I had posted on Friday night about not knowing if AF were using the A380 (it had technical issues all week) or if they were going to be coming up with other arrangements. I got through to AF on the phone on Saturday morning, and they said yes, they were using the A380, so people wouldn't be getting bumped from the flight. There had been a good few inches of snowfall where I live by 11am already, so I was intent on leaving by 2pm at the latest in order to do the 90 miles to JFK and get there on time for the 7.10pm flight. Normally it takes me an hour and a half to get to JFK, but this time after 90 mins, I wasn't even half way. I couldn't see the lanes on the highway, we were doing a maximum of 35mph. Luckily as I got on the NJTP and started north, I caught up with the front of the worst bit of the storm, and did the final 50 miles in about 45 mins.
About half way to the airport my Blackberry beeped. It was an email from Air France. My CDG to MAN flight at 1.15pm on the Sunday was cancelled. No other information, just that the flight was cancelled. Great.
Parked my car somewhere in long term parking, and got on the Airtrain to Terminal 1. As we were pulling up to the terminal, I saw the AF A380 pulling up to its stand. It had gotten in a few hours late from Paris, so I figured that we would be delayed at least an hour or two. If only.
I had already checked in for both flights online, so I went to a desk and asked what they were doing about my cancelled flight. The guy swiftly apologised and put me on the next one, which was I think around 3.30pm on the Sunday.
Through security, which wasn't too bad, and onto the gate. Amazingly, they had turned the mammoth plane around in a little over 2 hours and we boarded around 7.15pm. I had paid an extra 50 Euros for an 'Economy Plus' seat at check in, and I selected 91A, an exit row seat. This turned out to be a good move. We boarded on the top deck, near the front. Walked through a large section of business class seats, behind which was a large section of economy seats. It was hard believing there was the same again (plus more) downstairs!
Luckily there was plentyyy of legroom, although I thought the seats were a little narrow, and not very long. The big problem with the exit row seats is the complete lack of storage. There was no overhead bin directly above, and the tiniest side pocket to the left of me, which just about held the inflight magazine and a sick bag! Once I had dispersed my carry on bags and coat in various spots around the aircraft, I settled in to my seat, said bon soir to my neighbour, and opened the magazine. It was mostly in French, so I closed it again. I wasn't in a studious frame of mind!
You know when something quite small annoys you a little, but it continues for quite some time, and annoys you more and more with every passing minute? Well the American girl with her Mom behind me, was eating the stinkiest salad imaginable. And talking about it with her mouth full. And then she'd put it down for 5 minutes, as you would with a pot pourri, in order for the smell to completely permeate the aircraft. She finally finished the salad at 8.15pm, 45 minutes after she started.
In the meantime, the captain had been on to tell us we would be delayed, because of the snow. They actually closed the doors around 7.45 ish, so at that point I remained hopeful. I know they closed the doors, cos they had the tailcam showing on every screen. Around 8.30 the capt said we were waiting for the plane infront to be deiced, then it would be our turn, and it takes about 40 mins. Shortly after, the IFE was turned on. By 9.30 we still hadn't moved. The cabin crew brought water round for us. 10.30pm and we still hadn't moved. By now people were wandering all over the aircraft, stretching their legs. One of the bonuses of such a big plane, it's easy enough to go for a walk! CC did another trip round the cabin with water, but that was all we got. After apologies from the captain, we left the stand around 11.30pm, and headed over to the deicing zone. I put the tailcam on my screen and marveled at how bad they were at it. Did they have chimpanzees operating the trucks?? Won't bore you with details, but it took 70 mins to finish the deicing! Everyone took seats, and we trundled down the taxiway (indistinguishable from the grass, everything was just white!) towards the runway. Took off at 12.45am, after having been sat on the plane for 5 1/2 hours!
What other people have said about this plane being quiet, I echo! Hardly a roar from the engines, and up at cruising altitude, it was really quite pleasant. Also, my ears didn't pop, at all. I know it's more pressurised than other planes, maybe that is why. There was a bit of turbulence as we were climbing, but the plane didn't creak and groan and rattle like many other planes I've been on. I felt like if we had been on a smaller plane, it would have felt much worse.
Whether there is a setting called '70s disco' or maybe the cabin crew were just bored, but the cabin lights cycled through all the colours of the rainbow over a 2 or 3 minute period....several times! Pretty, but just leave them on purple and be done with it!
There was no drinks service, just straight onto dinner, which was served quickly, and was fine. A beef something or other, with a glass of champagne on the side.
While eating, I had started watching a movie on the really quite impressive IFE system. Touchscreen, many many movie and tv choices, whole host of cd's to listen to, games, and a messaging system enabling you to talk to other pax. It was quick and responsive, and to my knowledge, nobody's crashed or needed restarting.
I got a bit of sleep, then woke up about an hour before landing. Breakfast (TAKE NOTE VIRGIN) was GOOD. Even in Y. We each got a tray with a big plain yogurt, cup of orange juice, and a nice light blueberry muffin. Ate it all, and went for a wander around. It was during this wander that I realised something quite important....
If ever you find yourself on an A380, in economy, and you are choosing your seat, try your hardest not to sit downstairs at the back. I had noticed this while still on the ground at JFK, but thought maybe it was only this bad because we were on the ground. The toilets and the plumbing for the toilets make the most ridiculously loud and annoying vacuum noises imaginable. I was sat upstairs 4 rows from the very back, where there are 2 toilets, and I didn't hear them the whole flight. However, stand downstairs at the back, and its ALL you can hear, constantly. I would say it would remain annoying for probably the last 6 rows or so downstairs. AVOID THEM! I took a video actually, I'll put it on youtube and post the link so you can see/hear for yourselves!
Anyway, we landed, someone was sick 3 rows ahead, the smell wafted through the cabin, which the cabin crew tried to mask with some air freshener, but that just made everyone choke too! We landed around 1pm which left me a couple hours to make the transfer to Manchester.
I'll hurry this bit up now! Sat at the gate waiting for them to start boarding the MAN flight, but they announced a delay 'due to ATC' and then another delay, then another one, and around 5pm announced that it was cancelled and they were cancelling the remaining flights to MAN that night. We could choose to try and be squeezed on other AF flights to Birmingham, Bristol or Newcastle, or they would put us up in a hotel and send us out on Monday. I chose the latter option.
I was told not to try and recover my luggage, as it might take many many hours to find and get it to me, and I should just let it get transferred onto the morning flight. I was dubious of ever seeing my bag again, but too tired and hungry to argue, so got on the shuttle bus to the Campanile. Reasonable hotel, it was clean, and we were given food in the restaurant, all on AF. I did have to walk across the street to another hotel to buy an amenity kit so I could have a toothbrush! AF didn't give any out, and our hotel had run out of them. That reminds me, AF don't give out any little amenity kits like VS, just a blanket.
Set an alarm to wake at 5.40am so I could get the airport shuttle at 6.25 and be ok for the 7.35 flight to Manchester. All was going well, we boarded on time, closed the cabin door, and lo...'I am sorry to report, but our departure has been pushed back by ATC, hopefully by 8.20 we should depart'. We didn't. Finally left around 11am after being stuck on that plane for 3 1/2 hours going nowhere. I was stuck in a centre seat, in which my 6'5' frame didn't fit, so spent the time at the back in the galley, drinking hot chocolate, eating pastries and chatting to the French CC.
I finally landed in Manchester around 11.15am on Monday.....40 hours after leaving my house in Philly. The icing on the cake came when after half an hour, my bag still hadn't arrived, yet all the people arriving on the US Air flight from Philly had collected their bags and left!
It was a nightmare journey, but none if it was Air France's fault. It was all weather related. The huge snow storm at JFK, snow at CDG, and snow at MAN. My only annoyance was that they loaded us on the plane, surely knowing there would be delays. Why not wait a bit instead of having us sat for almost 6 hours? Same at CDG, the captain announced the first delay maybe 5 mins after closing the door. Did he really not know about it just before then? Anyway, apart from this, all the AF crew and staff were great, and really did try and help us. My canceled flights on Sunday were weather related, and I don't think AF HAVE to pay for a hotel for you, but they did. Just glad I'm finally here!
