In this post, I’ll be reviewing my flight from Johannesburg to Paris on Air France. After an amazing 10 day safari in South Africa, it was sadly time to fly back home to Canada. I had a short hop on AirLink Airlines from Skukuza Airport to O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB). After landing at JNB, I had to pick up my luggage then head to the Air France check-in counter for luggage drop-off. This was because my two flights were booked on separate tickets so AirLink would not automatically transfer my luggage to Air France. If you are interested in the review of my flight from Paris to Johannesburg 10 days earlier, you can find it here! That review also has some more detailed info that I won’t cover again below in this post.
Prior to my flight, I received this notification (pictured right) on the Air France app notifying me of a food and beverage voucher due to a disruption. There was no other information provided.
Check-In
The Air France check-in desk is located upstairs in Terminal A. There was a SkyPriority line for business class passengers. Luggage drop-off was fast and smooth. Note that business class passengers are allowed to check in 2 suitcases weighing up to 32kg each.
Keep in mind that there is no priority security or passport control line so don’t linger around for too long outside the terminal especially if it’s too busy. You are better off going airside ASAP where you can relax at the lounge.
The Air France check-in counter at JNB
The SLOW Lounge
Air France passengers flying in business class are entitled to complimentary access to the SLOW Lounge at JNB. This lounge also accommodates passengers from AirLink, KLM and Delta Airlines. Once you are past security, the lounge will be upstairs; follow the signs to the entrance. The lounge entrance looked very upscale and welcoming.
The SLOW Lounge Entrance
This is one of the nicer lounges that I have been to. There was even a wine tasting bar with a wall covered in wine racks. The food selection was extensive. There was also an awesome looking pancake machine which I regret not trying! Keep in mind that there are no flight announcements so make sure to keep track of your boarding time.
Boarding
Boarding started on time with a separate line for zone one (business class) passengers. I always leave an AirTag in my suitcase so before boarding I used the Find My app to make sure it’s loaded on the plane (AirTags only work with iPhones but you can also use a Samsung SmartTag or a Tile). They are also useful to locate your luggage in case the airline loses your luggage).
The boarding line
Seats
The new Air France business class has a revamped cabin with new seats. Air France has added several new features including a USB-c charger, a large 4K personal TV and a sliding door for more privacy! There is also Bluetooth to connect your wireless headphones directly to your TV and a wireless charger for your phone.
Not all the seats in this cabin are identical. The first row most spacious and couples travelling together should opt for the middle seats and put down the separator completely. This forms a side console with a table between the 2 seats. If you are flying solo then I would just go for a window seat.
At my seat was a blanket, pillow and a bottle of Evian water. There was also a hanger to hang my coat and the flight attendant stowed it away for the flight.
Noise Cancelling Headphones
The side console opens up to reveal a pair of complimentary noise cancelling headphones but I always travel with my own Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones as they do an excellent job at turning the engine rumble and cabin noise into a quiet whisper. You can also find the full list of Air France’s business class features here.
We were mostly ignored for the first 20 minutes of boarding. A flight attendant distributed amenity kits followed by a glass of champagne. This was followed by an in-flight menu.
WiFi
The free Wi-Fi only gives you access to messaging apps just like an economy. I thought this was disappointing for business class. However according to the infotainment system, they will be rolling out high-speed Wi-Fi progressively which may include normal Wi-Fi in business.
Food and Dining
Dinner was served shortly after takeoff. The meal was ok… The salad was limp and the bread cold but the ravioli were decent. I did not eat the carrots. I find that Air France usually has better than average airline food so perhaps this had to do with them flying out of JNB. My AirLink flight out of JNB served a decent sandwich though.
Lie-Flat Seats
After dinner, I turned the seat into a lie flat bed using the softly illuminated button on my right. The bed was comfortable and spacious enough for me at 5 ft 10. I passed out for the night and woke up with only 2 hours left to go.
Unfortunately my partner's privacy door would not close even after calling over a flight attendant to help us. He tried his best for a while and he was all “putain mais c’est ça voyager avec Air France". We were dying at this man’s funny attitude. Eventually we managed to loosen the door just enough that it worked and we were able to slide it shut.
Overnight, there was a minibar set up in front with snacks and drinks for hungry fliers. You could also ask the flight attendant for a hot snack like a sandwich that they'd heat up.
Breakfast
As we approached France, the cabin lights started to glow brighter and brighter until they were fully on. At that time, the breakfast service started. Note that if you want to sleep through the flight, you can let them know and they won't wake you up for breakfast service. Breakfast consisted of a cheese omelette, yogurt, granola, fruits and some warm croissants.
I enjoyed this 12 hour flight and it felt short since I slept through most of it. I arrived in Paris after a good night’s sleep and ready for my layover and last flight back home to Montreal! Looking forward to flying Air France again!
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