| Air France | Paris (ORY) → Nice (NCE) | A320-200 | Economy Class | 05/07/2023 | |
| Air France | Nice (NCE) → Paris (ORY) | A319-100 | Economy Class | 06/07/2023 | Current review |
| Air France | Paris (ORY) → Nice (NCE) | A320-200 | Economy Class | 05/07/2023 | |
| Air France | Nice (NCE) → Paris (ORY) | A319-100 | Economy Class | 06/07/2023 | Current review |
Hello everyone and welcome to this new Flight review. In my last review, I took you aboard an Air France Airbus A319 from Paris-Orly to Nice, which I highly recommend checking out if you haven't already. After spending a night on the French Riviera, I'm now here for my return flight to Paris, still operated by Air France but this time on an Airbus A319.
Once again, this review may not be out of the ordinary, but I believe it's worth sharing my experience with the A320 family operated by Air France. My last experiences with Air France and its cabins were on the A220 between Paris and Berlin last year, and more recently during the Paris Air Show 2023, where we visited the latest A220 received by the French carrier. Over the past few years, I've noticed a certain level of improvement from Air France, with the acquisition of new aircraft and the retrofitting of older planes with new cabins. It's particularly interesting to see how things are going with the "historic" fleet!
I meet you in the early evening at the check-in hall of Terminal 2 at Nice Côte d'Azur Airport. This is the terminal where Air France, KLM, and SkyTeam members operate their flights in Nice.
My flight will be the last Air France flight of the day from Nice: AF6243 to Paris-Orly.
Not much special to note. Air France check-in counters dominate this hall, followed by those of other airlines, including easyJet, which also operates its flights at Terminal 2.
The check-in hall is quite empty at this time.
Since I have no baggage to check, I head to the security checkpoints. They pass quite quickly. It's smooth.
After the security check, I pass through duty-free and arrive in the main transit hall of Terminal 2.
There are quite a few shops, cafes, and restaurants. It's quite extensive, modern, and interesting.
However, there are not enough seats to sit on.
Moreover, it is obvious that the terminal was not designed for so many people: it quickly becomes crowded, and passengers bump into each other...
Free Wi-Fi is available. Unfortunately, it doesn't work for me. And don't count on 4G/5G either, as the network is very weak within the terminal.
As I make my way to the end of the terminal, I manage to find a quieter area to sit and wait for my flight.
I take this opportunity to spot the Boeing 727 “M-STAR”, which has just arrived from Dubai. It's not every day that we get to see such an aircraft!
My flight this evening will depart from gate A18. I sit in front of it, waiting for boarding to begin.
Boarding starts without any announcement being made.
Similar to my outbound flight, it is done in boarding groups. First, groups 1 and 2 together (consisting only of passengers with status, as the flight does not have a Business Class), followed separately by groups 3, 4, and 5. I am part of group 4.
I am the first in my group to board.
I finally catch sight of my aircraft. It is F-GRXB, an Airbus A319-111, not so young, having made its first flight in 2001.
I am greeted with a smile by a flight attendant and a steward.
Lucky me, I have come across the only Air France Airbus A319 equipped with the old short-/medium-haul cabin (at the time of my flight), the same one as my outbound flight. While the rest of the fleet is equipped with leather seats. A bit disappointed…
The aircraft is configured to accommodate 142 passengers in a 3-3 configuration in full Economy Class.
The seats are once again fabric-covered, with a rather aging appearance, making the cabin visually outdated compared to the leather cabin in the A220 or the other A319 in the fleet.
Arriving at my seat, 09A, by the window.
Nice view of the left wing. Air France enthusiasts will immediately recognize the blue wingtip fence and the winged seahorse placed on it, characteristic elements of Air France's new livery.
I maintain the same opinion as on my outbound flight: a standard Economy Class seat on a single-aisle aircraft.
There's a tray table, small but sufficient for the service offered by Air France on this route. The seat pocket contains only the safety card and the sickness bag.
A cup holder, much appreciated for short-haul flights.
Average legroom for a passenger of 1m82.
The seat does not recline. It is also extremely thin – like ironing boards. However, it is relatively comfortable. Let's say there are worse seats on the market...
This seat features USB-A ports. A great feature, especially for a cabin that is not so young!
After getting a takeoff slot from Nice, we were initially supposed to wait on the ground for a further half-hour before being able to push back. Eventually, an exemption was granted, and we pushed back with only about twenty minutes of delay.
We taxi to the holding point of runway 04R, crossing runway 04L in the process.
At 9:10 PM, 20 minutes behind the STD, we take off.
A characteristic takeoff from Nice with an immediate right turn after takeoff, allowing us to appreciate the beauty of the landscape.
Then a slightly bumpy departure, which remains cloudy and overcast until the cruise altitude.
We quickly reach 10,000 feet, and the fasten seat belt sign is turned off.
While we wait for the crew to begin their service, let me tell you about the two entertainment options offered by Air France on this flight.
This Airbus A319, like the vast majority of Air France's A319 fleet, is equipped with on-board Wi-Fi. Air France offers three different Wi-Fi packages:
The Wi-Fi portal also provides access to an interactive map showing the progress of the flight, destination weather, and games.
The second entertainment option offered by Air France on this flight is a selection of digital magazines and newspapers. These can be downloaded in advance using the Air France Play mobile application.
On an Air France flight, passengers have the opportunity to download up to 8 magazines and 8 newspapers. There is a significant range of content available in multiple languages, with a total of 103 magazines and various genres and 29 newspapers. Air France's onboard magazine, "ENVOLS," is also available for download.
While the flight continues, the crew comes through the cabin offering each passenger a small cake and a choice of beverages. Tonight, the choice includes water, fruit juices, tea, coffee, and alcohol, usually wine! I opt for a glass of water.
As for the snack, I wouldn't have minded something saltier, given the late hour. But let's see the positive side, it's better than nothing. Regarding the beverages, I have nothing to complain about: an airline that continues to provide cold, hot, and alcoholic drinks on a domestic flight in Economy Class is simply excellent.
It's the minimum requirement for a flight operated by a national carrier, you might say. But compared to several other European airlines that no longer offer anything or almost anything (supposedly for Covid-19 reasons for most of them), it is truly worth highlighting!
During this service, the clouds gradually disappear, revealing a beautiful spectacle.
Shortly after, the descent begins towards Paris-Orly as the sun sets more and more.
We align with the ILS of runway 06 at Orly, once again providing magnificent colors!
With a distant view of the City of Lights, in the original sense!
We touch down at the second Parisian airport at around 10:25 PM, with a 5-minute delay, after a 1h15 flight.
We taxi to our gate at Orly 2, passing by various parked aircraft, including a series of Air France aircraft.
We park next to another A319.
After a wait of about 5 minutes, the deboarding begins.
Contrary to what some may have thought, I did not forget the fuselage shot! I was just waiting for the right moment to take it ;)
While Nice offered an extremely simple passenger journey upon arrival, Orly is quite different. Up and down, a lot of walking, walking through a border checkpoint (for a supposedly Schengen terminal?)... It shows a certain inconsistency that can be felt but is probably explained by the age of this terminal, formerly “Orly Ouest”, now Orly 2. At least the recent renovations have paid off: it's quite beautiful, clean, and pleasant. Adjectives that are not often used for a Parisian airport!
After a few long minutes of walking, I arrive at the baggage belt. I have nothing to collect, so I head towards the exit.
The Orlybus is waiting for me where it had left me the day before.
It is a bus that connects Orly Airport to Place Denfert-Rochereau in Paris. It is a fairly convenient and affordable option. For non-holders of the Navigo pass (the Paris transport card), the one-way ticket costs around 11€.
This concludes the second and final Flight review of my trip to Nice.
Like my outbound flight, nothing exceptional on this flight. Almost on-time departure. Top-notch crew. More than decent service for a flight of this duration, especially compared to what is offered elsewhere. A saltier snack would have been appreciated, but a wide choice of beverages, including alcoholic ones, compensates for that! The cabin is rather average, somewhat old, and in need of refurbishment (I must say I wasn't lucky, I ended up on the only A319 in the fleet with this cabin...). The legroom is average too, the tray table is small, and the seat cannot be reclined. However, the presence of USB ports is a very positive aspect. Regarding entertainment, the availability of onboard Wi-Fi, and specifically the offer of free messaging, deserves to be praised. The selection of digital magazines and newspapers is also very good.
Concerning Nice Airport, my overall impression is good. It's quite efficient, with plenty of dining and shopping options. Additionally, the terminal is very clean. However, there are a few negatives: too few seats to sit on, a terminal not designed for such a crowd, which quickly becomes crowded during peak times, and unfortunately, the free Wi-Fi doesn't work...
Regarding Paris Orly, I find the passenger journey a bit complex and lengthy. But it is justified by the age of this terminal. Otherwise, it's clean, efficient, quite beautiful, and convenient.
I hope you enjoyed this second review. I'll be back in a few days with other Flight reviews that promise to be very interesting!
Thanks for reading and see you soon ;)
