Air France La Premiere lounge, for a select few (or at great expense)

Premiere is Air France's first class, we have already recounted in several articles in detail what it offers, how much a ticket costs, and what the level of service is. This is the Lounge dedicated almost exclusively to passengers traveling in one of the very few seats available. Everyone else, no matter the level held in the Air France and KLM loyalty program, can use the other rooms located in terminal 2F for Schengen flights and in terminals 2L and 2K for direct flights outside the EU.

However, there is a possibility, very little advertised by AF, which also provides access for a fee. Details are at the end of the review; it is obviously not cheap.

There are two ways to enter this lounge:

1. If your trip begins in Paris, you go through the check-in area dedicated to La Premiere passengers and from there you are escorted to the lounge via the terminal
2. If arriving on a connecting flight, as in my case, an AF manager waits for the passenger on the finger at the airport and then takes the traveler by private car directly to the lounge

Reception

My assistant was right outside the airplane door holding a tablet with my name on it. We then made our way to a door present on the finger and, via stairs, descended to the runway.

Here was parked a BMW 7 series, perfectly polished and branded La Premiere. Loading our luggage, we headed, turning inside the airport, to the lounge.

The service is an integral part of the La Premiere experience and is unique to each passenger, unless you are traveling with friends on the same flight.

The hall has direct access from the runway, with associated security controls, via a private elevator.

When we arrived at the lounge, the hostess escorted me to a small sofa near the window and explained that she would take care of the security check: she took my passport and ticket and went to show them to the police in my seat.

She returned a few minutes later to return them to me saying that everything was in order and asking for my boarding preferences. Since you are also escorted on board, AF allows the passenger to decide whether to board before all the other passengers or last, just before the doors close.

The lounge

The hall is not large, especially compared to the British Airways Concorde Room, at the Lufthansa terminal in Frankfurt or at the Emirates terminal. The reason, however, is simple: AF has very few La Premiere seats, so there are unlikely to be more than about 20 guests in the lounge at once.

Although it is small, everything is very neat and design-oriented. There are various types of seating.

There is a relaxation area to take a nap before the flight.

There is a restaurant area.

There is a relaxation area with a television as large as the entire wall.

Everything is taken care of down to the smallest detail, even the bathrooms are small showrooms with crystal and marble chandeliers.

If we want to find a flaw, it is that the view is not of the runway, but of a maneuvering area between the various airport buildings.

There is not even a view of the terminal, except through the panoramic elevator doors that connect the lounge with the public area of the airport.

Services

Let's say it doesn't offer much, but at the same time the staff is available to fulfill any guest's request.

There is, however, a spa, which other carriers have eliminated, and all passengers can enjoy a free 30-minute facial, and for women there is also a make-up session. The range of products offered is top-notch, and the samples that are left as souvenirs are worth over 50€ alone

Food & Beverage

Unfortunately, I visited this lounge at the worst time, breakfast time. I say this because the entire gastronomic offering is curated by a monster of French cuisine like Alain Ducasse, someone who has more Michelin stars than blood in his veins.

The bar counter is small, and probably not used even in the afternoon hours, in which case BA's lounge is clearly superior.

The dining area is separate from the rest of the lounge and overlooks refrigerators that have been transformed into design elements; the choice is meticulous throughout.

Service is provided by waiters in an impeccable uniform. Of course, between eating an omelet and 'fishing' from the lunch menu, there is a big difference.

There is the a la carte menu, the wine list, but most importantly, there is the mineral water list, with offerings of bottles from every corner of the world.

As mentioned, my visit was at breakfast time, my boarding at 12 noon allowed me to "smell" some of the scents coming from the kitchen and just as I was walking to my plane the cutting of the roast chicken.

Toward the plane

This time waiting for me was not a BMW 7-series, but a Q7, again glossy black with the red La Premiere lettering on the side.

Zig zag between planes, buses, and trolleys carrying luggage to the gate, say almost 10 minutes of travel time.

Here we took an elevator to the boarding level, where passengers were already lining up to board the plane.

Of course, the La Premiere passenger has his own door and does not wait in line at all. The attendant takes care of introducing him to the cabin crew and, before leaving, asks if you still need anything before the aircraft doors are closed.

What to say.... amazing.

Buying a ticket to use the lounge

Although AF does not advertise this service, it is possible to pay to use this lounge and related services. There are two types of tickets, depending on the service you intend to book:

1. Arrival lounge. You can use the lounge when you arrive in Paris on an AF flight. You are greeted on the finger and escorted, as recounted above, to the lounge where paperwork is also taken care of. Cost of service 300 €
2. Connecting flight. This is the complete package, as for a La Premiere passenger, and offers what I described in my review. Cost of service 600 €

It doesn't end there, because although it is expensive, this service could be affordable for many "normal" passengers. So here it is that recently Air France has also imposed a set of conditions that one must possess in order to make the purchase. Restrictions that tend to greatly restrict the possible beneficiaries of this option. Specifically here is what is required in addition to payment:

• You have to be a business class passenger Of an AF long-haul flight, regardless of whether it is a paid ticket or an award ticket
• The flight must be operated by an aircraft without a first-cabin class
• The flight must be on a route that doesn't normally have first class. This means that it will be impossible to use it if you fly from Paris to New York or Los Angeles, while it will be possible on a flight from Paris to Bangkok
• It is necessary to Having flown with Air France La Premiere in the past 12 months. This is the guillotine that sharply cuts off potential eligible passengers
• Last but not least, there is still a limit to the capacity of the hall, so may be denied entry for too many people in the lounge.

• first class
• the premiere