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Egypt and the Pyramids

Egypt and the Pyramids
Egypt and the Pyramids
via Air France La Première
November 2021

Cairo to Paris

Assem eventually escaped the earlier Cairo traffic gridlock and picked us up at 11pm.  Less than 30 minutes later we were at the airport, where check-in counters were crowded just under 3 hours from departure. 

With that list, no wonder the Sky Priority line was packed.

But it moved and we had plenty of time.  Once we got to front of the line, check-in was smooth but, consistent with our arrival, no La Première ground services were offered.   Docs checked included our impressive and very official looking Covid test results.

Passport control and security was uncrowded and efficient.

The old CAI Premium Lounge was a dump from which another security check was required.  So I was looking forward to visiting the NEW Ahlein Premium Lounge.

OK, major league improvement.  This is actually a real lounge.

We did quick tour and discovered a private lounge, available for rent, for just $5.  So we settled in and only had to chase away one set of interlopers that tried to enter. 

Nice-ish looking food options from what was mostly a point-and-we'll-bring-to-you service.

Still full from dinner, I just went with something from the DEN Sky Club three days earlier.

At around T-50, we headed for our gate, and with no further security check.

Cairo to Paris
Air France 567
777-300ER (77W) with no La Premiere cabin
2:20a-6:00a
November 10, 2021
Business Class
 

At this point, exhaustion finally won out as I didn't take any more pics until Paris.   We had the same plane and same seats as our CDG-CAI flight some 48 hours earlier.  

I reclined my seat right after take-off and slept most of the way to Paris.  A full breakfast service was served and it actually smelled and looked very good, as much I could tell by looking at a nearby tray. 

Air France La Première Lounge and La Première Paris to Los Angeles

Our La Première personal assistant met us at the plane door and escorted downstairs to our waiting limo and the ride to the lounge.  After private LP security screening, we were back upstairs in the La Première Lounge.

Time to eat...

Oh yeah.  

At T-30, our PA escorted us to our waiting limo, for the short ride to our flight.

Paris to Los Angeles
Air France 066
777-300ER (77W)
10:15a-1:15p (sked)
12:00p-2:05p (actual)
November 10, 2021
Departed 4/4
 

Our La Premiere Personal Assistant escorted us on board and introduced us to our cabin crew for today... sadly the B team today with all sorts of service failures. 

Great to be back on board but this entire crew was challenged today.  For starters, gate agents closed door 2L early so dozens of Economy passengers boarded thru 1L and then thru the La Première cabin.  And then there was the 90 minute delay while Air France first decided to "wait for connecting passengers" and then ultimately departing without most of them, but not before having to locate and off load their bags.  And naturally, this 77W was one of the few in the fleet without Wifi.  Yeah, who needs to connect with the world on a 10 hour business day flight.

Today's menu...

After take-off...

Showtime, La Première style...

The Porcini mushroom cream soup was wonderful.

Foie gras and three pepper terrine.  But a half order since all four La Première passengers ordered this while Air France only loaded three servvings. 

Across the aisle, batmandds' braised veal shank.

My Vegetable Lasagna with tangy chive cream with spectacular.

After lunch, I slept for a solid five hours.

Ninety minutes before landing, time for our pre-arrival meal which I had to request since our challenged FA mistook "don't wake me if I am sleeping" for "don't bother me for the rest of the flight".  Sheesh.

Tender beef and pan fried foie gras pastry puff...

... outstanding.

Two salmon canelloni with tomato sauce...

This was really good.

Descending to LAX.

Once we finally arrived at Gate 225, we were greeted by the same great LAX La Première agents that saw us off four days earlier.  CBP was a breeze with the new Global Entry kiosks now operating on iris scans such that we didn't even need our passports.  I had double booked LAX-DEN, a 2:30pm United and a 3:15pm American.  Since I exited TBIT at 2:20pm, United was out.  So I headed for T5 and American arriving at Gate 53 just as boarding began.

Los Angeles LAX to Denver DEN
American AA 1164
A321
3:15p-6:20p
November 10, 2021

Basic service on this flight.  

This was apparently the first day of the return of real glassware to AA, finally.  Not that I was hungry, but while UA serves a full hot meal on this route, AA's offering is a crAApy snack basket.  Along with my non-functioniing power port, of course.   #Going For Great.  LOL.

We arrived back in Denver 20 minutes early.  Uber was reasonably priced and I was home just after 7pm.  What a fun four days of whirlwind travel to Egypt.  Thanks for following along.