Flight Review: Is Air France economy worth it?

Second review of this mini series on my trip from Rome to Quebec City and back. For my flight over to Canada I flew with Air France, while the return leg was with KLM (they are sister airlines under the same parent company). The flight review of the first leg of the trip is already available here. Now it's time to move on to the longer leg, the flight from Paris to Quebec City (CDG-YQB).

How Long Did I Need for Paris CDG Transit?

Transiting through Paris CDG airport can be challenging. Always allow generous time between you arrival and departure times to avoid any unpleasant surprises. The airport is big with a complex structure of terminals which have some of the most confusing names I've come across.

On this specific transit from my Rome Paris flight to the following one on Air France from Paris to Quebec City on flight number AF352 the transit was linear and easy to navigate, although I wasn't tight on time at all.

I arrived at terminal 2E and had to 2F in gates area L, which meant I didn't have to travel to the terminal satellites. It was a reasonably short walk of about 20 minutes from gate to gate, also going through passport control, which was also easy thanks to the automatic machines active for EU passports.

At gate L44 our aircraft was already waiting for us as catering was in the process of being uplifted.

What Aircraft Does Air France Use for Paris to Quebec City Flights?

Let's talk a little about the aircraft before delving deeper into what the service and in flight experience was like. For Air France flight AF352 flying from Paris CDG to Quebec City, on June 15th 2025, the aircraft was a 24 year-old Boeing 777-200ER (F-GSPP). The age of the plane might mislead you into thinking it was quite old on the interior, but it wasn't.

These aircraft don't feature the newest Air France cabin interiors but they have been renovated in all cabins. I traveled in business class on the same family of Boeing 777-200ERs and it was quite comfortable, and the same goes with what I experienced in economy class on this trip.

For the geeks, as myself, the cabin configuration featured:

• 28 Business Class seats in 1-2-1 layout (reverse herringbone)
• 32 Premium Economy Class seats in a 2-4-2 layout
• 268 Economy Class seats in a 3-4-3 layout

Now, there is one thing to be noted. Sitting in the back of the plane maximizes possibilities of having an empty seat next to you, however, on the Boeing 777 the back gets very noisy with the sound of the engines and of the flowing air. Ideally you'd want to be as far forward as possible, however, on this plane Premium (premium economy) was over the wings so you could only mitigate this effect by moving forward.

Finally, there were no individual air vents, but the cabin was kept rather cool during the entire flight.

Air France Economy Class Seat Review: Boeing 777-200ER

I just realized when reorganizing my notes for this post that I was extremely lucky to find this flight. I traveled on June 15th 2025 only 2 days after it commenced service for the summer season. Air France flight AF352 is a seasonal flight with 4 weekly frequencies from June through October.

Boarding in Paris was very orderly. Even in my previous transits I have found Air France to be very effective and organized in their boarding procedures out of Paris CDG airport. It was completed quickly with all zones boarding in the correct order.

I got on the aircraft and headed down to my seat, 45A, right at the back of the economy cabin. As on my flight from Rome choosing the last rows paid off. I had an empty seat between myself and the next passenger making the flight significantly more comfortable for both of us.

On the seat waiting for me were:

• Blanket
• Pillow (in a fabric cover)
• Headphones

The blanket was nice, big and heavy enough to keep you warm while sleeping during the flight.

Flight time was only 6 hours, therefore no amenity kits or anything of that sort was offered. Also I noted that the crew was present in the cabin, smiling and helping passengers actively, even cracking a joke here and there.

Note for the aviation enthusiasts, shortly after takeoff we passed over Le Bourget airport where the Paris Air Show was to be hosted a few days later.

How Much Legroom Does Air France Economy Class Have?

I was rather impressed with the amount space I had for my legs. I am 178cm tall, so an average height for a man, and had more than a hand-width from my knee to the seat in front. That meant I could properly stretch my legs under the seat in front of me (declared seat pitch 31″). There was no IFE box under the seats, on some airlines and aircraft that is a major thing to take into account as it eats away a lot of space.

Air France In-Flight Entertainment Review: Screen Size and Quality

The in flight entertainment system was good. There was content in a number of languages across multiple genres, you'll have enough to watch on a flight. The screen wasn't the biggest I've seen in economy class (11.7″ HD) but it responded well to commands and didn't crash for the entirety of my flight. The video did though every so many minutes chop up and skip a few frames. Maybe the software is a little heavy for the hardware it's running on.

What I was really disappointed by were the headphones. The quality of the sound was very poor, so much so that you couldn't understand all the conversations in the movie I was watching. Also, I had to fiddle with the headphone jack to get it in a position that would allow me to hear anything. However, the quality wasn't as bad as what I experienced with KLM, but I'll talk about that in the post about the return transatlantic flight from Montreal to Amsterdam.

Finally, no exterior cameras installed on this Air France Boeing 777-200ER.

What Food Does Air France Serve in Economy Class?

I talked in depth about the food in my Air France Flight Review when flying in business class last year. The food was, no doubt about it, the highlight of the flight. Certainly the culinary experience wasn't at the same level in Economy, however, I was quite impressed with the overall quality. Before the service packaged refreshing towels were handed out.

Dinner on Air France Flight AF352 From Paris to Quebec City

There were two options to chose from for the dinner service (served immediately after takeoff):

• Chicken with polenta
• Pasta with tomatoes

On the tray was also:

• Rice salad
• A loaf of bread
• Brie cheese
• Butter
• Crackers
• A small bottle of water
• A blueberry muffin as dessert

Along with the meal a drink of your choice is offered. Among the options also a glass of champagne, something I think is a fantastic touch to make economy passengers feel a little more taken care of.

I chose the chicken dish with polenta for dinner and I must say I really enjoyed. It was well above average airplane quality food. Air France puts a lot of attention in its catering and food preperation.

After the trays were cleared, crew came around offering coffee and tea which could also be accompanied with cognac or other digestive spirits. Once again a very nice way of making economy more elegant. One thing I didn't like was the wooden cutlery.

Pre-Landing Snack Also Offered on Flight AF352

Just before landing the crew came out into the cabin again to hand out pre-landing snacks. It was cutely prepared in a little, very French looking, little paper bag containing:

• Madeleine cake
• Yogurt
• A sandwich

Taste was ok nothing outstanding about this service.

Air France Economy Service: Crew and Customer Experience Review

Air France is very consistent in the cabin crew department. You get very similar levels of service regardless of the flight you are on.

During boarding the crew was smiling and active in the cabin giving clear instructions on how to place bags. Cabin preparation for takeoff and landing was perfectly done. I had the feeling I could reach out at any moment without any worry.

Are Air France Restrooms Clean? Bathroom Quality Review

Toilets are something that some passengers (ie my wife) are very picky about. In all occasions traveling with Air France, I've only come across spotless restrooms. Flight attendants take very good care of them throughout the flight.

Let's Wrap Uo This Air France Flight Review

Both in economy and business class I found Air France to be an airline I enjoy flying with. The service is good, crew is friendly and there to help. Just remember to bring your own headphones if you're planning to watch anything seriously.