they would never be cleaned.


photo img_8622a

My rating of this lounge would have been more severe if a staff had not eventually come up to clean this mess, a full eighty minutes after I first saw it.


photo img_8652a

The seats have type E/F and USB power ports


photo img_8650a

The designer made uncommendable efforts to make this lounge plane spotter unfriendly while keeping natural lighting.


photo img_8649a

Let’s now have a look to the buffet which is signposted as being in lunch mode


photo img_8660a

The are instant cup noodles for amateurs of Asian (mildly) junk food, with a sign saying that hot water can be obtained from the coffee machine which has an option for that.


photo img_8623a

"Pea purée, fried strip of cod"


photo img_8624a

"Courgette and feta quiche". That quiche was as old as it looks on the picture
(Now I know that what the Americans call zucchini is called courgette on both sides of the English Channel)


photo img_8626a

"Pan fried new potatoes with rosemary"


photo img_8655a

I did not find the "sautéed beef with rosemary jus”


photo img_8625a

Various kinds of bread


photo img_8627a

It’s gluten-free in the basket placed above


photo img_8662a

Various salad ingredients


photo img_8628a

"Thinly sliced chicken fillet, tomato, cucumbers and rosemary croutons"


photo img_8629a

In the background above, "risoni pasta salad with tuna and grilled pepper"


photo img_8634a

This is the list of desserts that there could be here. I may have missed some of them because of AF’s creative naming which makes it impossible to identify the food – this is not the purpose of names, IMHO.


photo img_8648a

And this is the actual supply, complemented with chocolate cakes that nobody would place next to cheese in a French home, but they probably needed to hide the scarcity of cheese in this buffet.


photo img_8630a

AF’s Cheese Master (AF actually claims they have one in their communication) made amazing strides in providing no fewer than three kinds of cheese (out of the 1,000 different ones produced in France): Fourme d’Ambert, Florantal (a brand of Cantal) et Emmental. All cow milk, and among the cheapest kinds, but bland enough to satisfy any passenger. You don’t go to an AF lounge to educate your taste to French gastronomy.


photo img_8631a

The unprepared fruit are apples only


photo img_8636a

Small cakes with a red berry filling, capable of withstanding a week of bad treatment in the bottom of a suitcase before eating : tested and approved.


photo img_8659a

All these delicacies can be served in rather deep plates which are much more functional than the flat square "plates" with minimal rims of AF’s lounges of Terminal 2F which is dedicated to Schengen area flights.


photo img_8633a

What about drinks?
A refrigerated cupboard contains beers and fruit juices


photo img_8647a

Standard coffee machines


photo img_8632a

… delivering standard grade coffee


photo img_8638a

A central bar has bowls of scrocchi


photo img_8640a-28076

And so-called "old style" potato chips (I don’t know if "old style" is anything more than marketing hype)


photo img_8645a

These are the alcoholic drinks that I let the experts evaluate.


photo img_8642aphoto img_8643aphoto img_8646a

My selection


photo img_8639a

And that of my wife


photo img_8644a

A last inspection before leaving : I let you find the differences


photo img_8656aphoto img_8658a

The cup noodles migrated to a high shelf


photo img_8657a

And white grapes appeared, too late for me


photo img_8661a

AF’s magazine provides a map of HND, where the competition is redacted: there are actually two different international and domestic bus shuttles in HND: one for JAL passengers, the other for ANA passengers. I found it not fair play to provide such a limited picture.


photo img_8654a

Boarding time is coming up soon


photo img_8664a

Going down to the main level of the lounge


photo img_8667a

… where the buffet is not different


photo img_8668a

On the other hand, there are more newspapers and magazines, but we have taken them when entering, immediately after the welcome counter


photo img_8669aphoto img_8670a

There is another section of the lounge on the right of the welcome counter that we did not explore.


photo img_8671a

Boarding


The quirk when leaving the lounge is that since it is located on the left after the passport control, the signage when leaving it does not indicate the direction of gates K42 and up, although you can take this direction too,


photo img_8672a

… and turn right when reaching the gates area


photo img_8673a

I’m not convinced this carefully pleated dress is ideally suited for air travel


photo img_8674a

Another two playgrounds for young travelers


photo img_8675a

… and for not so young ones


photo img_8676a

Boarding has already started : self-scan of the BP


photo img_8677a

… and we don’t go any further than this, because the actual boarding is delayed


photo img_8678a

It can be reasonably assumed that it will happen, though, because the plane is there


photo img_8679a

Green light : an UM is first with an airport staff


photo img_8680a

A meager supply of newspapers halfway to the plane


photo img_8683a

The plane’s nose again


photo img_8684a

The airlines serving Japan from CDG-2 (ANA operates from CDG-1)


photo img_8685a

Refueling is on-going


photo img_8686a

Door and PlayStation shot


photo img_8691a

The cabin of an AF 77W AF


Going through the Premium Economy cabin, to be avoided at all costs in case over an overnight flight because the seats are very uncomfortable for sleeping. A day flight in the past convinced me of the relevance of the unfavorable consensus of the opinions that I have read on this matter.


photo img_8693a

Our seats will be like these, with a comfort which is not much less at half the price


photo img_8694a

I do recognize that they provide less space, the difference being a 3-4-3 layout vs. 2-4-2.


photo img_8695a-16410

The carpeting is clean


photo img_8698a

A cushion, a blanket, entry-level headphones and an eye-mask which I found better than the one (from an AF flight several years ago) that I have brought.


photo img_8699a

A sample of the cushions placed on the seats in our row


photo img_8700a

The cabin from the rear


photo img_8701a-62655

Whether you are flying short/medium haul or long haul, an Economy seat with AF always provides more or less the same to the passengers : around 25 cm from the tip of the seat to the seat back in front (I have seen seats with even less than that on AF A32x in the rear, though).


photo img_8704a

And 44 cm between armrests : there is no miracle in a 777 with a 3-4-3 seat layout


https://static.flight-report.com/media/photos/38/1555807382OUKM/img_8901a.jpg
The seat belt has an AF logo on it


photo img_8720a

The fittings of this cabin are past they heydays


photo img_8768a

The cleaning is past its heydays too : the top of the table tray is splashed with stains


photo img_8709a

The safety card, both sides


photo img_8705aphoto img_8706a

PSU shot


photo img_8749a

I had bet on neutralizing the middle seat and lost when a young Japanese girl. It was a long shot in Economy on a Saturday in a season when the weather is mild in both cities: the flight appeared to be full or nearly so. No problem for us anyway : my wife has her preferred aisle seat, and I have a window seat that I wanted. I can handle a long haul flight without leaving my seat, and like any self-respecting Japanese, this neighbor is of utmost discretion. She unsurprisingly is also petite, and immediately installs an unusual personal foot rest hooked on the seat in front of her.


photo img_8710a

Detail of the set-up


photo img_9892a

Waiting for take-off


Pushback of an AF A330


photo img_8703a

… and departure


photo img_8707a

A Hop! E-170 arrives, looking tiny in the midst of these heavy carriers


photo img_8713a

At the next gate,


photo img_8715a

… what is this mess of leftover luggage on the elevator and the tarmac ?


photo img_8714a

A tarmac vehicle takes away the elevator and its cargo. I don’t know what eventually became of the rest


photo img_8716a

Meanwhile, a small truck delivers to our plane a few suitcases with orange "Heavy" labels


photo img_8717a

The safety demonstration starts on the IFE screens as soon as the plane is pushed back. I hate the affected style of these dimwits, especially when they claim that “a non-smoking flight is simply chic”. Sorry, ladies, the truth is that a smoking flight is simply illegal, and has been so for some twenty years. A safety demonstration should be meant to elicit the attention and cooperation of the passengers; this one has the exact reverse effect on me, at least when it comes to attention.


photo img_8721a

Two AF A320, with one in Skyteam livery


photo img_8722a

AF A330


photo img_8723a

AF 787


photo img_8724a

JAL 777-330ER


photo img_8725a

The suburban and high speed train station and the Sheraton


photo img_8727a

Etihad A380


photo img_8728a

Aeroflot A320


photo img_8729a

Air Austral777


photo img_8730a

British Airways A321


photo img_8733a

XL Airways A330


photo img_8734a

This one will never take off again


photo img_8735a

These de-icing machines will be unused until next winter


photo img_8736a

Take-off


photo img_8737a

Some geography


The extremity of Mitry-Mory’s business area


photo img_8739a

Mitry-Claye station, in the center of the picture


photo img_8740a

For rail geeks : the connection between the high speed line bypassing Paris (coming from CDG on the left) and the East high speed line (running diagonally from top left).


photo img_8742a

The city of Meaux


photo img_8747a

The city of Villers-Cotterêts which entered History with a long edict signed in 1539 by King François 1st, which among other major changes made French the official administrative language of the kingdom, replacing Latin and the other regional languages.


photo img_8751a

The city of Valenciennes


photo img_8760a

Valenciennes Airport (XVS)


photo img_8763a

The menu in three languages (French, English and Japanese) is distributed. These are the drinks


photo img_8767a

And the French and English versions of the meals


photo img_8766a

The IFE has a 9" tactile screen with excellent reactivity


photo img_8771a

There is ample space for a larger screen: AF made small savings there


photo img_8770a

The moving map is the only program which really interests me in an IFE system and I already mentioned the two major flaws of that of AF:
- the position of the aircraft is much to imprecise to localize any ground feature seen
- as soon as you stop touching the screen, the program loops between the various display modes, most of which are useless to me, which translates into a frustrating waste of time to restore a useful display each time I want to know my (approximate) current location.


photo img_8752a

I admit that the modeling of the plane is carefully done and that it is fun to turn virtually around the plane, but I have grown out of it.


photo img_8769a

Two rather poor attempts of air-to-air pictures: probably Delta Airlines


photo img_8772a

And probably British Airways


photo img_8775a

The atmosphere is very misty in the beginning of the flight, which precludes taking any pictures of the ground


photo img_8777a

It clears up here at Emden, at the mouth of the Ems river


photo img_8778a

Langeoog, one of the German Frisian islands. Apart from emergency vehicles, no motorized traffic (motorcycles, cars and of course planes) is allowed there


photo img_8784aphoto img_8785a

The same rule applies in Spiekeroog, the next island


photo img_8787a

Aperitif and dinner


Aperitif will be Coca-Cola for my wife in the background, champagne for our Japanese neighbor,


photo img_8791a

and apple juice for me, with eleven scrocchi each, weighing a total of ten grams.


photo img_8793a

These crackers are produced in Matera, in the province of Basilicate, but definitely not in old troglodyte city which made the prestigious Unesco World Heritage List.


photo img_8796a

My wife passed Wrapping Compaction 101


photo img_9895a

Flensburg, on the German side of the border with Denmark


photo img_8797a

It took me aggressive image processing to reveal its airport (FLF)


photo img_8798a

The bottleneck providing a link between Nybal Nor (left) and the sea


photo img_8805a

The red nose of this aircraft identifies it as being operated by Norwegian Air Shuttle or Long Haul.


photo img_8807a

I failed to localize these harbor facilities, but Kevincrumbs did (thanks to him !) : Kalundborg, in Denmark


photo img_8809a

AF’s moving map is no help there (and that is an example of why I dislike it). In hindsight, Kalundborg was indeed on the vertical line from the plane center, taken as roughly mid-wings.


photo img_8810a

My dinner, as served


photo img_8816a

The same, after unwrapping


photo img_8817a

This curry is a far cry from Japanese curry, and very disappointing


photo img_8818a

My wife chooses the other hot meal and is not impressed either. She has apple juice with it


photo img_9896aphoto img_9897a

She took this close-up of the appetizer that she did not like


photo img_9900a

Compacting the wrappings


photo img_8822a

And storage in the seat pocket – the purpose of this game of mine is to free the table tray as soon as possible in order to resume the writing of this report


photo img_8824a

Night flight


The sun sets all the faster that we are flying east, and that the duration of daytime is more or less the same at high latitudes, since we are only two weeks after the equinox


photo img_8821a

It will soon be time to use the eye mask provided by AF.


photo img_8823a

Finally, a coffee for me


photo img_8826a

And a cognac (already partially drunk) for my Japanese neighbor


photo img_8827a

My two neighbors go to the toilets and I take this opportunity to do the same


photo img_8828a

The door and the store of drinks for adults


photo img_8831a

These are the spirits offered to the passengers in Economy


photo img_8829aphoto img_8830a

I sleep hardly more than three hours and wake up when the plane is there:


photo img_8833aphoto img_8835a

The cabin is of course fully dark


photo img_8834a

Bach’s Concerto for two violins to help killing time


photo img_8838a

This is the time when a FA comes to distribute a small ice-cream to the passengers who are awake


photo img_8841a

I take this opportunity to ask for a glass of water


photo img_8842a

Cheers to my readers!
(I spilled some water when taking this picture in front of my laptop’s screen)


photo img_8843a

Wingflex to kill time


photo img_8847a

The next two pictures could be called stolen pictures, because a FA twice ordered me to shut my window blind, even though this was already well into the morning Japanese time. Is AF following suit to KE that I boycott for their insistence of keeping the cabin in the dark on any long haul flight, day and night? The answer will be in the return flight.


photo img_8885aphoto img_8886a

The breakfast, as served


photo img_8876a

The same after unwrapping. Neither my wife nor I liked the dish, the difference between us is that she left two thirds of it, whereas I can eat literally anything. The rest was standard fare, on the other hand. But really, compared to the good food that you can buy at destination a few hours later, you could do without it, and wish you hadn’t not been awaken if you were sleeping.


photo img_8878a

The main interest of this breakfast is to provide an interesting wrapping compacting puzzle, for which this is one of the solutions.


photo img_8879a

Descent towards HND


Descent above Honshu Island (the location is difficult to identify, because this was only a break in the clouds cover


photo img_8891a

We are flying above the Chiba peninsula which faces Tokyo in the other side of the bay


photo img_8893a

The coast there is entirely bordered with heavy harbor and industrial infrastructures


photo img_8894a

Chiba City


photo img_8896a

Chiba’s harbor


photo img_8897a

Soga’s stadium and the factories of JFE Steel in the background


photo img_8899a

Zoom on the stadium and on the dense urban network in the foreground


photo img_8900a

A freighter and what appears to be a ferry. The latter seems out of place in this industrial environment, but these are the Mitsui shipyards and she is probably undergoing final equipment before her delivery to her future operator.


photo img_8902a

The plane flies slightly away from the coast before turning towards HND


photo img_8904a

In the center of this picture…


photo img_8907a

… Sodegaura’s race track is not for motorcycle, much less for cars, but for bicycles. This infrastructure is not unique in Japan: in a country where the roads are continuously in urban or suburban environments in the plains, this is the only way to organize cycling races (and training in between races).


photo img_8908a

Solar farm near Makuta


photo img_8909a

Turning to line up to HND’s runways around 30 km away from the airport.
Obitsu Station is just right of the tip of the wing


photo img_8911a

Half empty Kimitsu cemetery


photo img_8913a

The shadow of the plane on the forest shows that we are now flying low


photo img_8915a

The city center of Kimitsu with the bay top left


photo img_8919a

The chimneys of Sodegaura’s power station


photo img_8920a

The East end of the bridge-tunnel which crosses the Tokyo bay from Kimitsu on the right


photo img_8924a

This is where the expressway (dubbed "Aqualine" in Japanese) dips into a tunnel to not block the shipping traffic


photo img_8925a

The whole bridge


photo img_8927a

And the artificial islands which looks somewhat like an ocean liner. It is called Umihotaru (« Sea Firefly ») and features restaurants, shops and amusement facilities.


photo img_8928a

Crossing Runway 04/22


photo img_8930a

Landing is imminent


photo img_8932a

Touchdown and deployment of the spoilers


photo img_8933a

We landed Runway 34R


photo img_8935a

Plane spotting in HND


I narrowly caught the take-off of this Asiana A330


photo img_8936a

ANA A321


photo img_8937a

Air Do 737-700


photo img_8939a

This ANA 787 is not going to depart today, IMO


photo img_8942a

ANA Cargo 767-300ER


photo img_8943a

Qantas 747-400


photo img_8945a

JAL 787-8


photo img_8946a

Reaching the gate


photo img_8947a

No doubt we have landed in Tokyo


photo img_8948a

The passengers rise from their seats


photo img_8949a

Pushback of an ANA 787, with a more convincing powering than the previous one


photo img_8950a

There was a China Airlines A330-300 behind her


photo img_8951a

Going through the J cabin


photo img_8952a

Long, very long walk airside, because our gate was at the far end of the terminal


photo img_8953a

Air China A330-300


photo img_8954a

Eva Air A330-300, with a Lufthansa 747 behind a Shanghai Airlines 787 in the background


photo img_8955a

The Eva Air333 hiding another Lufthansa aircraft


photo img_8956a

We keep walking …


photo img_8957a

Again Air China’s A330-300


photo img_8959a

I find this control tower quite ugly. There are JAL and Skymark 737’s parked in front of it


photo img_8960a

A cherry blossom decoration alongside the windows (they are actually past their peak in Tokyo)


photo img_8961aphoto img_8963a

ANA 787


photo img_8962a

No significant waiting at immigration control, and arrival in the luggage delivery room


photo img_8964a

There has been so much walking to get there


photo img_8966a

… that our (admittedly labelled Priority) suitcase arrives one minute later


photo img_8967a

The Tokyo Olympics in 2020 are a good reason for me to concentrate my Japan travel projects in 2019, before the country is packed with visitors. (There will be the world rugby championship in the last quarter of 2019, but this should have much less impact on the number of visitors


photo img_8968a

The signage for domestic lights is very clear


photo img_8969a

And the waiting time is nil for checking in on ANA’s domestic flights


photo img_8971a

Where too ? The answer will be in the next Flight Report !
(Hint: the destination will be a first on this website)


Bonus : Kappabashi-dôri, kappas and air travel safety


We later returned to Tokyo, so I offer you a bonus on Tokyo which is especially for those who enjoy cooking or are somewhat afraid of flying – both criteria can apply simultaneously, according to my wife.


Bonus : Click here display
See more

Verdict

Air France

7.0/10
Cabin8.0
Cabin crew6.5
Entertainment/wifi7.0
Meal/catering6.5

Air france Lounge - 2E, Hall K

7.2/10
Comfort7.0
Meal/catering7.0
Entertainment/wifi7.0
Services8.0

Paris - CDG

8.1/10
Efficiency7.0
Access7.5
Services8.0
Cleanliness10.0

Tokyo - HND

8.5/10
Efficiency7.0
Access9.0
Services8.0
Cleanliness10.0

Conclusion

I have no doubt that AF’s seat in Economy can be too narrow (in pitch or width) for some travelers, but it is OK for me.
The crew did their work, but I was annoyed by the demand that the window blinds but shut in the morning with the sole justification that they are designed for that purpose, when I protested that AF provided good eye masks for the purpose of being in the dark. That stern FA reminded me of Korean Air FAs, and this is not a compliment.
The airshow looks neat at first sight only : it is fun at the beginning, but fails to deliver the information that I want, which is where the landscape feature that I see through the window is.
The catering could be much better, but can also be worse, like on the return flight. When comparing with my KIX-CDG flight of last year, it seems that AF traded quality for quantity. AF lost one point on the breakfast alone.

AF’s lounge at CDG Hall K is slightly below par on all counts: cleanliness is checked at excessive intervals, the catering is disappointing, the windows are deliberately made plane spotter –unfriendly (in a lounge which provides a view on a less interesting part of the tarmac, to start with). The overall result is not a disaster, but below expectations. The lounge could have been quiet if two German female passengers had not been chatting very loudly without stopping. On the positive side, it was not packed and the distance to the furthest gate was moderate and without stairs/elevators (if staying in the lower level of the lounge).

The fluidity at the Skypriority check-in has been degraded by the poor management of the access filter : if managing a “problem passenger” is enough to stop all the passengers behind them, then there is an organization problem. On the other hand, the new generation PARAFE passport reading booths are a real improvement on the previous ones.

The accessibility of CDG is and will remain poor for many years to come. It is even worse when legitimate public safety reasons results in the shutdown of many subway station inside Paris.

The fluidity at the immigration in HND was good, but the corridors seem endless, On the other hand, the accessibility of HND from the city center is excellent (this has been relevant for our return flight)

Information on the route Paris (CDG) Tokyo (HND)

Les contributeurs de Flight-Report ont posté 31 avis concernant 3 compagnies sur la ligne Paris (CDG) → Tokyo (HND).


Useful

La compagnie qui obtient la meilleure moyenne est Japan Airlines avec 8.1/10.

La durée moyenne des vols est de 12 heures et 9 minutes.

  More information

11 Comments

If you liked this review or if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to post a comment below !
  • Comment 499370 by
    ThomasDutch SILVER 633 Comments
    You are definitely secure about your report that you are equipping yourself with a measuring tape during your travels and literally cover all parts of the flight itself. I actually enjoyed reading through your report and are you sure that AF didn't buy those salads in the first meal in the store you went through in Kappabashi-dôri, Tokyo in regards of food? Thanks for sharing!
    • Comment 499467 by
      marathon GOLD AUTHOR 10117 Comments
      That measuring tape thing started with a business trip when I had it because of my work at destination, and gradually became a trademark of my reports. My wife has a lot of fun seeing the amused / intrigued / compassionate looks of other passengers seeing me taking some of the weirdest pictures on board which find their way into my reports. I would probably restrain myself if I was traveling to the US, as there has been so many stories there of unjustified suspicions of terrorist goals of unsuspecting travelers.

      Are you sure that AF didn't buy those salads in the first meal in the store you went through in Kappabashi-dôri, Tokyo in regards of food ?

      Haha, excellent !^^ A running joke when I was a student was that the tickets of the university restaurant provided more calories than the meals that you obtained with them. AF’s meals are not that bad; they are also cheaper than the Kappabashi replicas.^^

      Thanks for your comment !
  • Comment 499375 by
    kevincrumbs 2 Comments
    I very rarely log in here but I wanted to comment on two things:

    1) The unidentified harbour is Kalundborg, Denmark. It is a bit slow towards the end of the workday, so I had time to poke around in Google Maps near the approximate destination.
    2) As someone who is also highly interested in Japan, I also have the same feeling about the 2020 Olympic games as you do. Our family is headed to Kansai this fall and as someone who has travelled to Japan every year since 2012, I am already apprehensive about the changes I will see on the ground this year, nevermind next year.

    Your tourist bonus sections are always appreciated.
    • Comment 499468 by
      marathon GOLD AUTHOR 10117 Comments
      Many thanks for identifying this harbor ! I sometimes spend a commendable time identifying the ground features that I photographed and was frustrated to have failed on this one..

      The rugby world championship will be held in Japan this fall (I saw advertising on that in Tokyo), but I would not expect that it will have a significant impact.

      Again, thanks for taking the time to comment !
    • Comment 499515 by
      marathon GOLD AUTHOR 10117 Comments
      Many thanks for identifying this harbor ! I sometimes spend a commendable time identifying the ground features that I photographed and was frustrated to have failed on this one. I updated my report with due credit to you.

      The rugby world championship will be held in Japan this fall (I saw advertising on that in Tokyo), but I would not expect that it will have a significant impact.

      Again, thanks for taking the time to comment !
  • Comment 499380 by
    KévinDC TEAM SILVER 6668 Comments
    I see the 2E Hall K lounge hasn't really changed in the 5 years since I've been last. With updated lounges in Hall L and M, AF need to get on renovating K--it's looking dated and worn.

    Our seats will be like these, with a comfort which is not much less at half the price

    I don't agree with the "not much less [than Premium Economy]" statement. Having flown 777 3-4-3 Y on AF and other carriers, the narrow seat width is pure torture and back breaking. I actually like AF's Premium Economy, specifically because no one can recline into your face, which preserves personal space. But yes, I agree, the fixed shell seat isn't great for sleeping on night flight--for day flights, AF W is very comfortable.

    This curry is a far cry from Japanese curry, and very disappointing

    That's for sure! An overall sad looking meal. I'm surprised as AF usually has good catering in Y compared to many carriers. Luckily there's still free champagne and digestifs! The pre-arrival breakfast is meager...you would expect more on a 12h flight.

    Thanks for the lovely report and the healthy dose of planespotting ?
    • Comment 499508 by
      marathon GOLD AUTHOR 10117 Comments
      The age (and aging) of this lounge’s fittings did not strike me, but the mediocrity of the food did, all the more that thereafter, the food on board was substandard (which surprised me too). Since I don’t drink alcohol, the availability of wine and spirits did not compensate from my point of view.

      I expected reading more differing opinions in reaction to what I wrote about AF’ Premium Economy ;) I stand by my statements; a value of Flight Report is that it welcomes different appraisals – readers can appreciate which provide arguments that they share.
      I do acknowledge that AF’s W seat is OK for day flights, although not worth the money.

      Thanks for your comment !
      • Comment 499617 by
        KévinDC TEAM SILVER 6668 Comments
        Indeed, the beauty of it all is that everyone has different opinions and it's always interesting to see other perspectives and debate points of view. For my part I know I'm on the unpopular side of liking AF's Premium Economy. I think that mostly has to do with the fact that I can sleep anywhere in any type of seat...except 3-4-3 Economy where my back just screams in pain. It's just been a shame to watch 3-4-3 become standard on 777s over the past decade...people aren't getting any smaller (especially in North America and Europe), but seats have. Luckily 3-3-3 on A330/340 fuselages hasn't gone beyond some budget carriers, or that would be even more torturous.
  • Comment 499386 by
    eminere™ 271 Comments
    Yay Marathon is back!!! I’ve missed reading your reports. Good to see the presence of the napkin on which the crackers were placed on the tray table. ?
  • Comment 499917 by
    aussenrist 225 Comments
    Merci Marathon for sharing this report! Great plane spotting as always!
    Your RATP info is very useful to my coming trip to Paris later this year, where I will depart from 2F on a Monday late afternoon.
    The AF Lounge cleanliness looks pathetic. Maybe imperceptibly influenced by United Clubs over these years and comparing with your in-flight meals, I think its food selection and quality are not bad…
    The catering is meh in-flight and the curry definitely not the Japanese style. For the breakfast it looks more appetizing than the dinner although it may not be the true lol
    I am surprised by the Sakura surrounding the cemetery spotted in descending.
    I love your tourist bonus and glad you traveled before the 10-day Golden Week. Otherwise it would be very crowded everywhere in Japan.
    À bientôt.
    • Comment 499946 by
      marathon GOLD AUTHOR 10117 Comments
      It’s my pleasure to provide useful information to my readers ! A warm welcome in Paris when you come :)

      It was only one unclean spot in the lounge, but it betrayed unacceptable sloppiness of the staff. I would take United Clubs as a reference only to set the zero of the scale, although some provincial Air China lounges that I visited are serious contenders for that ;)

      The breakfast was worse than the dinner, in our opinion, but we were not flying AF to Japan to enjoy French or Japanese gastronomy in flight.

      I had not paid attention to these sakuras when compiling this report, focusing on localizing the cemetery, but yes you are right ! It was the end of the Sakura season, but we saw some beautiful stragglers in full bloom here and there during our trip.

      I had various private and work constraints for choosing the dates for this trip: the Golden Week was one of them, of the no-no category.

      Thanks for your comment, stay tuned for the report of the next leg !

Login to post a comment.