Air France Logan Int'l Airport

Elite '08

94

387

Quinn E.

Jamaica Plain, MA

My experience with Air France might be colored by the fact that I got seated in the emergency exit row both ways. Which translates to the most comfortable seat you can have in coach. Some airlines don't let their emergency row seats recline, but Air France does. You have all the legroom you need and still get the tv (complete with video games and such). The flight staff was fantastic, they spoke French to you initially and allowed you to attempt an answer in butchered French, but didn't judge me when I switched to English. I actually really liked that they spoke French to me, even though I'm basically limited to "Gin et Tonic" in terms of my French vocabulary. It's good for us self-centered Americans to get out of our comfort zone and at least try to navigate a different language and culture.
The food was better than any airline food I've had. The cheese and bread was decent, and the wine was definitely a welcome plus. I'd definitely fly them again, and hope that someday traveling becomes somewhat affordable again!

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42

97

Tony D.

Salem, MA

Flying 17 hours (not including 4 hour layover in Paris) from Boston to Bangalore on one airline can provide a unique opportunity to evaluate the service.  Let's face it, stuck with the same people for 17 hours under any circumstances can be a harrowing experience. Even in business class. I can only imagine what the sorry bastards in coach were experiencing. From the start the flight crew assumed everyone was French or French speaking so they would address you in French.  This annoyed me. Although I did subject myself to high school French (because the French teacher was hotter than the Spanish teacher not to mention that the Spanish teacher was a male, not that there's anything wrong with that) I am not able to converse intelligently. So I uttered the few words I remembered, "oui, bonjour, merci"  Whenever the attendants came around the cabin  I would toss out whatever French word or phrase that came to mind, fromage, le bifteck, je ne sais pas, Dieu merci, c'est vendredi! like some demented form of Tourettes.. I even tossed in some Italian words to spice things up, saltimbocca, bruschetta, zuppa de pesce, etc. The attendants were either ignoring me or were accustomed to such bizarre behavior from those about to travel half-way around the world.  Overall I'd describe the attendants as competent and tolerant of non-French speaking travelers. I expected the cuisine to be better. God knows how long the food sits around before it's loaded on a flight. The rolls were decent as were the cheeses and wine. My favorite feature was the plane's belly camera which you can access from the TV screen in front of you. Way cool. The fully reclining seats were a godsend but I kept wrestling with the bending reading light thingie like it was an anaconda.
I'd fly them again if I were on a business trip but if I were paying I might try a different airline. 3.5 stars

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Elite '08

33

138

Steve s.

MA

Man, I fly a bunch, it seems...My ex girlfriend spoke French(and disliked Americans), I do not appreciate the Francophile laws in Quebec.  People like English better...Deal with it.  I really do not like French food.

Yet, Air France deserves 4 stars.  It is a great alternative to fly across the pond.  The seats are comfortable.  The staff  is attentive, and they seem to understand to leave you alone and keep the announcements to a minimum

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Elite '08

291

843

Yihwa H.

Boston, MA

Another big airline company, Air France is one of the biggest in Europe. In fact, I think it is *the* largest in Europe. And ever since they merged with KLM in 2003, now one of the biggest operators in the world.

I know them as a safe, clean airline. I've been comfortable on my flights, the staff has been friendly and attentive. The entertainment is good enough with it's touchscreen TV screens for each seat, and I really like that the earphones are actually earbud phones that you can separate and wear like regular earphones, as opposed to the kind that go over your head. Those tend not to fit me no matter how small I adjust them, and in this case it's a clean, new handy pair of earbuds (although I still prefer to use my own since they're more comfortable and already mine!). The food is pretty good as well, it's airline food at the end of the day but it's still better than many.

Unfortunately, although the planes themselves are safe, it's a big airline with friendly and helpful staff and they had been commended for trying to stick to good safety practices, they have sadly been the victim of hijacking and whatnot several times. It happened more in the shorter-range flights (Switzerland, Maghreb, etc) and obviously this is not a regular occurrence, and it's a bit scary when you think about it. However, chances of this happening to you on your flight are slim, especially if you're doing long-haul international, and for the most part I still consider it a safer airline than many.

That factor would not deter me from flying Air France as much as the more common/likely to happen scenarios. In 2006, they were named among the worst airlines in Europe for losing luggage, which is never fun, and the occasional strikes the airline workers go on can be irritating if it would disrupt your travel plans. Still, as long as the news has no reports of recent or impending strikes, and everything seems merry, it shouldn't pose a problem. I don't mean to put people off since I do actually approve of this airline, but I guess I'm just trying to advise that one takes into consideration any recent news and conditions before booking. But this can be true of any flight/travel plans, so is always a good thing to keep in mind. Overall, my experiences with them have been pleasant, timely, and comfortable, and I will certainly be flying with them again if it's the right time and place. I give them 3.75 stars!

Tip: If you've decided on flying with Air France, I recommend you go directly to the website to book your ticket since I have found that prices are usually better/lower buying directly from them, rather than through other travel sites even if they claim to be discount tickets. Not always true, but it's definitely worth checking out and comparing before you purchase your ticket.

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