AIRLINE REVIEW
for those sleeping . But it ’ s a plus if compared to any flight from Europe to the Maldives ( and back ) involving a connection in the Gulf region . In these , passengers have to deplane , walk ( or , worse , take a bus ) to the gate of the connecting flight , and go through another boarding .
AMENITIES APLENTY
Plush seating , lie-flat beds , Champagne , and three-course meals come with even more amenities . Most of these are the bread and butter of Business Class traveling , while others are more at the First Class level . When booking a seat , BeOnd ’ s guests can choose from three different fares , each of which gives access to a different portfolio of amenities . ‘ Delight ’, the cheapest available , guarantees 40kg of checked baggage , 10kg of cabin baggage , and access to Fast Track at security ; ‘ Bliss ’ adds access to the lounge and the complimentary choice of a ‘ premium seat ’ onboard ; ‘ Opulence ’, the top choice , comes with 60kg of checked baggage , 15kg of cabin luggage , free change of booking and premium transfer from home to the airport .
In February , the airline announced a fleet and network expansion : besides leasing the Airbus A321 , it will be opening three new destinations : Dubai , Bangkok ( BKK ), and Milan ( MXP ).
9 A black leather bag contains noise insulating Bing branded headphones . An equally black , oval-shaped vanity kit contains body lotion , perfume , dental kit , hand sanitizer , and socks , but no eyeshades .
10 The inflight entertainment is available through IPads distributed to passengers before takeoff .
11 Two varieties of champagne are available onboard . Mixed salted nuts are served as an aperitif before lunch or dinner
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Because of its all-Business Class model , its extraordinary cabin , its high level of onboard service , and its cool look , BeOnd attracted vast media coverage during its first weeks of operations , mainly from those outlets focused on lifestyle and travel .
Yet , the hype did not translate into satisfying load factors . BeOnd demoted Munich ( MUC ) from a year-round to a ‘ seasonal ’ service . It ‘ suspended ’ Bangkok from its schedule after a few weeks . Even more significantly , in mid-March , BeOnd slashed prices in hope of attracting more traffic . “ As a young airline , we are learning from the market , also in point of fares ,” the CEO said .
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The discounts were huge , the starting fare ( Delight ) plunging from US $ 3,063 to US $ 2,190 on the Zurich service ; from US $ 2,970 to US $ 2,123 on the Munich service ( before it was stopped at the end of March ), and from US $ 2,603 to US $ 1,911 on the future
24 AIRWAYS MAGAZINE JUNE 2024 www . airwaysmag . com