Made my way down to LHR the day before and stayed at the Sheraton Skyline hotel even though the AF flight didn't depart until 12:50. I didn't want to take any chances.
Had a leisurely breakfast around 08:30 at the Sheraton (which makes a change as I'm normally up at silly o'clock when I over-night at LHR) then jumped back on the hopper bus to take me to T4.
I've not been though T4 now for at least 10 years (other than staying at the Hilton there last year) so didn't really know what to expect.
Found the Skyteam Premium check-in area (zone H I think). Anyone flying in Premium, Business or First on any Skyteam airline can use this area.
I'd checked in online the day before. As I was flying back to LHR the following day, it also checked me in for the return flight as well.
Found the fast-track security line (which is not easy to navigate as you have to ask a member of staff to let you though as both ordinary and fast-track lines start in the same place, another BAA idea probably!!)
Was though security in under 5 minutes and making my way to the new Skyteam lounge which is opposite gate 10.
It's quite a large lounge on 2 levels (head upstairs if you want a bit of peace and quiet as most pax seemed to stay on the main level).
There's a self service area offering snacks (both hot and cold). Breakfast was on offer whilst I was there.
Lots of seats but not many free ones down-stairs. It's a nice lounge but 'aint a VS Clubhouse!!!
No flights are called in the lounge so you need to keep you eyes on the screens.
With the A/C being an A380, they start boarding 1 hour before departure. Gate 6 is an A380 gate. it's actually uses 2 whole gate areas (6A and 6B). A is for the lower deck and B is for the upper deck. Just a shame the BAA ground staff didn't know this which is quite unbelievable really as an announcement is made telling pax which gates is which and which deck seat rows are on. Both gates are also clearly marked on the screens as well.
First and Economy is on the main deck (First is not used on the LHR-CDG flights). Business and more Economy is on the upper deck.
As I was in business is was the upper deck and gate 6B for me. The nice BAA ground staff said I was at the wrong gate and to go to gate A (which I knew was wrong. I felt like saying turn round and read your screen!!!! Having been sent back to gate B the supervisor came over and explained the whole process again just to the ground staff)
All the pax knew where they should have been. It was just the ground staff that didn't - way to go BAA!!!
Anyway....it wasn't long until I was on-board and turning left to my seat (64A). Business class is split into 2 cabins. The front 2 zones on the upper deck.
The seat is a typical J2000 style not-fully-lie-flat-seat. You get a large LCD screen and several storage areas (including side bins along the windows just as on the upper deck of a 744)
Boarding is a bit slower than other A/C for obvious reasons. I think AF have about 540 seats on their A380's. There's 2 jetways used for the main deck and another one for the upper deck.
No pre-flight drinks service although you are given an AF A380 certificate
I over-head a ground staff member saying that 3 pax had been off-loaded for some reason. Not sure what was going on there?
We pushed back right on time at 12:50 at which point the outside tail cam is switched on (more on this later). There is the option to switch this off if your not into seeing where your going.
Take-off was very smooth and the thing that struck me was how quiet take-off is. You hardly know when the A/C rotates.
As this is only a 36 minute flight, the crew spring into action very quickly offering a cold snack and drink service. The IFE is turned on and fully usable. It's AVOD but obviously you dont get to see much of it!!
You can view 3 outside cameras during the flight (tail cam, belly cam and a nose cam). I really do hope VS offer this on their 330's. I know some people don't like it but I think it's great
The table on the J seats is a bit ropey as it folds and the join is right in the middle so the table sags during use. Not a good design.
The IFE controller is quite a big thing with it's own smaller LCD screen. Phone and qwerty keyboard on one side. IFE controls on the other side. If you have a USB memory you can even download several free AF travel guides etc. I didn't spot where the USB socket actually was though (and didn't have a key drive on me). Headphones are also in another seat pocket.
Before long we where quickly approaching CDG so the cabin was secured ready for landing.
The same set-up at the gate at CDG. It's quite a long walk to get out of the airport. Immigration took about 10 mins to get though as there's only 2 EU passport windows
Bags where already coming off by the time I arrived at the carousel.All in all an excellent flight and well worth it if you want to try the A380.
I have got some pics I'll upload too once I'm back home tomorrow.
Regards
James Mitchell
James Mitchell
