| Air France | Paris (ORY) → Toulouse (TLS) | A320-200 | Economy Class | 15/04/2024 | Current review |
| Air France | Toulouse (TLS) → Paris (ORY) | A318-100 | Economy Class | 17/04/2024 |
| Air France | Paris (ORY) → Toulouse (TLS) | A320-200 | Economy Class | 15/04/2024 | Current review |
| Air France | Toulouse (TLS) → Paris (ORY) | A318-100 | Economy Class | 17/04/2024 |
Hello everyone and welcome to this new Flight review. After several months without flying, I'm pleased to take you with me to Toulouse. Air France will be flying me from Paris-Orly Airport aboard an Airbus A320. This is a very standard domestic flight.
I arrived at the airport around 07:30 on this Monday morning at Terminal ORLY 3. I took the Orlybus to get to the airport, which is probably the fastest and most economical option to connect Paris to Orly Airport. It takes about 20-25 minutes by bus from Place Denfert-Rochereau in Paris.
I entered the terminal through the arrivals level and then went up to the departure level.
The modern check-in hall at ORLY 3 is really nice. Here, Air France, Transavia France, and Air Corsica handle their check-ins. However, it was completely crowded on this Monday of school holidays.
Since I didn't have any luggage to check in, I headed straight to the security checks at gates C, located not in Orly 3 but in Orly 2. All Air France domestic flights depart from this terminal.
There was a short wait before going through security, but it went fairly quickly, despite half of the inspection stations being closed. The total wait time was just under 15 minutes. The staff was friendly.
On the other side, we entered the transit zone C of Orly Airport, which was completely renovated a few years ago and is reserved for Air France and Air Corsica.
It's quite pleasant and clean with plenty of seating available. There are a few shops and cafes, including a Relay and a Duty-Free store.
We arrived a bit earlier to test the Air France Lounge at Orly 2. Since we don't have Gold status with the Flying Blue program and aren't traveling in Business Class, access to the Lounge costs us 30 € per person. The price seemed reasonable compared to lounges of other airlines, so we decided to give it a try.
The lounge is located on the upper level and offers a nice view of the aircraft, though it is somewhat obscured by blinds. The lounge is quite standard with sofas and small tables. It's not very large but sufficient to accommodate the few passengers using it. However, the decor is nothing special.
Regarding the buffet, it is modest but interesting. Since it was breakfast time, all the snacks offered were cold. There were pastries, bread, cold cuts, cheese, fruits… A selection of cold and hot drinks was also available.
A negative point: the use of only cardboard cups and plates, and wooden cutlery. For an Air France lounge, metal cutlery, porcelain plates, and real glasses would have been more fitting.
The fruit was not particularly exceptional, but the pastries were good.
A free Wi-Fi network is provided in the lounge and works perfectly.
In summary, this experience was far from exceptional but sufficient for 30 €, providing a calm and comfortable place to relax before the flight with some snacks and drinks.
About ten minutes before boarding, we went back down to the main level and headed to gate C15, the gate for our flight to Toulouse.
While we were queuing, the display suddenly changed to show an Air France flight to Bastia. Our flight to Toulouse was then scheduled at gate C14. It wasn't until the middle of boarding that the gate staff noticed the mistake and corrected the information. This caused some concern among passengers.
Boarding was done group by group. First, groups 1 and 2 for SkyPriority passengers (there is no Business Class on this flight). Then followed groups 3, 4, and finally 5. I was in group 4.
Then came a surprising step for Air France, one I usually associate with low-cost carriers: passengers seated in the second half of the plane had to walk on the tarmac and board through the rear door. This certainly speeds up boarding but contradicts the “Premium” image Air France wants to convey to its passengers. It's not too bothersome when the weather is nice but less pleasant in bad weather.
This at least gives us a close-up view of our aircraft, an Airbus A320-200 delivered to Air France in 2003. Interesting fact: the aircraft flew the colors of Joon between 2017 and 2019, a former Air France subsidiary airline.
We were warmly greeted by a flight attendant at the rear of the aircraft.
This single-class cabin (full Economy) has 30 rows of seats in a classic 3-3 configuration.
I quickly made my way to my seat, 25F, through the already crowded cabin. (Cabin photo taken during deboarding).
The seat is quite standard, made of leather (or something similar), with an adjustable headrest.
The seat features a tray table and cup holder.
The seat pocket contains the safety card and a sickness bag.
The seat can be reclined using a control located in the armrest.
The armrest has a USB-A port for charging electronic devices, which works but is extremely slow. Also, its location in the armrest is not optimal.
Legroom is not exceptional but probably better than what competitors offer in this segment.
Each seat also has a coat hook.
One negative point: my seat had crumbs on it when I arrived, indicating that the cleaning had not been done properly since the last flight, which had landed at Orly an hour earlier.
The seat offers a view of the rear of the wing and the blue wingtip of the A320. An ITA Airways A220 was to our right.
I usually prefer sitting further forward, but seat selection was only available during online check-in, and all front seats were already taken.
Due to disruptions in Toulouse caused by runway work, we waited a while before pushback.
After an easyJet A320 taxied, we finally push back, facing north, as the safety demonstrations began.
We taxi to runway 24.
After a quick taxi, we line up and take off, with a 20-minute delay.
With a view of Paris in the background.
We climb quickly.
Before the service begins, I take a quick look at the in-flight entertainment options.
Air France offers onboard Wi-Fi with three packages: a free option for messaging during the flight, a 3€ package for internet browsing, and a 10€ package for video streaming.
The free option works perfectly and is a very interesting feature that sets Air France apart from its competitors.
The online portal also provides some basic flight information, such as the expected arrival time and gate (although the latter was incorrect). Unfortunately, there is no interactive map, unlike my last flight with Air France last year.
Air France also offers its Air France Play app (available on smartphones), allowing passengers to download several newspapers and magazines before the flight (8 magazines and 8 newspapers in my case).
The app has a fairly wide selection of content, mostly in French, which is not surprising on a domestic flight in France.
The service is quick and performed by a friendly crew. The offering is light but adequate for the flight duration: a madeleine with a choice of tea, coffee, orange juice, or water. I choose a cup of tea and a glass of water.
We then experience quite strong turbulence, which continued until the start of the descent.
This doesn't stop us from enjoying the beautiful view above the clouds.
The descent into Toulouse finally begins, and we enter a sea of clouds.
Below, we can see the city of Toulouse, despite the very average weather.
At 11:20, after exactly one hour in the air and a 5-minute delay, we land on runway 32L at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport.
We leave the runway and taxi to our gate, passing the Airbus facilities and several planes.
We arrive at gate 21.
We quickly disembark, this time from the front of the aircraft.
There is nothing special upon arrival. It was an extremely quick exit.
I go through the baggage claim, but I have no luggage to collect, so I go straight to the exit.
Toulouse Airport is well connected with several bus lines and a tram line connecting the airport to the city of Toulouse. However, I would be leaving the airport by car today.
This concludes this Flight review aboard an Air France Airbus A320 from Paris-Orly to Toulouse in Economy Class.
As for Air France, the flight was very standard but quite satisfactory. The cabin was acceptable, though legroom was a bit tight. The USB ports are a plus, though unfortunately slow and not conveniently located. The cabin cleanliness was not exemplary. The crew was welcoming, friendly, and helpful. The onboard service was light but adequate for the flight duration. The entertainment offering, with Wi-Fi and a wide selection of downloadable magazines and newspapers, was very appreciable. The free Wi-Fi for messaging is a real bonus!
Regarding Orly Airport, a satisfying experience overall. It was busy at check-in, but luckily, I didn't have to queue. Security was passed in an acceptable time, supervised by friendly and efficient staff. The transit area was clean, modern, and pleasant. The food and shopping options are not extensive but sufficient for a domestic terminal.
Concerning the Air France Lounge, the experience was good. The offered services are correct and of quality. The staff is friendly. The lounge is quite calm. However, the setting is nothing special, and it's unfortunate about the cardboard cups and plates, and wooden cutlery.
Regarding Toulouse Airport, the terminal exit was done in record time. However, there were too few elements to properly judge the airport. I will share a more detailed experience of the terminal on my return flight to Paris.
I hope you enjoyed this Flight review. I look forward to sharing my return flight experience with you soon, which will also be with Air France but this time on an Airbus A318.
Thanks for reading and see you soon ;)
