Review of Air France Hop flight Stuttgart → Paris in Business

Welcome all to a new series of Flight Reports, this time in english as I will be reporting Air France (in-between boring on the french section of the site) and 3 different US airlines American, United and Delta.
I have to go for work to Detroit, to South Texas, to Sioux Falls and I'll combine the whole with a stop in New Orleans where I have a good fried living there. The long-haul flights are in business class, the intra-US flights all in economy. I've been looking for tickets not too expensive and had this time to go back over FRA to avoid a 500€ supplement. I really hate FRA but at least Delta is in the better T2 terminal together with almost all Skyteam and Oneworld airlines. I was happy to get Skyteam flights to continue my journey towards the Platinum for Life status of Flying Blue (Air France / KLM) that is the best for life status in the industry I would say. 2 more flights, no change in the programme for 5 years and I will be there :))))) Also the outbound flight was on Air France which I find the best among DL, AF and KL. The drawback of my booking, the return leg was planned on a A330-200 DL which is their worst Delta One product… well I should be already happy enough to get business flights paid in BC - that's not the case in any corporate. 

I arrived in STR about 1h45 before schedule departure. The Air France KLM counters were empty in Sky Priority with a line of about 15 people waiting in Economy. I've been served by an elderly lady which could not have been more polite and helpful. What a change compared to my previous experiences with STR ground staff (contracted by AF/KL). AF offers the priority lane for all BC or Sky Priority (ST Elite Plus) passengers. Noone in the line and I was airborne in a breeze. Direction the airport lounge, the only one open currently on the platform. Be aware that just a handful of passengers have access to it: BC and status passengers of AF, KL, AZ + Air Baltic BC + Lufthansa HON Circle (but not Senator!!!). What a pity for the Lufthansa group that has 60% market share on this airport.

I must say I love the ambiance and how everything has been decorated around the history of the airport that has seen the landing of a Concorde in the 80's.
There is also a limited view of the unique runway. 

The food and drink option is not the best. I remains sufficient though for the short flight I'm about to complete. And I'll have service on board.

Drinks with a high-end coffee machine

I recommend the Spätburgunder if you go to Germany (a rosé). It's a very good wine and one of the few good local one in the country - forget about the rest besides some Riesling.

The few among you speaking french will have a good lough! 

Air France alwas starts from the T3 in STR but anyway all terminals are just a long building that has been extended over time. We have a jet bridge today. The layout is 2-2 with 72 seats in that E170. Business and Economy seats are the same. The pitch might be slightly better though in the front of the aircraft. On HOP flights in Embraer you may have a seat neighbor, a shame! I was lucky today - not in my case.

The seat pitch is correct but better in E190 aircrafts. No power outlets, no WIFI, no USB socket, no bord magazine… well nothing but a seat!

 Take off is done to the West as always when the sky is grey - that's how it works in Europe, at least in Winter. The sun comes from Russia, the clouds from the Atlantic ;)

A Tristar as training equipment for the fire fighters.

The air cargo area

And the US airbase on the southwest of the airport - this time without specific equipment out.

Soon after we are above the clouds, I love it.

The medium haul business class products in Europe and in the US are fundamentally different. In the US you have a specific cabine and lots of drinks. In Europe you have a meal tray. On Air France this one is the same on ALL flights, independent whether you fly an hour as I do or you're on your way to Athen for a 3h long trip.

I'll be honest, I really loved that tray. The salmon was fresh and tasty, the cheese the right taste and even the cake was not too sweet and a nice touch. Well done Air France.

Let's celebrate over a Champagne!

With such a tray you don't see the time flying and we started very soon after our descent.

Here as well landing towards West - which means we have to pass through all the terminals of the platform from 2A to 2G and over 2C, 2E-K/L/M. That takes about 10 minutes but is considered in the block time of 1h20 with just 55min in the air.

My next flight to Detroit is starting from the gate 2E-L. All HOP flights arrive in a dedicated terminal 2G that is at the very end of the platform on the East. The transfer used to be excellent before Covid. You passed through passport control in 2G and had to take a direct bus to the corresponding concourse. All done in 10-15min. No new security check when you come from the Schengen area. This time has changed now. There is a unique bus that takes you to the arrivals in Terminal 2F and then you go through the general process of all other european flights with here as well passport control (full!), a walk, and even an automatic shuttle depending on where you go. Total time at least 45min. I really hope the good all days will be back soon. At least the directions are extremely clear. Would just change completely the naming of the terminals and concourse as no one understand that 2E-K,L,M…

I'll meet again you very soon for the second leg.