Previous installments:

• Introduction: Paris for the Holidays, Saying Goodbye to American’s Old Business Class, and a Suite at the Park Hyatt Vendome
  
• American First Class Lounge Chicago O’Hare and Business Class, Chicago – Paris
  
• Park Hyatt Paris Vendome Executive Suite
  
• Avoiding Tourist Traps: Good Places to Eat Near the Eiffel Tower and Picasso Museum in Paris
  
• Where to Find the Best Macarons in the World
  
• The Neighborhood Meats, Cheeses, Breads, and Sweets of Paris

Entering the Charles de Gaulle airport was bedlam, there was just a sea of people landside and they all seemed as though they were completely aware of each other, all walking in different directions while a good portion of them stopped and looked around.

Travel can be very confusing but it seemed that a larger percentage of passengers than usual were disoriented on this morning.

After dodging and weaving around folks while I headed for passport control and security, I emerged airside and headed to the American Airlines lounge which was just renovated a couple of years ago.

Paris Charles de Gaulle American Airlines Admirals Club

Right between the Hermes and the Prada is an entryway where you can head upstairs to several airline lounges.

The lounge is stylistically similar to the newer lounge in Buenos Aires.

The best thing about Admirals Clubs abroad is actual food. It’s not the most ornate spread you’ll see, but certainly reasonable for a business class lounge for an American carrier.

It’s 5 o’clock somewhere, right?

Just off the buffet is a dining area, though since it’s a buffet you can eat where you wish and I’d rather sit in a less brightly lit area, and nearer the windows myself.

The lounge has plenty of seating.

And comfortable chairs by the window.

Well thought out outlets, too.

A place to freshen up.

In other words, a perfectly well provisioned and adequate lounge to wait for your flight.

The New 767 Business Class Seat

When I booked my flights, both Paris transatlantics were scheduled to be operated by old 767s. I flew an old 767 on my outbound from Chicago to Paris. The route was changed to a new 767 while I was abroad, but I actually changed by schedule to fly back through New York when there was a schedule change that created a long-ish connection at O’Hare. New York has the new seats as well.

And indeed the new business class cabin is gorgeous. It’s bright. And the seats are attractive.

The cabin features staggered seating – the seats are different from each other, with each row of middles alternating sides as to which seat has an outside armrest but less work space. And each row of window seats alternates the side on which it has its armrest and table.

Window seats are preferred, having the surface space and the armrest, but whether you want your armrest on the inside or the outside will vary with preferences- having the table on the outside gives the seat a more enclosed feeling, while on the inside gives you the more open space feel of what’s a more narrow seat than on the 777s.

The thing about the 767, of course, is that it’s much narrower than the 777.

• Four across seating is much more generous than the old six across.
  
• But each seat is narrower at four across on the 767 than four across on the 777.

And this means that while the seat is much improved over the old version, it’s far less preferred than the more generous 777 new seats across the Atlantic.

The new seat’s bed goes flat – almost, it does have some ‘kinks’ in it. There’s also a gap at the feet where there’s no cushioning, so the surface is uneven.

The button to raise my seat from recline didn’t work, so I had to use the button that moved the full seat back to original position and then adjust back down the legrest. Inefficient, but it was workable.

The biggest frustration stems from the nature of the 767 itself as much narrower than the 777, the seat in bed mode is so narrow I can only sleep on my side, and even then it feels tight.

In the strange, ‘someone must have thought through this in advance’ file, nearly everyone had to have the flight attendants put their trays in and put them back each time during the flight as virtually no one in the cabin could figure them out. They aren’t at all intuitive, I managed on my own but it was the sort of struggle I used to have with puzzles when I have 5 and hadn’t yet ever done any successfully.

Food and Amenities

While we were on the ground I changed into pajamas — American Airlines pajamas, from a flight I had received them in first class. It was a daytime flight, but a long enough one where I thought that would help me to get comfortable and settle in.

They give you Samsung Galaxy tablets for inflight entertainment.

The amenity kit has the same contents as in first class on those aircrafts equipped with the higher cabin.

One thing visibly missing, from this flight and from my Chicago – Paris flight, was slippers. American certainly used to give those to me transatlantic in business.

Menus were distributed for the flight: (Click to enlarge.)

We didn’t have any delay getting off the ground. Flight attendants were friendly and up and in the cabin pretty quickly once airborne.

They passed out hot towels. On these older aircraft it’s fairly hit or miss how those come out, though, and I usually decline — but given the cabin refresh I thought I’d try it. Unfortunately the towels came out with the same musty smell I often get onboard MD80s.

For the meal I had the prosciutto starter, followed by the fish.

The vegetables were mush, the rice like you microwave out of a frozen package. But the fish (albeit salty) may have been the best entrée I’ve eat in business class on a US airline, period. I was absolutely delicious and perfectly cooked!

Naturally I finished with the ice cream sundae.

For the pre-arrival snack I had the croque monsieur which was quite tasty.

Ultimately this was a good flight. The seat is better padded than old 763s (as you’d expect a newer seat to be!) and does go essentially flat. It has more workspace as well. But I will avoid it in favor of 777s whenever possible. I was thrilled with my entree, the crew was friendly, and the flight operated on time. So certainly good overall.

---

You can join the 40,000+ people who see these deals and analysis every day — sign up to receive posts by email (just one e-mail per day) or subscribe to the RSS feed. It’s free. You can also follow me on Twitter for the latest deals. Don’t miss out!