Air France Airbus A380 Flight 28 Business Class Paris-Washington, D.C. – Review
SEAT COMFORT
The upper deck of the Airbus A380 was packed with almost 80 diagonal lie-flat beds
, in a 2-2-2 layout, and I was in the middle section with direct aisle access. There is sufficient space between each row to allow a passenger to exit a window seat comfortably if the corresponding aisle seat is upright (although it is more restricted if the seat is in a full recline).
Most rows have the entertainment screen built into the back of the fixed-shell seat while bulkhead seats had the TV in the armrest. A small cubby was handy for storing footwear, and electrical outlets were provided to keep cell phones and laptops charged throughout the flight.
The tray tables were large and sturdy giving me the opportunity to work for a few hours and catch up on some popular TV sitcoms. A full range of European and American movies were on tap, and the system was easy to use (although I spent most of the flight with the moving map on screen).
The seat reclined into a flat surface and I slept a solid three hours on this day flight. I especially appreciated having the fixed shell behind my head keeping my cocoon private while I napped. 
A remote controller allowed me to change channels or adjust the brightness of the moving map display from my fully reclined position.
IN-FLIGHT SERVICE
Departure was quick and, once in the air, menus were offered by the cabin attendants. The starter course was an amuse bouche of lobster in tomato sauce that was accompanied by champagne. The Airbus A380 is so large that service begins in both the front and the back of the cabin working towards the middle. The same principle applies for everything from the pleasant hot towels delivered immediately upon leveling off to beverages and dessert service. This arrangement leads to faster service, which on other airlines can take forever if the passenger is seated in the last row.
Air France sets the table with elegant linens followed by a tray of French cheese and an appetizer. Next up was the abundant bread basket, and it was a difficult choice picking just one of the mini baguettes or olive, hard-crusted loaves. However, the flight attendant encouraged me to have as many as I wished. French butter and olive oil accompanied the selections.
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