Is there any airport in the world that isn”t undergoing some sort of radical makeover?
Rare is the occasion that passing through an airport doesn”t involve dodging through myriad obstacle courses to actually get to check-in or indeed the aircraft.
ABTN paid a recent visit to Paris Charles de Gaulle to see how the new S3 boarding satellite in Terminal E looked and what its effect would be in coping with the arrival of the leviathan A380 for Air France in 2009.
There was a time when Charles de Gaulle was a byword for every malaise of 1960s and 1970s architecture. Remember when British Airways was shoved out into the airport wilderness, necessitating ” an admittedly interesting ” underground hike?
Well, now Air France and several major airlines, including obviously those from SkyTeam, are concentrating in a much smaller and easier to use area.
This will see the closing of Air France operations at Terminals 2A and 2B by next spring and a retrenchment to the sparkling new designs of Terminals 2D, 2E, 2F and the S3 satellite.
Key to Air France”s ambitions at CDG is connectivity. As Heathrow”s woes mount ” at least until British Airways moves to the much-vaunted T5 next year ” Air France is making hay while the sun shines. And in conjunction with Aeroports de Paris (APD), it has moved on from the fatal accident a couple of years ago in Terminal 2E and now has a world-beating facility.
Key to any airport as it grows is the distance travellers have to cover from aircraft to exit or through the airport itself and the 2E extension has an extensive system of travelators to speed passengers through the process.
What Air France likes to call an ”Automated People Mover” or LISA ” links the S3 boarding facility to Terminal 2E, while from January 2008, the travelators will run between 2F and S3.
One of passengers” greatest bugbears is security and to that end, S3 has some 18 security checkpoints, a few of which Air France says, will have priority lanes for passengers with tight connections ” although how this works in principle we didn”t see.
Liberal use of glass allows generous amounts of light to flood 2E ” Heathrow T3 take note ” while in an unusual move for Charles de Gaulle, pastel orange colours contribute to a calming effect.
The twin airbridges ” ready for the A380 ” are in place ” while TVs are dotted around the expanse of the departure lounge that also features an area at the far end overlooking the runways, with a collection of chaises longues.
And ” in common with so many airlines ” Air France has also opened a snazzy new first class lounge in Terminal 2E. Designed for L”Espace Premiere passengers, the area features the usual top end facilities, including dining options, while those in first class benefit from an individual car to take them to the foot of the aircraft steps before being introduced to the crew. Staff will even provide an umbrella from the distance of around 2m to the car.
But is CDG an easy airport to negotiate? Well, its vastness is probably the only real downside ” it can be initially confusing ” especially with the raft of intra-terminal options available, but in fairness, these are designed so the passenger can minimise walking distances.
It is lit extremely well with no jarring neon or flashing lights bombarding the senses, while what shops there are ” ADP seems to have adopted a minimalist retail offer ” are classy and good.
But it is the airport”s connecting ability that sets it apart. Air France ” obviously the dominant carrier ” has 20,000 weekly long and medium-haul connecting opportunities of less than two hours. That is CDG”s massive strength.
