As I look nervously to the gate screen to see if my name cleared the upgrade, I think to myself there must be a less stressful alternative to flying business for the price of coach, and after some research I found that indeed there was.
Can you imagine skipping all those stressful moments of upgrade uncertainty at the gate (and half the time disappointment) and just flying business class at a reasonable price? Well, thanks to the new wave of boutique business class airlines, that is now possible.
Although EOS, MaxJet, SilverJet and MGM Grand Air never actually took off, there were a few carriers that succeeded, and boy we are glad. Below find our top airline that will get you a good bag for your buck:
Aircraft: Boeing 757-200s
Routes: Newark to London Luton and Paris Orly
Number of seats: 72 angled seats
Seat dimensions: Length is 5 ft / width is 27 inches
Great for: Shorter travelers
Best seat: 2A
Amenity brand: Caudalíe
Average price: $1,499 round-trip
“It is not going to be the most luxurious business class, but it will be the best for the price,” says Peter Luethi, the Deputy chief executive officer.
The high priced business class fares, scarcity of seats and high demand from the big boys has opened up the door for airlines like La Compagnie to take advantage of the sweet spot most large airliners are missing out on.
La Compagnie’s offers business class at 30-50% less than regular biz-class carriers. Last year, their average cost for La Compagnie was $1,499 round-trip, including taxes and fees vs $1,394 which is the average for an economy round-trip ticket to London on American Airlines. Finally the average price as of today for a business class seat to London on American is $3,953. So La Compagnie is actually a great deal!
La Compagnie’s seat is 26 inches wide, versus 21 inches on Air France, and 26 inches on American. The seat has 62 inches (5 ft) of pitch, versus 79 inches on Air France and 61 on American—in other words, it’s very competitive, but ideal for little people. The cabin atmosphere is chic and fresh, giving you a feeling of peace and relaxation when you walk in. Forget about the overstuffed bins, angry passengers and annoying announcements every 20 seconds. Everything just seems sophisticated and enjoyable.
As for drawbacks, they do not have any frequent-flyer program, the lounge is before security, the seats are on the shorter side and the the passengers on the window seat need to climb over the passenger on the aisle.
Overall, for the price it is a steal. You get to fly business class, sleep during the flight and have some extra money to spend in Paris when you get there!