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Mileage running for Air France First Class/La Première

Air France recently introduced its new La Première First Class cabin and service.  By all reports, it's a stunning service especially at CDG, with private check-in and lounge and limo service to your plane.  The New First Class cabin features one row of 4 elegant suites that look more like a designer living room.  And with ceiling to floor curtains for the ultimate in privacy. Add in Michelin starred chef designed meals  including Joël Robuchon and AF is now on our must fly list.  AF plans to convert many of its 77Ws.  Currently, the new 77Ws fly to only a handful of routes including JFK, LAX and later this month IAH.  Pics from airfrance.com.
 
 
 
 
 
 
While Air France does offer F awards, they are stupidly expensive and only open to AF/Flying Blue elites, even the lowest Silver.  And AF won't status match so you've got to earn status the old fashioned way.  But the good news is that AF doesn't require you fly any AF segments and it only takes 15 segments on any partner and voila.  Now... how to get to my 15 segments without 1) costing an arm and a leg and 2) having to sit in Economy.  With cheap discounted domestic F fares, SkyTeam partner Delta was the solution.  So here goes…
 
January 26th
Denver-Atlanta
Atlanta-Pittsburgh
 

This one was actually legit as I had to go to Pittsburgh on business.  Used to always fly AA but now that they've turned into US Airways, I don't think so.  

Denver-Atlanta
DL 1916
757-200
1:30P-6:20P
January 26, 2015
Lunch

My first of 15 DL flights in the next couple of weeks.  Once a Delta Diamond Medallion but now an AA Executive Platinum and USdbaAA refugee, what a treat to (1) have open bar PDBs and (2) be served an edible and tasty meal on a domestic flight.  Today was chicken day with a choice of chicken or chicken... the chicken milanese salad (which looked delicious) or the hot chicken club.  Presentation of the latter was a little lacking but once constructed was delicious.  Both were accompanied by a mystery but tasty cheese/veggie soup, and the always excellent Dancing Deer cookie.

 
 
 
 
 
With 75 minutes between flights, I stopped in at the A17 SkyClub.  Having spent too much time in Admirals Clubs, was impressed with the better food offerings including soups, salads, dressings, veggies, chips and dips. 
 
 
 
 
 
Atlanta-Pittsburgh
DL 1296
MD-88
7:35P-9:15P
January 26, 2015
 

Another excellent crew and PDB #2 of the day.

 
After my day in Pittsburgh, I decided to take a convenient United non-stop back home today as the price was right.
 
Pittsburgh-Denver
UA 481
A320
4:27P-6:10P 
January 27, 2014
Another Lunch but on United we call it Dinner
 

Excellent DEN-based crew on a same day turn. PDBs and frequent refills throughout the flight.  Loved the inflight personal device entertainment system.  Excellent quality although the selection of movies might get a little boring if the system is not updated regularly.  

Choice of beef sandwich or chicken salad, with cream of mushroom soup.  The good news is that this meal was actually edible, unlike the current slop served on USdbaAA.  The bad news is that hello! this is a dinner flight, and sandwich or salad is (what DL serves for) lunch.  On the other hand, a PIT-DEN nonstop gets me home early enough for a proper dinner with Mrs. SFO. 

But the galley right in the F cabin configuration of NA A320s is depressing.  Yo, how about using the curtain or at least turn down the effing light after dinner service.  Note to self: bring a baseball cap next trip to block the glaring light.

Now to Day 1 of flying aimlessly around the country or as Mrs. SFO "flying to nowhere today"

February 2nd
Denver-Atlanta
Atlanta-Kansas City
Kansas City-Atlanta
Atlanta-Denver
 
Denver-Atlanta
DL 1516
757-200
6:10A-11:15A (sked)
6:55A-12:00N (actual)
February 2, 2015
Breakfast
 
Gate lice, Delta style.
 
 
Departure this morning was due to mandatory crew break as a result of the late inbound the night before. 
 
 
 
Another great DL crew and another open bar PDB.  Hard to believe any breakfast could be worse than UA's Jeff McMuffin, but this morning's DL bagel sandwich wins that prize.  As bad as AA catering has become, at least they still get breakfast right.
 
 
 
 
With a couple of hours before my connecting flight, I headed to the B10 SkyClub.  Yikes, what a dump this little one is.
 

 
 
 
 
After a bite to eat and with zero privacy for working, I decided to spend time in the much quieter Admirals Club in Concourse T.
 
 
 
 
 
 
At around T-40, I headed for the train and my first of 3 back-to-back snack basket flights.
 

Atlanta-Kansas City
DL 2256
757-200
2:25P-3:42P 
February 2, 2015

Another great ATL-based crew and another open bar PDB.  Thirty something babe next to me had the first of a few rum & cokes.  After a couple more inflight, she gave me her business card. LOL. No, I did not give her mine. 

And a not very good beef wrap that I picked up in the terminal, just in case.

On time arrival at MCI.  I deplaned and re-boarded 20 minutes much to the surprise of our FA.
 

Kansas City-Atlanta
DL 2256
757-200
4:35P-7:32P (sked)
4:35P-7:00P (actual)
February 2, 2015

Same great crew as the inbound and another open bar PDB flight.  
Since we arrived early, I decided to stop for a proper meal, at least as it is defined at TGI Friday's in the E concourse.  
My Jack Daniels rib-eye was pretty tasty.

 

Atlanta-Denver
DL 1539
757-200
8:32P-10:00P
February 2, 2015

Another crew DL crew and another open bar PDB flight.   Apparently SOP at Delta where I've had more PDBs in one day than in couple of months of AA flights.  Another snack basket flight and we're finished with round 1.  

Fashion, DIA style:

 
Up next:
 
February 5th
• Denver-Salt Lake City
• Salt Lake City-Portland
• Portland-Seattle
• Seattle-Salt Lake City
• Salt Lake City-Denver
 
February 9th
• Denver-Salt Lake City
• Salt Lake City-Las Vegas
• Las Vegas-Salt Lake City
• Salt Lake City-Denver