Air France brings new business class lounge to Paris Orly Airport

Air France is drawing back the curtain on a brand new business class lounge at Paris Orly Airport’s Terminal 3, serving business class passengers and SkyTeam Elite Plus frequent flyers jetting abroad on long-distance Air France flights.

Opening to travellers on Thursday January 16 2020, the lounge offers seating for 120 guests and comes as particularly welcome news for regular Air France flyers who’d been making do with a temporary lounge during its construction period, where guests of elite frequent flyers were not permitted.

Centre to the new Air France lounge is a Champagne Bar, which the airline says will stock “a variety of renowned French signature brands all year round.”

That’s complemented by a “Champagne-themed” colour scheme in the surrounding area, where passengers can mingle.

Separately, other drops can be found at the wine bar, with a ‘rum bar trolley’ serving spirits from the destinations passengers are flying to from the lounge.

On the food front, expect to find pastries, fresh fruit, cold meats, salads, soups, cheese, and hot dishes influenced by both French cuisine and that of the long-haul destinations Air France serves from Orly.

That theme is further reflected through the lounge’s artwork and curated TV programming showcasing each destination, such as in the lounge’s quiet relaxation areas.

Business travellers can remain productive in a small coworking space equipped with wireless charging capabilities, with a darkened resting area nearby for those arriving early, along with shower suites.

A selection of newspapers and magazines are available too, joined by further media accessible over WiFi via the Air France Play app on your own device.

Finally, Flying Blue Platinum Ultimate cardholders – the Air France-KLM equivalent of Qantas Platinum One, recognising the two airlines’ most frequent flyers – have a dedicated space within this lounge for added privacy.

Opening from 7am to 9pm most days (7am to 5:30pm on Tuesdays), the lounge welcomes business class passengers and SkyTeam Elite Plus frequent flyers travelling with Air France from Terminal 3. In the Flying Blue scheme, that includes Gold, Platinum, Platinum Ultimate, Club 2000 and Skipper cardholders.

Subject to availability, paid access may also be available to Air France premium economy and economy passengers who don’t hold an Elite Plus card, either when booking their flight, during check-in, or at the lounge reception desk.

Air France at Paris Orly Airport

Air France’s new lounge at Orly comes as part of the airport’s broader expansion works, situated within the newly-built Terminal 3, which is nestled between what were previously the Orly North and Orly South terminals, which have since been renumbered.

From Terminal 3, Air France offers flights to New York’s JFK Airport, Algiers (Algeria), Cayenne (French Guiana, South America), Fort-de-France (Martinique, Caribbean), Pointe-à-Pitre (Guadeloupe, Caribbean) and Saint-Denis (Réunion, Southern Africa).

In related news, Air France is also upgrading its business class and premium economy cabins on its 10-strong fleet of Boeing 777-300 jets dedicated to these Caribbean and Réunion routes. In business class, that sees the introduction of fully-flat beds in a 1-2-1 layout, guaranteeing direct aisle access from every seat.

The new premium economy offers improved storage and a more generous recline inside a fixed shell – by extension, preserving legroom for the passenger behind – with the first of 10 refitted jets appearing on selected flights from January 15, with all 10 of these aircraft set for completion by the end of 2020.

All other Air France flights from Orly Airport continue to depart from Terminal 1, where a separate business class lounge is available. Air France also offers a much broader network from Paris’ larger Charles de Gaulle Airport, being its primary home hub.

Also read: Qantas expands Air France frequent flyer partnership

Chris C.

Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.