Using various credit card points, my husband and I were able to book our trip to Air France with business class tickets. Although I was over the moon that we would have lay flat seats (no jet lag for me!) my husband pointed out that this journey would be a culinary experience as well. Not just in France, but at the airport and while in the air! Here I will break down our review of Air France’s dining options, including my food allergy perspective, so you know what not to miss, and what to skip!
The Lounge
Air France’s Lounge was one of my favorite lounges that I’ve been able to access while traveling. This particular lounge in JFK Terminal 1 was quiet, spacious with two floors, and immaculately clean. Our used glasses and plates were cleared consistently, and any crumbs or condensation swept from the table. We didn’t sign up for the free facials or face massages from the Clarins Spa, but will next time! On to the food!
Both levels of the Lounge contain the same food items. We found that the second floor was less crowded, and as a result, had more food. Although, the food was replenished quite often so they were never truly out of something.
Air France offered a variety of food, soups, salads, lunch/dinner courses, breads, sweets, deli meats and cheeses, juices, sodas, and alcoholic beverages.
The self-serve alcohol present was something I hadn’t seen in a lounge yet. There was a variety of red and white wines, champagne, and liquors. We sampled a few and loved tasting a variety without a large commitment of having to spend on a glass we may not enjoy.
We found that the best-tasting food options were the New England clam chowder, ham and cheese sandwiches, potatoes au gratin, and baguettes. The beef, quiche, and brownies weren’t our favorite.
The absolute showstopper was the lemon cake! Citrusy, with the perfect amount of sweetness, this slice of cake truly surpassed our expectations.
An allergy perspective- I am allergic to dairy and all nuts. The lounge was a bit difficult to eat at. I mostly stuck to the basics. Plain salad, bread, and cold sliced meats. Other lounges identify what allergens are present in their food, however, Air France does not. The bread however was quite good, and the fruit was fresh.
Onto the flight!
Onboard, prior to takeoff, once we were settled in we were offered a glass of champagne, or what the flight attendant called a “detox”. This little glass of juice contained apple, cucumber, and mint. Both were quite good! Then came the menus.
Prior to our flight, we were given options to choose our dinner. Even though you choose ahead of time, you are able to switch on board!
Waiting for dinner, we were again offered champagne that was accompanied by gavottes, a little package of cheese crepes. These weren’t our favorites but many around us enjoyed them!
Dinner
For business class passengers, meal service at dinner time includes a starter, a dish, cheese, and dessert.
The starter for all passengers was: Burrata and fresh figs, tomato and Kalamata olive salad, and avocado cream.
Dish (hot food) options included:
-Chicken fillet with shallots, morel mushroom sauce, fava bean purée and sautéed carrots
-Trout, vin jaune sauce, carrots, and green vegetables, hazelnut crumble.
-Open ravioli, hazelnut and parmesan sauce, zucchini and tomato
-Braised beef cheek bourguignon, sweet potato mousseline, green asparagus, and roast potatoes.
My husband ordered the Braised beef cheek bourguignon. Although this was not the best beef bourguignon he had tasted, he was shocked to find that it was flavorful, well seasoned, and not the chewy type of airplane beef normally served on planes.
The dessert option was a red berry cheesecake, although I could not eat this, those around me seemed to really enjoy it.
My favorite detail of dinner service was that our salad included a small bottle of olive oil and vinegar to be self-poured over your salad. Details such as this, the tiny salt and pepper packets in their own container, the offer from the flight attendant to freshly grind pepper over our dishes, and the napkin placed over our trays truly elevated the experience of air travel. It is evident that Air France spent a large amount of time creating this menu, and perfecting this luxury experience.
An Allergy Perspective: On board the plane, I was unable to select a meal due to my allergies. Online we were told we could select an allergen option however we were unable to do so for our flight. Keep that in mind if you also are preparing and packing for yourself or a loved one with an allergy! They were very kind and provided me with a salad and bread, and chicken for dinner. On the plate they included the cheese, as well as the quinoa in a cream sauce. I avoided these, however it did make me question the safety of what I was eating. For the third course, they brought out the trout. It appeared that they had scraped the hazelnuts off of the top of the salmon, although there were still some left. I skipped this as my nut allergy extends to cross-contamination and was glad that the course before had made me more vigilant. .
With dinner, there is a short list of wine, liquor, and nonalcoholic beverage options. We were surprised to find a New England IPA offered that was made in France! We weren’t blown away by this one, but appreciated the option while on board.
Breakfast
For breakfast, you are able to pick from a continental or hot breakfast. The continental breakfast consisted: of yogurt and an oat packet; fruit; coffee, tea or juice; a croissant, and a small piece of bread.
Hot breakfast included a Californian omelet, with sauteed spinach and mushrooms. This breakfast was pretty standard, and not as impressive as the dinner options offered.
An Allergy Perspective: For breakfast, I was able to eat both the fruit and bread. I was not very hungry as dinner had been served just 3 hours earlier, and we had eaten at the lounge before that, but for someone with allergies on a longer flight, I would recommend bringing snacks.
All in all, I think that Air France Business Class offers a great menu with tons of options for flyers. There is room for improvement in regard to allergy-friendly dining however, I found that my dining experience on Singapore Airlines was more pleasant and accommodating with more attention paid to my allergies. Still, because the staff was so friendly and welcoming, I had a great experience on board. For me though, the biggest draw to Air France business class will continue to be the lay flat seats!
Au revoir, and merci beaucoup for reading!