Okay. The first part of the topic title is already something. I flew. Me. The plane-phobic. But then you guys know I've been flying for two years now. Not willingly, I confess, but hey. If you can't swim across the Atlantic, might as well take a plane, right?

So yesterday, I was feeling fairly nervous but still made it to the airport. Checked in. Big suitcase was within my allowance (whew!). They didn't say anything about the kitchen sink or dishwasher.

Then I had a coffee and a cookie.

Then I went through the gate with my boarding pass. I was about to board the plane when they tore off my boarding pass and gave me a new one.

"You've been upgraded. You're now flying business class."

Thud. I mean, THUD!

Business class is like five times the price of my usual cattle class!!

I got on board the plane all excited, made the crew laugh when I told them I'd been upgraded and could they please tell me where business class is? Cabin crew chief: "Oh so you're the lucky number today, eh?"

So I went to my seat. Window seat. Large seat. Plenty of leg-room. Big screen with options such as pausing the movie when you need a bathroom break. Possibility to turn it into a bed. Comfortable pillow with a nice pillowcase. Linen napkins and tablecloth. Fine food served progressively in real china with real cutlery. Champagne and hot towels upon arrival. Hot towels again before landing. Priority access out of the plane after landing.

The cabin crew chief gave me a passenger survey to fill. He kept joking around with me because I was such a wide-eyed kid with everything in business class. Lots of us had actually been upgraded. He explained that we weren't supposed to fly with that particular aircraft, and so they overbooked economy class and business class was practically empty, so they picked out a few passengers (preferably those with an Air France frequent flyer card - which is my case) and upgraded them. I just WISH I could be upgraded on the way back as well!! I felt no tiredness at all after the flight, and although I'm a bit jetlagged today, it's nothing like it usually is!

Kaethel

Yay, Kae! That must have been an awesome experience! Lucky you

See ya,
AnnaBtG.

HEHE! Totally awesome! I didn't know business class was like that. There's the cheap section, title escapes me at the moment, business and first class? Gee if that is correct, I can't imagaine what first class is like... or perhaps business is first?

Cheap section is economy class (Wendy's husband calls it "cattle class", which I think is so appropriate - although Air France isn't too bad there, I have to say). Then comes business and then first class. There's no first class in the daily flight from Paris to Toronto - just business. But it was SO cool nonetheless!

so cool

Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That would be the most marvelous thing, to show up and get an upgrade. I hope you get it on your return trip, too!