| Air France | Paris (CDG) → Prague (PRG) | A320-200 | Economy Class | 01/06/2024 | Current review |
| Amelia International | Prague (PRG) → Paris (CDG) | A320-200 | Economy Class | 03/06/2024 |
| Air France | Paris (CDG) → Prague (PRG) | A320-200 | Economy Class | 01/06/2024 | Current review |
| Amelia International | Prague (PRG) → Paris (CDG) | A320-200 | Economy Class | 03/06/2024 |
Hello everyone and welcome to this new Flight review. Today, I am taking you with me on an Air France flight for a weekend in Prague. This first leg will be operated by an Airbus A320-200 of the French airline, in Economy Class.
I meet you at the “Charles de Gaulle - Terminal 2” RER station.
I then head to terminal 2F, from where Air France's Schengen flights depart.
As I have a bag to check in, I first head to the check-in counters.
Like in many European airports, the check-in process is now entirely handled by passengers themselves. This includes printing the baggage tag, tagging the bag, and placing it on the belt. It's simple, efficient, and significantly reduces waiting times. The entire process takes about 10 minutes.
Next, I proceed to the security checks. To my surprise, unlike my previous experiences at T2F, the security checks are completed almost instantly with no waiting time.
I now have plenty of time before boarding my flight.
Terminal 2F is not very large, featuring two identical concourses with a few shops and restaurants/cafes. It is aesthetically pleasing compared to most other terminals at Roissy.
However, one major downside is that it quickly becomes overcrowded and lacks sufficient seating. The congestion makes the terminal less enjoyable.
My flight will depart from gate F29.
Another downside of this terminal is that it's impossible to see the aircraft from the building.
Boarding begins slightly behind schedule, starting with passengers in groups 1 and 2 (Business Class and status passengers), followed by groups 3, 4, and 5, which includes me.
Next to us is a beautiful Air France Airbus A220, F-HZUZ, the aircraft displayed at the last Paris Air Show in 2023.
My aircraft today is F-FKXV, a 14-year-old Airbus A320-214 named after the Guadeloupean island “Marie-Galante”.
I am warmly welcomed on board by two flight attendants, though one in the aisle is notably cold.
I head to the very back of the aircraft to row 28.
While I generally prefer sitting further forward, the free seat selection available only during online check-in limited my options, and all seats in the preceding 26 rows were already taken.
I am seated in seat 28A (photo of the seat taken during deboarding).
The seat is very standard with a leather look.
It features a tray table and a cup holder.
The seat pocket contains the safety card and a sickness bag.
Each seat is equipped with an individual coat hook.
The seat reclines in a typical manner using a control on the armrest. Each armrest also has a USB-A port.
Legroom is quite average. At over 1.80 meters tall, my legs are pressed against the seat in front.
Boarding concludes, and the flight is 100% full this morning.
Pushback begins shortly, along with the safety demonstrations.
We taxi to the threshold of runway 27L.
At 10:20, with a 15-minute delay, we line up and take off for Prague!
We quickly enter a sea of clouds, but fortunately, we soon emerge above them.
Before the service begins, a quick look at the in-flight entertainment options.
Air France offers onboard Wi-Fi with two pricing tiers: a free tier for messaging during the flight and a 5€ tier for internet browsing. The free messaging service works perfectly and is a notable feature that sets Air France apart from other European airlines.
The online portal also provides some brief flight information. Unfortunately, there is no interactive map, unlike in 2023.
Air France also offers its Air France Play app (available on smartphones) allowing passengers to download several newspapers and magazines for free before the flight (8 magazines and 8 newspapers in my case).
Air France's in-flight magazine ”Envols” offers a nice article on the 50th anniversary of Charles de Gaulle Airport!
Service begins, consisting of a snack and a drink of choice.
The snack options are a chicken sandwich or a cheese sandwich. I choose the chicken sandwich, which is edible but very average, almost plasticky.
Drink options include tea, coffee, coke, orange juice, apple juice, tomato juice, and water. I opt for tea and a glass of water.
After a cruise above the clouds, the descent towards Prague finally begins.
We enter another sea of clouds, encountering significant turbulence during the approach.
We are forced to make several holds before landing, waiting for the weather to improve.
Finally, we establish the ILS for runway 06.
At 11:50, after a 1h30 flight with a 5-minute delay, we land on runway 06 at Prague Airport. We clear the runway as rain begins to fall, unfortunately affecting the quality of the photos.
We taxi to our gate, 17.
As we wait for the jetway to arrive, I notice the superb spotting terrace on the airport roof, offering a direct view of the planes!
Deboarding is quick, and I head to baggage claim.
The terminal is very clean and modern, and the exit process is swift with minimal walking.
At the baggage carousel, the first bags arrive quickly.
However, despite waiting for several minutes, my suitcase does not appear. With an AirTag in my suitcase, I can confirm it has arrived in Prague. I continue to wait until the carousel stops completely, and the baggage belt display no longer shows the flight from Paris.
I inquire at the baggage service desk, and they suggest filing a loss report, which seems unnecessary since I know (thanks to the AirTag) that my suitcase is in Prague. I soon realize that about ten other people are also missing their bags, all of whom had checked in their luggage at Paris like me (the already arrived bags belonged to passengers connecting at CDG). Finally, after about 30 minutes of waiting, my suitcase magically appears on the carousel.
I head to the exit and take the bus 100 to the “Zlicin” metro station to reach the city of Prague. The journey is quite economical and relatively quick!
This concludes this Flight review aboard an Air France Airbus A320 from Paris-Charles de Gaulle to Prague in Economy Class.
The onboard experience was very standard: a typical A320 cabin with average legroom. The presence of USB ports is a positive feature. The service was nothing special, offering a decent selection of drinks but a very average snack. The crew was generally friendly and welcoming, except for the cold and unfriendly flight attendant in the back. Regarding entertainment, the free messaging Wi-Fi service is a strong point. The availability of magazines and newspapers to download before the flight is also positive.
Regarding Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport, the experience was generally good. An RER arrival directly near terminal 2F, quick check-in and security processes, and a decent selection of shops and restaurants. However, the terminal, despite its modern and sleek design, is particularly crowded, uncomfortable, and lacks sufficient seating.
As for Prague Airport, the experience was mixed. The terminal is very modern, clean, well-equipped, and convenient. It would have been a flawless experience if I hadn't had to wait over 30 minutes for my baggage in complete uncertainty, with a baggage service already handing out loss declarations.
I hope you enjoyed this Flight review. I'll see you soon for the return flight to Paris.
Thanks for reading and see you soon ;)
