L'avion airlines

We are flying out on the 15th. Anyone use them recently?

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I now there have been several threads on this airline - here is one:

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g187147-i14-k97634…

If you use the %26#39;search%26#39; function,you%26#39;ll be able to find the others.

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Please report back on your experiences with L%26#39;avion. Hope it is great.

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We just came back from flying L%26#39;Avion (end of May). In general, we were quite pleased. We had 4 touch points with the airline.

1. Making reservations online was easy. I had a question about seat size and had to leave a vm for them to call me back as they didn%26#39;t seem to have people manning the phones. But, they did call back within 24 hours and answered my questions. I found the web sirte easy to use and seat selection easy to use. I also LOVED how they sent me an email prior to the flight with more information and introducing the crew.

2. Running to make our outbound plane. We flew to Newark via United. United was over 2 hours late due to a problem with their baggage handling. Since we only had a 2.5 hour layover, we got very nervous and thought that we simply were going to miss the plane. As soon as we landed in Newark (did you know that none of the phones in United%26#39;s airplanes work anymore?) we used our cell to call L%26#39;Avion. Since we had our luggage with us on the plane, the L%26#39;Avion ground agent told us to rush to their terminal and they would meet us at security to move us through. The ground crew was unbelievable. Within 20 minutes of landing with United, we were on the Paris flight. The ground crew gets an A+.

3. The NY-Paris crew was underwhelming at most. We were never given eyemasks or socks or anything that one normally gets on business class. While some others around us had them, we figured that they had flown the airlines before and knew enough to bring them with them onboard. The service in general was--well--lacking. The flight attendents handed out survey forms as soon as we took off which was strange. Still, we figured that the price was right and they must skimp on something somewhere. So we really didn%26#39;t complain on the survey form. But we did feel a little cheated and thought about how good business class is on other airlines. The seats were roomy however, and we were able to sleep well (with the help of ambien--which I highly recommend for any flight like this). And, because the ground crew was so helpful for getting on the plane, we still felt lucky.

The plane took off late but that was due to traffice at Newark, not the airlines.

4. The flight from Paris to Newark was the difference between day and night. We had time to go to the lounge before the flight, which was decent--although having some type of sandwich available would have been nice (the lounge was a join lounge with multiple airlines). The service on the plane was excellent (there was a different flight attendent crew on this flight). The flight attendents were attentive and took care of everyone well. We also got eye masks/socks/toothpaste---which made us realize that the crew on the way out was even more lacking than we originally thought. On a scale of 1 to 10, the flight out was a 4 and the flight back was an 8 (I rarely give 10s). The difference seemed to be the attitude of the crew

One general complaint is that the food was not very good on either flight. But, all-in-all, I%26#39;d fly them again. The price/value is there.

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The truth about l’avion…

Recently flown on l’avion Airlines and would like to share my expérience

ORY – EWR / Nov. 30 2008

a) Check in ORLY Airport

.Quick, efficient and smiles

.Security check, easy and fast but no fast lane

b) Departure lounge

.ICARE lounge is NOT a business class lounge, it is dirty, over crowded, and bad maintained. Poor choice of nuts, juices and wine. Small and unconfortable, with so small sofas that they look designed for children only

.No private restroom, no free wifi access

c) On board

.New surprise security check, same as the first one, just before the plane door

.Welcome smiles from the only 4 crew member.

.No one hang up your coat, so don%26#39;t wait for...

.No preflight drink

.Poor amenities case, bottle of water, pillow and blanket on your seat

.New carpets, and overhead bins repainted in purple, but still a feelling of an old 757 (18y ?)

.Old lavatories, no cup,

d) The seat

.All is manual,

.More relax style than a true business class seat

.Just 2y old, and already broken or tired,

.Support lombar deflate but never inflate,

.48%26quot; pitch is ok for seating position but unacceptable when the seat in front of you is in full recline position

.The only row shown on pictures is the 11 (exit row) with the best pitch in plane

e) The VOD

.After take off, the crew offer you a 12%26quot; screen digital player

.Easy to use, but the linux boot take a while

.No battery, you must plug the AC/DC power inside the arm, then the wide of the seat is reduced and really unconfortable

.No noise reduction heaset, but cheap earplug

.Decent choice of movies, some in french, all in english

.The main problem is you have no area to put the screen ; handled, on the tray, or fix on the seat pocket behind you is an unacceptable position. No remote control.

f) The meal

.No preflight drink

.After VOD, the crew begins drink service

.Limited choice, Champagne ok but cheap juices still presented in their low cost bottle

.Bretzels bag, colored for children

.Only one offer

.No menu, no linen, but a sheet of gray paper

.Tray comes with appetizer (good salmon), butter and cheese, no china but plastic, steel forks and knifes

.Only one offer for bread

.The entree, when you%26#39;re seated at the end of the plane, is the usual beef or chicken of economy class, no more choice

.Small portions, not enough for a decent meal

.No expresso, but cafe or tea and chocolate box on a small tray with a brownie is your dessert

.After dinner drink choice is limited to cognac and grand marnier

.The snack before landing is a small tray with 2 toasts and a drink... near a joke

.Of course nobody offer you more bread, drinks or ask you about your comfort during the flight

.No open bar at the galley

EWR – ORY / Dec 13 2008

a) Check in Newark Airport

.Slow and unfriendly, 30 min wait just for 10 people before us

.Security check point, easy and fast, fast lane available

b) Departure lounge

.JET AIRWAYS lounge is maybe a small business class lounge for JET AIRWAYS, but not designed to host both airlines

.Located in a dark side of terminal B, before fast lane check point

.Maybe a good buffet, but the lounge is so over crowded, that you can%26#39;t find a free seat, and the only solution to snack is to visit the terminal food court...

.No private restrooms, no free wifi access

.The only choice is to bypass this %26quot;no-lounge%26quot;

c) On board

.Welcome smiles from the only 4 crew member.

.No one hang up your coat, so don%26#39;t wait for...

.A surprise pre flight drink

d) The seat

.Same old plane

e) The VOD

.New decent choice of movies, some in french, all in english

.Same useless video system player, still no correct position to place it

f) The meal

.NO aperitif service or nuts before dinner (remember the pre flight drink...)

.No menu, no linen, but a sheet of gray paper

.Tray comes with all your diner from appetizer to dessert

.The choice is the usual beef or chicken of economy class

.If you don%26#39;t ask for coffee or tea of course don%26#39;t expect the chocolate box...

.The breakfast before landing is a small tray with croissant, bread, jam, fruits, yogourt and... same cheap orange juice

g) Arrival

.Just before landing the crew offer you a small mint candies box

.No arrival lounge as you know...

CONCLUSION

.Before all, i%26#39;d like them to stop call this product %26quot;business class%26quot;. It%26#39;s a good well packaged premium economy but no more.

.On many aspects, the description you read on l%26#39;avion website and the reality is different and will disappoint you

.Consider what you expect for ; a seat better than economy class with more leg room, if you find a good price it could be a smart choice. A promotionnal rate of 900 euros (all taxes included) the maximum you should pay for.

.If you a frequent business class flyer you should bypass this experience. Or maybe not, because, after a flight on l%26#39;avion any other true business class carrier seems you perfect...

.If you fly from europe to US, and use l%26#39;avion as the first segment of your trip, be carefull. Correspondance is not guarantee because different airlines, and the one night stop over in Newark plus the domestic flight ticket will rise the bill above a promotional true business class ticket.

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