An ideal airport for airplane lovers
Novan Iman Santosa
The glass wall in the departure lounge at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport faces the apron, giving aviation enthusiasts ample opportunity to watch planes take off and land. (JP/Novan Iman Santosa)
It was early morning in September when my airplane made its final approach to Paris -- it was still dark outside so the city lights were clearly visible.
I was aboard an Air France Boeing 777-300ER, which had flown out of Singapore and was about to touch down at the Charles de Gaulle (CDG) Airport in Roissy, on the outskirts of Paris. I noticed another airplane was about to take off on the port side, but unfortunately I had sat on an aisle seat so I couldn't take a closer look to examine what aircraft and airline it was.
This is a fun thing for me, to land at an airport with parallel runways so you can see other airplanes taking off or landing.
This might be a good omen of what is to come.
Shopaholics may praise Changi or Dubai as a shopping paradise but CDG -- the airport code according to the International Air Transport Association -- provides a feast for the eyes.
Aviation enthusiasts love to visit airports to watch planes taxiing, taking off and landing, both at home and abroad.
Airplane lovers surely wouldn't miss the chance to visit CDG as it provides plenty of spots to take pictures of their favorite airlines and airplanes -- both inside and outside.
A major outdoor landmark surely not to be missed is none other than the Air France Concorde just outside the Hilton Hotel CDG in Roissypole.
The hotel is a strategic place to stay in the airport compound as it is also next to Terminal 3 (T3) which is dedicated to budget airlines.
Another plus is that is faces the taxiway linking northern runways with the southern.
Early September is a good time to visit as the sun shines for quite a long time, not setting until as late as 9:30 p.m., and the weather is fine.
Even if you don't stay at the pricey Hilton Hotel, the spot is still easy to get to if you go via the Regional Express Network (RER) urban rail network. Take the RER B line and exit at the Charles de Gaulle 1 station. From there it's within walking distance.
While an urban rail network is somewhat a requirement for major airports this days, it's not necessarily needed for fast intercity trains.
If you prefer to travel by land to other French cities such as Avignon or Toulouse (ah ... Toulouse, another must-visit with its Airbus assembly plant), then go the Charles de Gaulle 2 station and simply walk to the TGV bullet station.
Inside the terminals, Satellite 3 or S3 offers perhaps the best view of the airport's southern parallel runways and adjacent taxiways.
While most boarding lounges and waiting rooms only face the apron or faraway runways, S3 gives an unobstructed view of the runways and taxiways thanks to its glass-wall enclosure.
Inaugurated on June 26, 2007, Air France is starting to use S3 as its main hub together with airline members of the Sky Team.
Built by Aeroports de Paris at about 650 million euros, the complex is the first phase in a series of innovations that will significantly improve hub operations for Air France.
The airline itself has spent about 32 million euros constructing a lounge in S3.
The name could be somehow confusing, though. Officially it is called the Satellite 3 Boarding Lounge at Terminal 2E of Charles de Gaulle Airport.
There is not however, a S1 or S2 in the airport although S4 is under construction. It is expected that S4 will be operational by 2012.
The airport itself has three terminals. Terminal 1 (T1) is the oldest, Terminal 2 (T2) is the newest part of the airport and T3 is dedicated for low-cost airlines.
T2 itself is not a huge, singular terminal but is comprised of six halls, named 2A to 2F with S3 on the eastern side of both 2E and 2F halls. S4 is being constructed further east from S3 and is separated with an apron.
Air France calls the new boarding lounge the backbone of its hub promising a waiting time of less than two hours for about 20,000 connecting flights every week.
As most major airports all over the world prepare for the Airbus A380 superjumbo, the S3 boasts its two-level aerobridges, the first of its kind.
Other airports use single-level aerobridges to reach both the upper and lower decks of this gargantuan flying machine.
Each of S3's boarding gates will have three aerobridges -- two for the lower deck and one for the upper deck.
There will be six of these gates in S3 while the future S4 will have four.
Air France is slated to receive its Airbus A380 super jumbo jetliners in 2009 with flights linking Paris with Tokyo and Singapore.
The waiting time may be just under two hours for those with connecting flights but that does not prevent Air France from providing all the amenities to its travelers.
In addition to watching airplanes taxiing, taking off and landing, passengers -- especially the young ones or young at hearts -- can kill time with PlayStation consoles or get the latest info on their destination through PCs connected to the Internet.
Snacks and beverages on offer as well as free internet connectivity are just some of the conveniences long-haul travellers enjoy in the comfy business lounge.(JP/Novan Iman Santosa)Other than staring at airplanes or PlayStation monitors, passengers do have the chance to shop.
While waiting to board their flight, children (and adults) can play a quick game on the PlayStation consoles in the departure lounge. (JP/Novan Iman Santosa)They can, for example, roam La Galerie Parisienne, a mall built by Aeroports de Paris with 3,200 square meters of shops and 1,400 square meters of bars and restaurants with a view of the ... runways!
For business class passengers, there is a 2,600-square-meter lounge with a seating capacity for 700.
As S3 was fully operational on March 30, it provides an additional number of gate-parked long-haul flights at T2 from 52 percent to 80 percent.
Gate-parked means an aircraft is parked directly at the gate allowing for a faster boarding process through the aerobridge compared to remote parking stands requiring passengers to be transported by ground vehicle before boarding an airplane.
The increase in gate-parked aircraft is due to a flexible arrangement of gate configurations from 11 long-haul and eight medium-haul flights to four long-haul and 22 medium-haul flights.
This configuration of between 19 to 26 gate parking stands depends on the type of flight handled, long- or medium-haul.
Other than Air France, the S3 boarding lounge is also used by members of the Sky Team: Aeroflot, AeroMexico, China Southern, Delta, Korean Air and Northwest Airlines.
As the airport is still undergoing expansion, hard core planespotters should consider CDG Airport a main destination before all open spaces are filled in.
Oh -- and one more thing. Dedicated airplane buffs should also visit the nearby historical Le Bourget Airport where the Le Bourget Salon is held every other year on the odd years. The smaller airport also houses the French Museum of Air and Space.
Alas, my schedule was so tight I didn't have the chance to visit although I did make a stop at the Le Bourget RER station.
Who knows -- maybe one day I can return and make a pilgrimage to Le Bourget and Toulouse.
The writer was invited by Air France to visit Charles de Gaulle Airport's S3 for a familiarization trip
posted by novski @ 4:03 PM
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