Avis du vol entre Paris et Raleigh en classe Affaires avec Air France

Hello everyone, and welcome to this new flight report headed to the United States!

This first report takes us to Raleigh, an American city where the eldest of my nephews is studying for a year. As his uncle, it was my moral duty to visit him, so I started booking tickets nearly six months in advance. Given my holiday constraints, I absolutely needed to return on May 9th. A direct round-trip to Raleigh was exorbitantly priced at €1,300 at the time (though the price significantly dropped around February).

I began searching for a city where the return flight would be cheaper, quickly turning to New York and its multitude of flights, hoping for some luck. Bingo! Not only could I secure a return flight, but I also booked it in Premium Economy for just €100 more than the Economy fare. This allowed me to plan a day trip to New York, a city I loved during my first visit. I’d make the most of the day before taking the last flight of the evening.

The trip also includes four days in Miami, a destination chosen for its convenient timings and cost-effectiveness, with American Airlines winning this leg of the journey.

Finally, in February, while checking my booking, I stumbled upon an offer to upgrade to Business Class for only €380. Thinking it might be a glitch, I jumped at the chance for an 8-hour flight much more enjoyable than expected!

The flight was initially set to use an A350 instead of the 787 that usually operated this route. However, it reverted to the 787 sometime after my booking (flights from CDG to RDU have now permanently shifted to the A350).

Here’s the final itinerary:

Arrival at CDG

Wanting to enjoy the lounge, I arrived at CDG much earlier than usual — 3.5 hours before my flight. The Uber ride was pleasantly smooth on this Labor Day, taking just 30 minutes:

Of course, the many public holidays during this period meant the airport was bustling:

Thanks to my Business traveler privilege, I could use the SkyPriority lane with staffed counters:

When asked about my destination, I had to repeat myself twice as no one seemed to know Raleigh. That was true for me too before my nephew went to study there! I was intrigued by this destination when I first saw it on Flightradar:

After retrieving my boarding pass, I answered the usual questions from the agent for U.S.-bound passengers. Unfortunately, their heavy accent made the questions nearly incomprehensible, and I had to ask them to repeat several times!

The pretty boarding pass:

Now, a quick detour to Access No. 1:

It wasn’t much faster than the empty PARAFE lane that day, contrary to what the terminal entrance crowds might have suggested. Heading to the M gates where my flight departs from:

A little help from LISA to get there:

Of course, by using the "FR" technique, which means making the effort to walk back along the platform to the front where there’s absolutely no one:

While, even if it’s not very visible in the photo, everyone else is packed like sardines in the second part of the train ^^:

Conditions are perfect today, and I have a prime spot!

Arrival at Hall M gates, probably my favorite spot at CDG:

Some small, prophetic ads about the end of my trip ^^:

And a first spotting moment with this Air France A350 bound for Houston, inaugurating my day in the best way:

No worries, we are still on schedule:

Arrival in the shared area, very pleasant:

Air France Lounge Terminal 2E / Hall M

But this time, I can walk a bit further to experience the lounge at Hall M for the first time. I was hoping for the one at Hall L, which gave me the best impression based on reviews (the flight to Raleigh can depart from gates K, L or M). However, the Hall M lounge seems well above that of Hall K. Let’s see:

The first impression is very good, and what strikes me most is the calm — it’s really very quiet (even if the low occupancy of the lounge helps):

I knew the Clarins spa services would be closed on public holidays, but it’s still a shame not to be able to enjoy all the lounge services:

I took the opportunity to explore the spaces, with this relaxation corner at the end of the lounge:

This area is clearly spotter-friendly, although the blue film slightly spoils the view ;-):

The lounge map shows it’s quite spacious:

A display case is present with goodies related to Air France’s 90th anniversary:

But I do have a preference for this type of model planes, although the prohibitive price will stop me ^^:

It’s morning, and I’m getting hungry. I reserved some room in my stomach for the feast awaiting me on board. We’re on the breakfast offering. The initial buffets seem a bit sparse, though there’s plenty of variety to come:

A drink station is already available, but it’s a no-go zone for me at this hour; especially since there will be plenty on board!

An AvGeek never changes, and it’s along these large windows that I find my happiness:

The various spaces are really pleasant:

From my spot, I enjoy a prime view for quality spotting: an Etihad A350-1000 heading to Abu Dhabi, a Hi Fly A330-200 on lease for Air Algerie arriving from Algiers, an Air Canada 777 arriving from Toronto and finally an Air France 777 arriving from Pointe-à-Pitre to conclude the lineup:

Spotting planes builds up an appetite, so it’s time for some light shopping ^^:

There is quite a selection:

Including this vegetarian burger called “Burgal” by Ducasse, which is quite good:

The location is perfect for spotting, less for eating :):

And this A350 from AF graces us with its passage, towed by its tractor and later departing for Chicago:

This 787 will follow next, also towed by its tractor. The steed has a good look from the rear:

It's now the turn of the A220 arriving from Geneva to pass by, with "my" registration, F-HZUM ^^

There's quite a gathering, this time with an A330 from MEA arriving from Beirut:

This little dessert from Ducasse will end the tasting session on a high note:

I ended my visit to the lounge with a brief moment of rest… which is suddenly interrupted by a "boarding closed" notification from my Paris Airport app. Although completely inconsistent with the boarding time of 12:15, panic sets in, and I rushed to my boarding gate ^^:

The Flight

Fortunately, the walk takes very little time:

Boarding has indeed started but is far from finished:

I just missed my zone but not my boarding as Paris Airport misleadingly indicated:

Excitedly, I take the first corridor to the left:

I chose seat 1K, as despite its proximity to the galley, there's really no direct view of other passengers. And since I'm traveling solo, the solo window seat is a no-brainer:

The usual cabin equipment is present:

These 8 hours of flight promise to be enjoyable! Although I initially find my seat somewhat uncomfortable, there seems to be an annoying "iron bar" in the seat cushion. As you'll see later, this will only be the start of the discomforts:

My counterpart who hopefully won't disturb me too much :) :

My jacket is taken to the wardrobe, and the business class amenity kit is handed out. I've found it nice and understated:

A glass of champagne is then served:

Cheers!

Next comes the menu distribution. It's nice to have a paper menu:

The menu had just changed a month before my flight, featuring Arnaud Lallement, a three-Michelin-star chef, and Nina Metayer, World’s Best Pastry Chef 2024, whose creation I can’t wait to try:

A glance outside reveals our neighbor today is a Chinese 777 heading to Shanghai:

The safety video starts about 10 minutes before the theoretical pushback time. I still find it very well-done:

Business class is definitely better ^^ :

At 1:35 PM, we take off after a short taxiing:

Takeoff, and once again, I’m struck by the silence of the 787:

We soon make a U-turn after taking off eastward, offering a beautiful view of CDG:

Let’s go back to the cabin, where I focus on signs of wear that I find quite significant given the relatively young age of our aircraft (7 years). This is F-HRBB, which will have to make an emergency landing in Iqaluit 10 days later:

Looking around, you can see signs of wear almost everywhere:

Some parts are even becoming removable when they probably shouldn’t be:

Thankfully, my assigned flight attendant, who was also very friendly, knows how to cheer me up ^^
I’m not much of a wine or alcohol enthusiast, but I happily let myself be guided and advised. Here’s my starter pack:

It goes perfectly with the amuse-bouche and the gavottes. Notice how my tray table is only half usable, with the front part hanging off… My seat is in such bad shape that it almost looks like someone vandalized it on the previous flight!

Let’s move on to the positive aspects: the meal, starting with the amuse-bouche:

Which turns out to be appetizing:

The British coastlines reveal themselves at their extreme southwest, for once not completely covered in clouds ^^:

We leave the lands of Albion near the Land's End airfield. You can’t see it in this photo, but it really lives up to its name!

Later in the flight, I took this picture to illustrate how the front of my tray table… really falls apart!

The tablecloth is set, and it really reminds me of an ironing board ^^

My very kind flight attendant then offers me a new drink to pair with my starter. As a novice, I am allowed to taste two different wines each time to ensure I make the right choice:

The starter is good, and the bread is excellent, all paired with the usual Air France branded cutlery:

The packaging of the salt and sugar is customized:

I had pre-selected the poultry dish about ten days before the flight. While it’s far from the visual I was promised, it’s still very tasty:

For reference and comparison, here’s the visual they advertised for this dish… my version seems to have been served after some turbulence ;-)

Cheese time! Unfortunately, I’m not a big fan of it, except for Comté, which sadly isn’t part of this selection :(

I finished my meal on a sweet and non-alcoholic note (I have to drive upon arrival, and Americans don’t mess around with that!):

This pairs perfectly with my dessert, the coconut-mango entremet by Nina Metayer, a pastry chef whose creations I had been eager to try:

And it's absolutely delicious. I’ll make sure to visit her shop when I return to France! ^^

After this flawless meal, back to the reality of my seat and its many issues — things are really falling apart:

To top it off, my armrest is completely stuck!

I decided to take a stroll around the cabin to freshen up and take advantage of the Clarins products available in the lavatories:

A quick peek into the economy cabin — this flight is full:

It’s also an opportunity to get a closer look at one of our GEnx-1B engines:

Back at my seat, the cabin manager stops by to address the discomfort of my seat cushion, which has been an issue since the beginning of the flight. She seems familiar with the problems of these seats, and her intervention significantly improves the comfort.

Later, the Purser returns with a tablet, fully briefed by my flight attendant about the deplorable state of my seat. She asked me to list all the issues I’ve encountered. A compensation is quickly proposed: 44,000 miles or €200! After consulting some well-informed friends on this site, I opt for the miles, which seem like a fair offer. I’m also advised to file a complaint with Air France after the flight.

As an amusing anecdote, my friend Ben encountered the same cabin manager less than three weeks later on his own Business Class flight to PTP, where she brought up what we might call “SeatGate.” :) :)

It’s always amazing how small the world can feel and how such coincidences can happen. ^^

With an additional 44,000 miles in my pocket, a repaired seat, and a very good mood, I can continue my flight. At this point, we're right in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean:

I browse through the movies, which are still as numerous as ever, though I still regret the lack of French subtitles for those who enjoy english with french subs like me. Eventually, fatigue catches up with me, and I took the opportunity to enjoy my lie-flat seat but not my film. ;-)

A few snacks are handed out later, along with the choice of tea or coffee:

I also find the shortbread cookies that were served on my Nice - CDG flight on a 777:

There's nothing better than good music to keep enjoying the flight. The IFE also offers a good selection here:

Land in sight, Captain! We are flying over the Canadian province of Nova Scotia:

The geovision remains as enjoyable as ever, but it’s a pity the 787 doesn’t have external cameras:

The footwell isn’t the largest in the fleet, but it gets the job done:

A snack is served a little over an hour before arrival; given how much I’ve eaten since visiting the lounge, this suits me just fine. I really like this little madeleine, which was also served in the lounge:

We’re now flying along Long Island, near the Hamptons, the wealthy New Yorker suburb:

It’s really huge! It’s actually the largest island in the U.S. after Hawaii.

A quick zoom allows me to catch a glimpse of Manhattan’s skyline… I’m really looking forward to returning there at the end of my U.S. trip, five years after my first visit:

Atlantic City airport, a city well-known for the bankruptcy of the casino complex Trump once owned there:

As the flight nears its end, a warm oshibori is handed out:

At this point, we’re leaving New Jersey:

The Air France shrimp proudly stands here. I’m satisfied with my choice of seat in row 1, which was perfect (aside from the seat’s condition, of course) for traveling alone. I wasn’t bothered by galley noise, especially as this was a daytime flight:

Our Business Class cabin is also full, mostly occupied by Americans:

Approaching Virginia now as our flight winds down:

Unfortunately, a Business Class flight always feels too short. Our flight wasn’t even the longest on this route, clocking in at just 7 hours and 45 minutes:

This time it’s for real; we’re in North Carolina and beginning our descent:

The landing was smooth, and we found ourselves face-to-face with an American 777 preparing for London. RDU feels really small and only handles a few international flights, including ours, plus London, Iceland, and Frankfurt, which started service just weeks after my flight:

Arrival at RDU

Thanks to RDU’s modest size, we quickly reach our parking spot. ^^

Well, RDU isn’t exactly spotter-friendly with these black strips, so I’ll have to make do with this view of our plane:

Welcome to the United States, greeted appropriately by the American flag:

Heading to customs:

It only takes about 15 minutes to clear customs with a friendly agent, another advantage of RDU’s small size:

Bag collection is also quick in the small international baggage area:

It seems we had a cat that was traveling with his hooman :)

Now I just have to pick up my rental car using the shuttles right outside the airport. The logos make it impossible to miss, and the shuttles are very frequent:

Opposite the taxi area is the drop-off zone:

A nice surprise awaits me at the rental counter, as I’m offered a free upgrade to this Mustang. I don’t hesitate for a second. ^^

Our flight path:

Epilogue

Following the flight, my mileage compensation is credited very quickly:

However, my claim advised by the cabin manager, regarding the 44,000 miles, comes up empty. But nothing ventured, nothing gained!

Thank you for reading, and see you soon for more adventures!