Inflight Review Posted on

Review: Air Calin Economy Class Sydney to Noumea

Aircalin strives to deliver a touch of French elegance on its international routes, despite facing challenges at outstations.

We liked…

Comfortable and ergonomic pillows in economy class.

We didn’t like…

Slow and disjointed meal service.

Lack of meal choices and minimal interaction from the cabin crew.

Overall

Flying with Air Calin on the A320 offers comfortable and ergonomic pillows in economy class, but the overall inflight experience can be hit or miss.

The meal service was slow and lacked interaction, with limited meal choices and minimal presence of French wines and products.

There is room for improvement in service quality and consistency.

INTRODUCTION

Looking for a quick escape, I decided to explore the beautiful New Caledonia.

I booked a flight via Sydney with Air Calin, eager to experience their new A330-900neo on the Sydney to Noumea route.

However, a last-minute aircraft change meant I would be flying on their A320 instead.

The airline recently introduced a range of pre-order upgrade meals.

Unfortunately, as I had booked a Qantas codeshare flight, I was unable to secure one of these new meal options despite my efforts.

ON THE GROUND

The A320, despite being smaller, offers proper business class seats. As I boarded, I managed to snap a picture of the cabin, which felt relaxing, like a precursor to a holiday.

The pillows provided in economy class were among the best I’ve experienced—ergonomic and supportive, hugging your body in ways that regular economy class pillows don’t.

Before takeoff, the cabin crew offered French newspapers.

INFLIGHT

Ten minutes after takeoff, the crew distributed kids’ packs, and within 30 minutes, the inflight service began.

The crew worked from both ends of the cabin, meeting in the middle. One crew member handled the front section alone, while two others managed the rear with an additional crew member assisting from the galley

The service, unfortunately, felt slow and disjointed. It took 1 hour and 5 minutes after takeoff for me to receive my meal.

The crew member placed the tray down without any interaction, not even a glance.

Later, she asked if I wanted something to drink. There was a slight language barrier, making communication challenging.

The meal consisted of a chicken thigh with sweet potato and vegetables, which was quite good.

The vegetables and sweet potato were the highlights, overshadowing the chicken.

The tray also included some pre-packaged cheese, an apple cake, and a bread roll.

Curious about the delicious brown sauce accompanying the meal, I asked the crew member during collection.

Her reply, “We don’t get details like that,” was rather abrupt. A bit more engagement would have been appreciated.

During the collection stage, coffee, tea, water, and Beehive Whiskey were offered.

The overall inflight experience was underwhelming. There was no choice of meals, and I expected a more substantial presence of French wines and products, which were notably absent.

I later learned that flights originating from Noumea offer a better product and meal selection than those from outstations.

CONCLUSION

Flying on Air Calin’s A320 provided a mixed experience. The ergonomic pillows were a standout, adding a touch of comfort often missed in economy class.

However, the slow and disjointed meal service, lack of meal choices, and minimal engagement from the cabin crew left much to be desired. The absence of French wines and products in the inflight service was a missed opportunity to showcase French culture.

There’s room for growth, and I look forward to seeing how they enhance the travel experience in the future.