Air France 777-300ER Long-Haul La Première First Class SIN - CDG Flight Report - An Archive of Journeys and Stories with Sky

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France La Première Boarding Pass Sleeve

Air France | 777-300ER Long-Haul La Première First Class | SIN - CDG

Silhouette Archived in Jan 2025, Developed in Feb 2025

The Stats

Date: 2025-01-23

Route: Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) - Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)

Flight Number: AF257

Aircraft: F-GSQG (Boeing 777-300ER MSN 32850)

Schedule: 22:55 - 06:10+1

Actual: 22:51 - 06:46+1

Flight Time: 14:00

Used with Permission

The Departure

Silhouettes of Sky - Departure Drop-Off Area of Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) Terminal 1

Today I will be travelling to Paris from Singapore, starting a round-the-world journey in First Class. The very first flight, which also happens to be the one that I look forward to the most, is with Air France in their La Première First Class cabin.

Took a cab from my home to Changi Airport Terminal 1 where Air France operates from; Changi is busy as usual and the drop off area is often quite congested.

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France Check-in Counters Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) Terminal 1

Air France and KLM's shared check-in counters are right on the side of Terminal 1 at Row 2. Sky Priority gets three dedicated counters, in addition to one special counter for La Première passengers.

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France La Première First Class Boarding Pass Sleeve

After letting the ground staff know I am on La Première today, they immediately called out my name and greeted by "we were waiting for you". Talk about a FIRST impression!

Check-in took no time, and the boarding pass came in this nice sleeve with the signature red color of Air France. After check-in, a member of the ground staff escorted me through immigration and to the lounge.

The Lounge

Silhouettes of Sky - Qantas First Lounge at Singapore Changi Airport (SIN)

Air France does not operate its own lounge at Singapore, nor does any other SkyTeam airlines. Instead, First Class passengers on Air France flights can use the Qantas First lounge, which IMO, is the best lounge at Changi Airport.

Silhouettes of Sky - Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) Qantas First Lounge Interior

Despite the lounge does not have any windows, the light wood color design coupled with soft warm lights actually makes the lounge super cozy.

The lounge is mainly divided into three areas - a lounging area, a bar area, and a dining area. The lounging area features sofas and individual seats, as well as working desks.

Silhouettes of Sky - Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) Qantas First Lounge Interior

Silhouettes of Sky - Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) Qantas First Lounge Bar

And as a Qantas lounge, a bar is kinda mandatory:)

Silhouettes of Sky - Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) Qantas First Lounge Dining Area

The dining area takes up the largest space, with proper table setup and nice staff attending. During peak Qantas departure hours, the lounge can get quite busy, thus the huge number of tables available.

Silhouettes of Sky - Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) Qantas First Lounge Menu

Silhouettes of Sky - Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) Qantas First Lounge Food

À la carte dining is available, with various local and international dishes to choose from, in addition to an extensive list of cocktails and wines.

I decided to have the Neil's lucky duck noodle today, which is very tasty. I have had various other dishes during my other visits to the lounge, and I am confident in saying that the lounge provides exceptional food - proper restaurant level - miles better than the typical airport lounge quality.

Qantas partners with Sofitel for its First Class lounges service, and the service here are among the best. The staffs are super efficient, attentive and professional, yet also warm and personal.

Silhouettes of Sky - Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) Qantas First Lounge Shower

Silhouettes of Sky - Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) Qantas First Lounge Shower Amenities

Nine shower suites are available in the lounge. The shower suites are specious and tastefully designed, each comes with a skylight to mimic the natural daylight. Various of single-use toiletries are provided, and the amenities are from Australian brand LaGaia's Unedited series, a long-term partner of Qantas.

Overall, the Qantas First Lounge at Changi Airport is an excellent lounge - the best in Singapore, with top notch design, food, and service.

The Gate

Silhouettes of Sky - Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) Air France La Première Buggy

Before leaving me at the lounge, the ground staff confirmed if I wish to board first or last, and that they will pick me up when it is time for boarding.

Near boarding time, the same ground staff came back to the lounge, found me (in a pretty large and busy lounge?!), and took me onto a buggy. Every La Première passenger gets their own buggy to be driven to the gate. The ride was definitely an interesting one, and also my first time on a buggy within Changi Airport - the airport is so busy at night and the driver sort of need to constantly beeping at people:)

Silhouettes of Sky - Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) Jet Bridge

Because security check at Changi Airport are at each boarding gate, the staff took me straight to the front of the queue, and ushered me onto the aircraft, and to my seat.

The Aircraft

As of February 2025, Air France operates a total of 43 777-300ER aircraft - it is the airline's flagship aircraft, and the only aircraft type that features a First Class cabin.

There are three different configuration within Air France's 777-300ER fleet - a four-class long-haul version, a three-class version with refreshed cabin introduced back in 2023, and a leisure version with a denser configuration featuring a total of 472 seats.

The aircraft we are on today features the four-class configuration in 4F 58J 28W 206Y.

As these 777 aircraft nears their retirement age, Air France has ordered 90 A350 family aircraft to refresh its long-haul widebody fleet.

Drawing of Air France 777-300ER Aircraft is Produced and Provided by Aviation Volume (AVLM)

Used with Permission

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER F-GSQG at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)

The aircraft we will be travelling on today is F-GSQG, a 2004-built 777-300ER aircraft. It remained in Air France's fleet throughout its 21-years of operation.

The aircraft is leased from Aercap, the largest aircraft lessor.

The Cabin

Air France's La Première First Class is one of the most exclusive First Class products out there, with a cabin featuring only 4 seats and limited award redemption opportunities.

The current La Première cabin was introduced back in 2014, featuring spacious fully flat bed, elegant design and finishings, and floor-to-ceiling curtain, delivering more comfort and privacy.

Around similar times, a few other legendary First Class products were also introduced, including Etihad's A380 The Residence & Apartment and Singapore Airlines' latest 777-300ER First Class.

Into the future, a new La Première cabin is expected to be unveiled soon in 2025.

Drawing of Air France 777-300ER First Class Seat is Produced and Provided by Aviation Volume (AVLM)

Used with Permission

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class Cabin

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class Seat

Stepping into the cabin, this might just be the most refined and elegantly designed aircraft cabin out there. The seats are in a 1-2-1 configuration, and the overall atmosphere is just so open but also calming and relaxed. The color palette is warm, with white and beige and Air France's signature red as highlight.

The seat is huge, comfortable, and is wrapped with high quality fabric material.

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class Welcome Drink

As soon as I entered the cabin and put away my luggage, the cabin crew came with a welcome Evian water and introduced themselves. The water came on the super shiny metal plate - wow!

Let me just get this out of the way: both cabin crew serving the First Class cabin on this flight are from Italy, and they were extremely warm and professional but also have a great sense of humor, and they are one of the best set of crew that I have ever encountered.

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class IFE

As a cabin introduced over ten years ago, the IFE is not the most cutting edge or the largest out there, but they do a decent job. The seat is incredibly long and the normal sitting position is quite far from the IFE, but the seat can be moved horizontally by a large distance, which makes the viewing experience super comfy.

The IFE features plenty of movies, and quite a lot of French movies too.

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class Companion Seat

Below the IFE is a companion seat / footwell. Further down below is a storage drawer - sufficiently large to store my backpack.

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class Seat Control

The seat controls are all located in a compartment on the side of the seat. Lifting up the lid, you can find the IFE control, headphone jack, USB-A port, universal power socke, control buttons for the seat and the curtain, as well as a large storage space.

This compartment is very convenient and essentially contains everything you need during the flight.

At the other end of the seat, there is another large storage compartment with an additional universal power socket.

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class Lamp

And the lamp next to it is, IMO, the most beautiful lighting in the air, with the Air France winged sea-horse logo.

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class Privacy Shield

On the other side of the seat is the control for a privacy shield. The seat design is quite open without high walls, and the shield can be pretty useful for some added sense of privacy.

The seat also features floor-to-ceiling curtain, an practical and elegant solution to privacy, compared to doors.

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class Closet

A closet is located at the back of the seat, another convenient feature, especially during winter.

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class Overhead Panel

The attention to detail just goes on and on - the overhead panel came in a beautiful, fully customized design. This is extremely rare in commercial aviation, and most airlines would simply go with Boeing / Airbus' factory design, with some minor tweaks at best, even in First Class.

The only other airlines that I can think of that did something similar would be Emirates' Game Changer 777-300ER First Class, as well as Singapore Airlines and Etihad's A380 First Class cabins - all three are among the world's best cabin products.

I simply love the La Première cabin. The cabin is refined, comfortable, spacious, but also well maintained, and has one of the best finishings - everything is so nice to the touch.

The Amenities

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class Amenities

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER Safety Card

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class Menu

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class Amenity Kit

An array of amenity items are available on this flight, including a pair of slippers, a set of pajama, a menu card, and an amenity kit.

Let me get this straight, yes, many airlines offer these essentials on long-haul flights, but the quality of Air France’s amenities is on an entirely different level.

The pajama is one of the most comfortable to wear. The amenity kit is stunning - made from premium materials that feel great to the touch, and inside, Sisley skincare products along with other travel essentials are available. And the quality of the menu card is also fantastic.

The Departure

Silhouettes of Sky - Turkish Airlines 777-300ER TC-LJH at Singapore Changi Airport (SIN)

Push back is on-time, a bit early even. We were parked next to a Turkish Airlines 777-300ER aircraft with special Bio Fuel livery (TC-LJH).

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France Safety Video

Ah, and the safety video - so distinctly French!

The Meal

Two meals are offered on this flight - a supper and a breakfast. The food menu partners with chef Julien Royer from 3-Michelin Star restaurant Odette in Singapore.

Air France also offers a nice all-French wine list; the wines here are not over the top like on Emirates, but are all very well reviewed and cover a good variety.

Various other liqueur and soft drinks are also available, including a wide selection of coffee and teas.

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class Appetizer

Supper service started off with some small bites came before the main meal service shortly after take-off.

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class Table Setting

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class Salt and Pepper Grinder

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class Butter

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class Bread

Dining table was also properly set up. The tableware are made by Bernardaud and designed by French designer Jean-Marie Massaud, featuring the seahorse motif.

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class Soup

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class Starter

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class Main Course

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class Dessert

The dinner service onboard La Première live up to the standards set throughout the flight - expertly crafted, elegantly plated, fresh and delicious. Again, the ingredients are not extravagant, but the execution is impeccable.

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class Breakfast

Breakfast was served before landing. I went with the egg souffle, also a simple but delightful meal.

The Lavatory

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class Lavatory

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class Lavatory Amenities

The lavatory is spacious and well-maintained, and the design also match the La Première cabin.

Some additional amenities like make-up remover, hand towels and toothbrush are available in the lavatory, too.

The Flight

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class Bed

The cabin crew helped me set up the bed after dinner. The turndown not only included setting up the bed, the crew also brought a bottle of water, and a chocolate as turndown gift.

Air France partners with French hotel brand Sofitel's MyBed when it comes to sleeping experience. The memory foam mattress, high quality linen and plush pillow, as well as the curtain combined makes an incredibly comfortable sleep experience - one of the best in the sky (I am well aware of the fact that I have used the word best many times).

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is available on this flight, and all passengers can enjoy free messaging. Faster packages costs extra, even for First Class passengers.

The Arrival

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER Inflight Map

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class Cabin

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER F-GSQG at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class Porsche Pick-up

After 14 hours in the air, we made a landing at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG). Upon disembarkation, a member of the ground team was already waiting at the jet bridge to pick me up. Each La Première passenger gets a dedicated ground staff and a Porsche to go through all arrival process.

What was extra amazing is that, I did not even need to get off the car to go through immigration - an immigration officer will collect your passport and process immigration formalities, while you simply need to wait in the car.

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class Arrival Lounge

After immigration is done, I was directly driven to the newly opened La Première arrival lounge as I have an onward journey by train on SNCF.

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class Arrival Lounge

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France Concorde Model at La Première Arrival Lounge at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class Arrival Lounge Drinks

Air France debuted the La Première Arrival Lounge (which also serves as a departure check in lobby) back in Jul 2024 for the Paris Olympics. This is an absolutely gorgeous facility where you can rest, have a proper meal, and take a shower in between travels, whether it is for departure, transit, or arrival.

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class Arrival Lounge Shower Room

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class Arrival Lounge Shower Room Amenities

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class Arrival Lounge Shower Room

Silhouettes of Sky - Air France 777-300ER La Première First Class Arrival Lounge Shower Room Amenities

The tastefully designed shower rooms are also the nicest out there, featuring Sisley toiletries and amenities. This is mind-blowingly good, better than a lot of proper First Class lounges out there.

Silhouettes of Sky - CDG Airport Train Station

Silhouettes of Sky - CDG Airport Train Station Air & Rail Counter

As my ticket includes an onward travel to Brussels by train, the same ground staff that picked me up from the aircraft also took me to the train station to continue my journey.

The ticket requires you to pick up the train ticket at the Air & Rail counter at the train station; the ground staff even took care of that by calling the counter in advance to prepare my train ticket - truly above and beyond service!

Silhouettes of Sky - SNCF TGV Train

The train ride from CDG Airport to Brussels takes about 2 hours. The train is decent enough, although the difference is very real compared to the La Première experience; I am very sad that the flight has ended.

The Conclusion

The Air France La Première experience is nothing short of perfection from start to finish - from the moment you arrive at the departure counter to the moment you continue your onward journey.

The hype around the ground experience is absolutely justified - no other airline comes close to the level of exclusivity, service, and dedication that Air France offers, even at an outstation.

Nevertheless, the inflight experience is equally impressive, combining beautiful cabin, thoughtfully designed seat, premium amenities, exquisite food and wine, super comfortable bed, as well as impeccable service from the cabin crew.

All in all, La Première deeply impresses me as one of the most polished, and truly unforgettable first-class experiences.

Thank you for exploring this silhouette.

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