My smart economy fare came with a checked bag and a meal, although you could go for basic if you don't want either. Here's where the experience between premium and economy diverged. Premium class vs economy on French Bee’s Airbus A350 The greeting for the Paris Orly flight was perfunctory, although we were given a sanitizer hand wipe. I was warmly greeted by the flight attendants as I boarded my Newark flight. After my boarding pass was scanned at Orly, there was a five-minute wait to board the flight. There were clearly marked stanchions for premium and economy passengers, along with separate jetbridge access. While the Newark boarding process was chaotic (even with the premium board I paid for), it was a much better experience at Paris Orly. While I was happy to have the space away from general gate seating, this lounge was badly in need of an upgrade. But the seating was good since the boarding area was scarce with two other airlines also boarding near our time.Īt Paris Orly, I used the Priority Pass membership that comes with The Platinum Card® from American Express (enrollment required) to gain access to the Salon Icare lounge near my gate. It was a bar/restaurant that wasn't serving food. Newark Terminal B, like many airports across the country, had only one dining option in our boarding area. Related: Should you get TSA PreCheck or CLEAR - or both? The post-security experience I had to remove the electronics, but not the liquids, at Newark. The premium line was empty, and I had to be reminded to take out all my bagged liquids, along with my laptop and iPad. Again, I showed my boarding pass, passport and COVID-19 negative test, and was on my way to security screening. The regular customs line at Orly was long, so I was happy to have the premium access that came with my fare. It was a nice ride, but I was already in Terminal 4, where I needed to be. I ended up taking the train to what I thought was my terminal. However, at Paris Orly, the signage was a bit confusing. Once I cleared TSA at Newark, it was a short walk to my gate. This was a welcome change from Newark, since Terminal B doesn't have Clear or TSA PreCheck (French Bee isn't on the list of TSA's approved airlines), forcing me to stand in a line for 30+ minutes. It included a sticker that let me go in the expedited customs and security lines. The check-in agent again looked at my passport, my negative COVID test and then handed me a boarding pass. I was worried that my carry-on bag was overweight, but there was no need - my bag made the weight, so I avoided having to check it to Newark. I went to the Premium check-in line, where a man looked at my passport and my negative COVID-19 test and sent me to the check-in counter.Īs I learned at Newark, French Bee is a stickler for weighing all bags, requiring no more than 50 lbs. When I asked a French Bee representative for help, he tried, shrugged his shoulders and pointed me to the check-in counter for my flight, which was pretty empty. But even when you clicked on the airline's name, nothing happened. I went over to a check-in kiosk, where I was happy to see it had French Bee on the screen. I showed security my itinerary on my smartphone and was waved in. Security was asking for passports and boarding passes, which caused some confusion, since most of us were checking in at our respective airlines. There was a line to get into the terminal, and only ticketed passengers were allowed in. After arriving at the airport at 2:45 p.m. The check-in process at Paris Orly was a better experience than the one at Newark. The Points Guy will not share or sell your email. I would like to subscribe to The Points Guy newsletters and special email promotions.
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