- The French airline La Compagnie and the Maldives-based airline Beond only fly with Airbus business class aircraft.
- The model has been unsuccessful so far, but airlines are focusing on niche markets with high demand.
- I think both are worth the expense for people looking for a chic but affordable travel experience.
Business class-only airlines are one of the least practiced strategies among airlines – and that’s because historically they don’t work.
British Airways, newcomer BermudAir, Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines had previously tried these premium-focused aircraft but then abandoned them, citing high costs, a lack of adaptability to fluctuating demand and tough competition as challenges.
But they are not extinct yet. Two pure business class airlines are still in operation: the French La Compagnie and the Maldivian Beond.
I have flown with both low-cost airlines, starting with La Compagnie from Paris to New Jersey in 2022 and most recently with Beond from Milan to Malé in July 2023.
There are a few key differences, but I think both are great alternatives to the big competitors and are as close to flying privately on a commercial ticket as you can get.
