American and Air France Sells First Class Lounge Access

Many large global airlines have First Class lounges in their hub airports, to provide exceptional services for top-tire frequent flyers and First Class passengers. However, many new aircraft are now not equipped with First Class, as Business Class seats have become so much better.

These lounges are often quite empty. Few airlines now sell First Class lounge and ground service access to selected passengers.

Air France

Air France offers the La Première lounge access and ground services at Paris-Charles de Gaulle option; for individual customer 18 years of age or older, who hold a paid Air France ticket for travel in Business Class provided by Air France or Delta Airlines, for a long-haul flight with no La Première cabin available.

The price is:

• Two hundred euros (€200) including tax or 30,000 Flying Blue Miles for Meet & Greet services on arrival
• Five hundred euros (€500) including tax or 75,000 Flying Blue Miles for Meet & Greet services on departure or connecting flight services

By reserving the service, Customers receive the following services.

For Customers departing:

• Exclusive reception at a dedicated meeting point at Terminal 2E, Gate 14 or 12, for all departure terminals
  • Gate 14 for a Customer arriving via taxi or chauffeured car
  • Gate 12 in the dedicated La Première check-in area if the Customer is using airport parking

• Personalised escort throughout the airport
• Special services (porter from the entrance to the La Première lounge for checked baggage and fast-track security checkpoints)
• Access to a dedicated check-in area
• Access to the Air France La Première lounge
• Boarding by car to the aircraft
• Meeting the flight crew upon entry into the aircraft

For Customers with connections:

• Reception upon arrival
• Personalised escort throughout the airport to the La Première lounge and to their connecting flight
• Exclusive itinerary through the airport
• Access to the Air France La Première lounge
• Boarding by car to the aircraft for your connecting flight
• Meeting the flight crew upon entry into the aircraft

For Customers arriving:

• Reception at the aircraft door
• Escort to the baggage area

American Airlines

According to JonNYC, American Airlines is currently testing selling Flagship First Dining access at Dallas to select Passengers.

Now if it turns out that they are planning on giving CK's (additional) access– beyond the chits they get now, especially in CK-heavy DFW– *that* would sense to me. And/or make a CX-at-JFK type deal with QF/BA at DFW. Just thinking out loud.

— 🇺🇦 JonNYC 🇺🇦 (@xJonNYC) May 14, 2019

According to One Mile at a Time, here’s what American Airlines has shared:

• American is running a three month test to expand access to a broader audience of customers who are eligible for Flagship Lounge access but not eligible for Flagship First Dining
• This test is initially for Concierge Key and Executive Platinum customers, travelling on American on long haul international and eligible transcontinental flights
• Those members can purchase access to DFW Flagship First Dining for $150 per person
• American will analyse the results of this, then determine if they want to make Flagship First Dining available to a broader audience

Both €500 for all ground services and $150 for a meal is considerably high. It will be interesting to see how American Airlines and Air France fare with this new initiative.