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Beond, an all-business class airline, launches in November 2023 with 21-year-old Airbus A319 aircraft.
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The Maldives-based airline flies to Europe and Asia and aims to expand its routes with the Airbus A321.
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Critics doubt the strategy, but Beond hopes to wrest business from larger competitors.
Maldives-focused airline Beond is an unknown startup.
The “premium leisure” carrier is launching in November 2023 with a single, 21-year-old, all-business class Airbus A319-100 flying from the Maldives to Europe and Asia.
Beond recently added a 22-year-old A321-200 to its fleet, which has more capacity but less range, to fly to new destinations like Bangkok. By 2025, they want to have 32 longer-haul Airbus aircraft in their fleet.
Despite his grand plan, the cards were stacked against Beond. Other airlines, including British Airways, Qatar Airways, and Singapore Airlines, have tried to fly only long-haul premium aircraft only to cut back due to high costs and intense competition.
That small fleet also leaves Beond with little flexibility in the event of a problem. In addition, most “nonstop” flights have a fuel point in Dubai, and other carriers have a wider choice of frequencies.
I flew the airline for the first time in July 2024 to see how it compares to other business class specific competitors like La Compagnie.
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Flights to Europe require a fuel stop in Dubai.
Beond’s narrow plane is limited in its range, flights between Male and Zurich, Milan, and Munich stop in Dubai to refuel.
Stopped for fuel for about an hour during Business Insider’s July flight between Milan and Male. There are crew and catering changes, but passengers do not have to disembark.
The total flight time, including fuel stops, is shorter than that required to fly the route in the main competitor. Qatar, for example, will take at least an hour and a half longer, require a layover, and are more at risk for connection problems.
The plane only has business flat seats.
Beond’s premium business model only promises beds for all passengers at discounted rates compared to other airlines. Roundtrip tickets start around $2,000.
For example, the cheapest Milan-Male return fare on Beond is about $3,000 in February. In comparison, the Qatar and Emirates websites show similar business class schedules costing about $4,000 and around $3,500, respectively, and include stopovers in Doha and Dubai.
The difference in fares increases during the holidays, with a business class ticket costing upwards of $10,000 on Emirates at the end of December but only $4,000 on Beyond.
Footwells are narrow.
The beds at Beond are soft and comfortable, with very soft linens. My five-foot, three-inch body easily fit with room to spare, but I couldn’t get comfortable on my stomach because of the narrow footwell.
Taller travelers may consider the length of the bed when booking, as BI’s Pete Syme reported during a media tour in November that people over six feet tall found it too tight.
Customers can pay for custom ottoman chairs.
Customers who want more space can pay extra for one of the eight ottoman seats in the first and exit rows. The ottoman also doubles as a companion seat.
The special seats are part of the “business-class-plus” trend, where airlines are creating higher-end business seats that can get more bang for their buck.
JetBlue Airways, Qatar Airways, German carrier Condor, and Virgin Atlantic Airways have all invested in some form of upgraded business class seats.
Window seats do not have direct aisle access.
One of the disadvantages of the plane is the 2 × 2 layout. This means that the window seat passengers cannot freely access the aisle when the neighbor’s seat is in bed mode.
The seat also lacks a center divider.
Beyond has an iPad instead of a backseat television.
Unlike traditional business class seats with seat-back screens and remote controls, Beond provides passengers with iPads for in-flight entertainment. It sits on a tablet holder that mounts at eye level in front of the seat and connects to Beats noise-canceling headphones.
Travelers who rely on IFE airlines won’t find a huge selection of movies, but there are some good options, such as Sherlock Holmes and Interstellar. Customers can also bring their own device with downloaded content to attach to the tablet holder.
However, there is no WiFi. The airline targets travelers with money, so that option is a lower priority.
The seat has a universal outlet but minimal storage.
The 2×2 layout means there is little room for extra bins or cubbies. However, the seats each have a small slot in front and next to the seat, as well as a small center table.
Fortunately, there’s plenty of headroom for a few dozen passengers.
Tourists ask for slippers and an amenity kit.
Beond branded bags include items like dental kits, eyemasks, socks, and lotions.
Food options include beef and lobster.
At the start of each flight, passengers are served a full meal, including bread, appetizer, entrée, and dessert.
I was impressed with the quality of the food and the taste, which included options like lobster, chicken and pasta dishes, and brisket.
Bread, fruit, and cheese are nice touches.
Customers should not expect QSuite-level luxury.
Qatar’s famous QSuite is considered the best business class in the world. The airline pioneered the likes of double beds and box seats, and each seat was like a mini-hotel room with sliding doors and a giant flat-screen television.
Most global carriers followed the trend with versions of business class equipped with their own doors, such as Lufthansa’s Allegri product, British Airways’ Club Suite, and Turkish Airlines’ “Crystal” seat.
Beond has opted for a less luxe configuration without television and a minimum of space and privacy in comparison. However, the downside may be the lower ticket price.
Beond may struggle to shake off its competitors’ loyal customers.
Carriers like Qatar, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Japan Airlines, Singapore Airlines, and other major airlines flying in the same region as Beond already have a strong customer base.
These airlines have stronger operations and more flight options for their customers. Beyond’s smaller, more restrictive business model can discourage customers from switching – especially if they don’t keep up on time.
However, Beond is banking on the market of travelers looking to purchase discounted business class tickets. And, if they get longer-haul flights, they can connect less-served city pairs, other carriers don’t fly without a fuel stop in Dubai.
Read the original article on Business Insider
