| Azores Airlines | Paris (CDG) → Ponta Delgada (PDL) | A320neo | Economy Class | 02/03/2024 | Current review |
| Azores Airlines | Ponta Delgada (PDL) → Paris (CDG) | A320-200 | Economy Class | 09/03/2024 |
| Azores Airlines | Paris (CDG) → Ponta Delgada (PDL) | A320neo | Economy Class | 02/03/2024 | Current review |
| Azores Airlines | Ponta Delgada (PDL) → Paris (CDG) | A320-200 | Economy Class | 09/03/2024 |
Hello everyone and welcome to this new Flight review.
This year, unlike previous ones, I won't be spending my vacation skiing, but rather on an island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean: Sao Miguel Island in the Azores Archipelago.
So, I welcome you to this Flight review between Paris and Ponta Delgada aboard an Airbus A320neo operated by Azores Airlines.
I'll meet you directly at the TGV station in Terminal 2 of Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport.
So, I arrived by TGV from Strasbourg this Saturday morning at 09:30, nearly 4 hours before my flight. Unfortunately, this early arrival would have me waiting for almost two hours in the check-in hall, but it spared me a rush through the terminal. For those of you reading this who are familiar with SNCF, we know it's necessary to plan ahead when it comes to schedules...
Anyway, I arrived at Terminal 2 of Roissy, but my flight will depart from Terminal 1, also known as "The Camembert." Therefore, I have to take the automated train connecting Terminals 1, 2, and 3, as well as the parking lots. So, I head towards the CDGVal. To do this, it's as simple as following the signs that will guide you in the right direction.
As I arrive at the CDGVal station, the train is just leaving. On the bright side, a train serves Terminal 2 every 4 minutes, so I don't have to wait long to reach Terminal 1.
The train is automated, allowing me to sit at the front to take some photos. Unfortunately, rain starts to fall, and the photos don't turn out well.
A few short minutes after our departure, we reach Terminal 1, the oldest of the three terminals at Roissy, dating back to 1974.
Upon arrival, I glance at the departure boards. The boarding hall for my flight is hall 5.
However, at this hour, there's still no one at the counters, so I'm forced to wait in the terminal until they open. I took the opportunity to explore the terminal, which has its public area divided into two levels.
I find now myself on the lower level, where a few airlines handle their check-ins. Upstairs, you can find more regular carriers at CDG like Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Lufthansa Group airlines, Turkish Airlines, and Qatar Airways, which proudly displays its sponsorship of Paris' football team, PSG.
The terminal is very clean, but for me, it lacks light, especially on the lower level.
After nearly two hours of waiting, the check-in for my flight is finally open. When I arrive, a small queue has already formed. Due to issues with the conveyor belt, the line isn't moving very quickly.
After 15 minutes of waiting, I reach the counter where I receive my boarding pass. I bid farewell to my suitcase with a "see you later" and head towards my boarding gate.
To reach my boarding gate, located in one of the satellites of the terminal, I have to take several escalators starting from the upper floor of the check-in areas.
Once my ticket is scanned, I enter one of the many tubes in the central courtyard of the terminal to reach the upper floor. My boarding gate is gate 56, so I follow the corresponding signs.
The next step is to reach the satellite. I then take the tunnel passing beneath the tarmac to reach the satellite.
After about a hundred meters, I finally arrive.
Once in the satellite, the first step is the security checks. It's not very crowded at noon. It also doesn't feel like being in a major airport like Paris Charles De Gaulle, but rather in a regional airport. There are only 3 security gates, with two of them open, which is more than enough.
In just 5 minutes flat, I pass through the security checks.
I then arrive in the boarding hall where 8 boarding gates are arranged, from 51 to 58. The space isn't very large, but plenty of seating allows passengers to sit comfortably without having to search for a spot.
In the hall, there's a small Duty-Free with many French products, a Relay, and two bakeries/sandwich shops. All in all, for a small satellite, it's more than sufficient.
Moreover, the satellite is quite bright despite the worsening weather. It's raining heavily, and the clouds are descending to ground level. The wind is also picking up.
I also notice the cleanliness of the terminal, both in the main hall and in the satellite.
On the tarmac, two Boeing 737MAX aircraft (one -9 and one -8) from Icelandair are ready to depart for Reykjavik.
Finally, my flight is displayed at gate 56. Boarding shouldn't be too far off.
A few dozen minutes later, my plane touches down on Parisian soil. It's the CS-TSK, an A320neo received by Azores Airlines last September, making it the youngest aircraft in the Portuguese fleet. Like its counterparts, it's named after an adjective describing the Azores archipelago. Today, Sierra Kilo is named "Pure."
Boarding begins about twenty minutes after the passengers from the outbound flight have disembarked. It's organized by groups. Initially, passengers seated in rows 20 to 27 board first, followed by those in rows 10 to 20, and finally rows 1 to 10.
In reality, the ground staff started boarding before the aircraft door was opened. So, we found ourselves in a glass corridor waiting for a few minutes for the aircraft door to finally open.
There are about a dozen passengers ahead of me, so I board neither among the first nor the last.
The crew welcomes us with a big smile, accompanied by the First Officer.
The aircraft is brand new, and it shows in the cabin. It's very modern and bright, thanks to the Airspace Cabin equipped in this aircraft. Additionally, the adaptive lighting and the new overhead bins give the impression of a larger cabin.
I arrive at my seat, 17A. Each seat is equipped with a universal power outlet and a USB port. Also, the headrests are adjustable in height and on the sides. I also notice the presence of a coat hook.
The tray table opens and adjusts horizontally from front to back. However, it's slightly small.
In the seat pockets, we find the safety card as well as the airsickness bag.
From my seat, there's a beautiful view of the magnificent Sharklet of the A320neo painted in the colors of the airline. However, the space between the seats was very limited. Despite being 170 centimeters tall, I could hardly stretch my legs in front of me. I don't know if the conditions are the same at the front of the aircraft or not, but it's really unfortunate after enjoying all the seat amenities and its general comfort.
Five minutes after the scheduled time, we push back facing north. The flight attendants begin the safety instructions as the engines of our Neo start to roar. What a magnificent sound the start-up of an aircraft engine is.
Still under the rain and the Parisian gloom, we begin our taxi towards runway 27R. On the way, we pass by an Air Canada Boeing 777-300ER that we overtake.
With a 20-minute delay, the captain throttles up, and we take off towards the sun at 30,000 feet. We enter the clouds, and light turbulence is felt.
After a few minutes, we emerge from the thick cloud layer, catch sight of the blue sky, and the cabin becomes brighter.
I take a moment before the onboard service to present the entertainment options available during this flight.
An entertainment platform is accessible through Wi-Fi, although it doesn't allow browsing the internet. On this platform, we can find a wide selection of movies, series, and games, especially for a flight of less than 4 hours. This is a significant plus for the airline.
A map is also available, although it's not very precise. I also noticed a bug: the displayed flight on the platform was the outbound flight, and when I tried to connect to watch a movie, I received the message "Announcement in progress...". Despite this, the entertainment offering is very good for a flight of this duration.
About 45 minutes after our departure, the crew began the distribution of beverages and meals.
Initially, the flight attendants served meals to children, followed by special meals, and finally, all other meals.
Today's menu:
The meal is accompanied by a piece of bread and a knob of butter. The beverage selection is limited to fruit juices, water, tea, and coffee. There are no alcoholic beverages on our flight today.
I must emphasize the quality of the meal. It has been a long time since I've had such a good meal on an airplane. Another great point for our airline.
A small negative point, however, is that a second round with beverages would have been appreciated.
After the meal, we continue our cruise at 30,000 feet above the Atlantic Ocean.
After nearly 3 hours of flight, we begin our descent towards Ponta Delgada Airport Jean-Paul II, named after Pope John Paul II.
The noise of the engines diminishes as we commence our approach. The islands of the Azores archipelago start to come into view as we gradually descend.
We are getting closer and closer to the water, and passengers seated on the left side of the aircraft can catch a glimpse of Sao Miguel Island, the largest and most populous island in the archipelago. It is on this island that the regional capital of the Autonomous Region of the Azores (while still belonging to Portugal) is located, as well as the largest airport in the Azores, the base of SATA International/Azores Airlines.
The well-known wind of the Atlantic islands makes itself felt.
With 10 minutes ahead of schedule, the Airbus A320neo touches down on Portuguese soil under the sun playing with the clouds.
The taxi to the terminal is not very long since it is located next to the runway.
The engines stop, welcome to the Azores.
As always in Ponta Delgada, boarding and disembarking are done on foot. I exit among the last passengers through the rear door of the aircraft, which allowed me to take some additional photos of the cabin. I admire the beautiful blue vertical stabilizer and the large engines of our plane.
I walk to the terminal. It's barely 500 meters. From the outside, the terminal appears quite old.
Once sheltered from the Azorean wind, I quickly retrieve my luggage in a terminal that is not very large but still clean and spacious.
And so ends this Flight review. I hope you enjoyed it, and I'll see you for the return flight on the A320 after a week of vacation on Sao Miguel Island in the Azores.
See you soon,
Léo
Terminal 1 of Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport is correct for its age (50 years). Despite the lack of light, the terminal remains very clean. Regarding services, satellites are well-served by some shops. In short, a good experience for the departure from Paris.
I was more than surprised by Azores Airlines. It is true that today, in intra-European flights, it is rare to receive such benefits. The meal served was very good, one of the best I had the opportunity to taste. The only small downside would be the amount of drink served.
The cabin is very bright and modern. The addition of universal electrical outlets adds a real plus. However, the legroom is somewhat reduced.
The onboard entertainment service is good for a 3.5-hour flight. The addition of Wi-Fi would be a plus as well.
In short, a very very good flight aboard Azores Airlines.
Despite its aging, the airport terminal does very well for an airport of this size. Clean, simple, efficient, what more.
