[EN] Flight Report AF347 YUL-CDG

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All the airlines around the world are retiring their A340 at this moment just because they think they're not so fuel efficiency compare too B777 and that's why I can't believe I'm still able to be travelling on Air France's old livery A340-300. Et voici mon repotage du vol! (And here is my flight report!)

Sorry for the photo quality because my own camera was in reparation so this was not my camera... (not used to this device)

Boarding Pass... 2 flights on 1 to save paper?

Air France-KLM check-in counter, larger then WestJet's but still very busy because 3 wide-bodies departing together within 3 hours

YUL's newest part: International Wing, still under-construction for the extension part

They say this is the largest Duty Free in Canada...

Still much smaller than HKG

Gate

Paris-Montreal is one of the AF's golden route since the 1950s, here is a little bit of story:

1950 Inauguration of Paris Orly - Shannon - Gander - Montreal Dorval - New York Idlewild (JFK) flight onboard Lockheed Constellation. This is the first France-Canada air link.

1955 Inauguration of Paris Orly - Montreal Dorval direct flight onboard Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation

1958 Inauguration of Paris Orly - Montreal Dorval - Chicago Midway flight onboard Lockheed L-1649 Starliner

1960 Air France started using Boeing 707 on Paris Orly - Montreal Dorval - Los Angeles route. First route served by B707-320 Intercontinental variant

1970 Air France started the operation of Boeing 747

1975 Inauguration of Paris Charles-de-Gaulle Airport and Montreal-Mirabel Airport. AF’s 747-200F became the first aircraft landed in YMX as a test flight, flew wines from France to Quebec and flew back with Quebecor local wine.

1984 AF increased the service to daily flight in summer and 4 times weekly in winter. AF’s Concorde also showed off in Mirabel, marked the first time the Concorde land in Canada, Mirabel was actually an airport designed for the Concorde, sadly it never receives a regular Concorde flight.

2001 AF started using Airbus A340 on Montreal route, it also moved its operation back to Dorval

2002 AF started using Boeing 777 on Montreal route, Montreal Dorval Airport later renamed as Montreal Pierre-Elliot-Trudeau International Airport

2011 Montreal became the AF A380’s second destination after New York

On the Air Canada side…

Trans-Canada Air Lines started the operation of Montreal - Gander - Shannon - London - Paris flight in 1951, 5 months later than its competitor Air France

The same year Air France started using B707 in 1960, Air Canada switched to DC-8 on the Montreal - Paris route

Air Canada started operating the Boeing 747 to Paris in 1971, 1 year later than Air France

During the years, Air Canada has used many aircrafts on Montreal - Paris route including A340, L-1011…

Air Canada started flying B777-300ER in 2007, 3 classes 458 seats 77W started its operation in 2014. For summer 2015, AC will operate a second daily flight onboard B767-300ER.

Today, Montreal Trudeau - Paris CDG is the 7^th busiest Europe intercontinental route, 4^th busiest route in Paris CDG airport. Air Canada operates daily flight between these airports onboard 458 seats B777-300ER, Air Transat operates this route daily in winter and 2x in summer, Air France operates this route 14 flight weekly in winter and up to 30 flights in summer onboard its B747-400, B777-300ER, B777-200ER, A340-300. To respond the high demand in the summer season, Corsair International sends its 533 seats B747-400 from Paris Orly to Montreal.

The bird flying me today: F-GLZU

Airbus A340-313X

CFM56-5C4

First flight: 01-12-2000 Age: 14 years

Seat looks tiny but very comfortable

Probably because of the form

IFE: My iPhone5S is literally larger than the 300 lines screen...

My favourite of this aircraft: 2-4-2 configuration

Typical Airbus Cabin

Really comfortable and quite, A340 is now my no.1 aircraft for comfortable

Don't forget: this is a French company operating a French aircraft!

I've been on UA's Boeing, AC's Bombardier and now AF's Airbus, when can I fly a Brazilian Embraer?

Thanks too Nick Switzer for this photo

Photo taken near Quebec City YQB at FL380

Thanks to Jean Lamontagne for this photo

Fancy menu on fabulous cushion!

There are two air catering in YUL: GateGourmet and Newrest, only have tried GateGourmet before because I only fly AC from YUL, so this is my first time to taste Newrest

Overall acceptable but...

I simply can't taste tuna from "Tuna Sauce paste" and coconut from "coconut cake"

What do you need to do when flying Air France?

French wine of course!

How was it?

Mehhhh...

Serving the mid-flight drink and guess what happened?

STRONG TURBULENCE!

All the drinks were failed on the floor, so scary...

A cup of tea or Cappuccino?

Drink bar

Oh CX only provides Evian exclusively for those MPO GOLD/DIAMOND passengers right?

Breakfast

Wow, it's only a 5 and half hours flight but already 2 meals served, on the Air Canada 6 hours YUL-SFO flight they only gives you a little bag of peanuts!