I’m live-blogging my SAS EuroBonus SkyTeam Million Mile challenge this week. Click here for background and route information.
My two-hour Air France A320-200 economy class trip from Paris to Tunis was uneventful, but on an aircraft I hope to avoid in the future.
Air France A320-200 Economy Class Review
We checked into our flight early in the aging but still iconic Terminal 2F in Paris and were soon our way to the lounge and sauna.
Around 7:05 am we looked up at the monitor and noticed “last call” was flashing for our flight..yikes!
We quickly finished our breakfast and dashed over to the gate area, which we found empty, though there was a long line on the jetbridge.
Air France 1084
Paris (CDG) – Tunis (TUN)
November 2024
Depart: 7:25 AM
Arrive: 9:50 AM
Duration: 02hr, 25min
Distance: 924 miles
Aircraft: Airbus A320-200
Seat: 15C (Economy Class)
Being among the last to board, I don’t have many pictures of the cabin for you, but here’s one from an A319 with a similar cabin layout:
It was still dark before this journey began and we had an aisle and middle seat for the flight. At 28.5 inches, legroom was very tight…the worst so far of the trip (worse than SAS, Air Europa, TAROM, and LOT Polish…). Thankfully this was just a two-hour flight! Seats did not recline and there were no a/c power outlets, though there were USB-A outlets under the seat.
Although this aircraft was equipped with Ku-band satellite Wi-Fi, flight attendants announced that it was “broken” and that there would be no internet for the flight. Augustine passed the time by playing Wordle on my phone:
Service began after takeoff with a choice of beverage and a sandwich (either an Emmental cheese sandwich or a black olive – tomato sandwich). I had both and both were excellent…the bread was fresh (European bread always puts American bread to shame). Madeleine cakes were also offered.
The aircraft has two lavatories in the rear and one in the front. The two rear lavatories were quite small.
The sun finally rose as we approached Tunis.
A word on service: the flight attendants onboard were very nice and offered refills on tea or coffee.
Augustine slept through the flight.
Upon landing in Tunis, we pulled up right next to the Saudia A330 that (hopefully) would take us to Jeddah next.
But we ran into some drama in the transit area…
The bottom line here, though, is that the 28.5-inch seat pitch on the Air France A320 is far too tight.
I’m surprised the meal service wasn’t a bit more of a substantial snack.
Yes, I think a hot breakfast would have been appropriate on this route.
You are braver than I. I would never still be in lounge 20 minutes before an international departure. I wouldn’t have finished my breakfast there before rushing to the gate. (On re-reading, I want to make it clear, this is not a critcism—I just too anal of a flyer.)
“European bread always puts American bread to shame)”. Because American bread prioritizes long shelf life over taste and quality. To start, it uses high gluten hard wheat ultra processed flour which increases bloating and it is harder to digest. American bread contains sugar, preservatives and chemicals. Also, it uses quick rise chemical yeast. In sum, bake your own bread if you can or buy from an European style bakery you trust.
Everything you eat contains chemicals, including things like H2O and NaCl. At Costco, someone tried to convince me to buy the “chemical free” laundry detergent. I picked up the bottle and assured them that, since there wasn’t a vacuum in that bottle it contained chemicals. What do you think is chemical yeast? The can use yeast, they can use chemical leavening or both. But “chemical yeast”?
Dave W. Looking at a sachet of quick rise yeast. Ingredients: Sorbitan Monosterate and ascorbic acid. Ingredients original yeast from same company just yeast.
@Dave W.: Let me clarify what I meant by chemical yeast. I said “quick rise” which means it is a factory produced yeast instead of a naturally occurring yeast from a sourdough starter. Yes, even a blueberry has a chemical composition but what I meant is that most bread you buy in the US has chemicals that were not supposed to be in a naturally made bread. That includes preservatives like BHA and BHT, azodicarbonamide, potassium bromate, potassium iodate, etc… Yes, these are all chemicals not supposed to be in bread but they are present in American bread. Last but not least, sugar. Yes, not needed at all but used for the following reasons: preservative (helps retain moisture and resists to mold), improve taste, softens texture, faster fermentation and overall longer shelf life. I make bread at home and I use 5 ingredients: Bread flour, water, sourdough starter, olive oil and salt. See the difference?
And, to be fair to you, I suspected you meant chemicals that are of questionable safety or may negatively affect nutrition. As far as I know, rapid-rise yeast is just a different yeast species, just like my yogurt can have a variety of cultures. I do not use the product, as I normal chill the dough to slow the rise (I choose not to use the acceptable “r” world for fear some might get confused and yell at me).
No Dave. The additive ( not ascorbic acid) I mentioned is not for a different species but I looked it up and it indeed causes gas.
Red star: yeast (without naming strain), SMS, and vitamin C in the package.
The European Union has approved SMS for use as a food additive (emulsifier) (E number: E 491). The Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) has allocated an acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 25 mg/kg body weight (bw) per day for E 491, E 492, and E 495.
Agree whole [ wheat ] heartedly..,. American “bread” is despicable & sucks !
You should have asked for champagne. Air France always has champagne.
They don’t put the champagne out until 11 AM. Maybe you can get them to find you a glass, if you flirt well enough.