La Compagnie Business Class Paris To Newark Review

I enjoy reading your reviews 🙂

1. I would have already been irritated by what you experienced at check in, he would have gotten a nice 'one' from me right there and then... by 'one' I mean I would have made him feel like a schoolboy..

2...if i was told 'of course not' I would respond by asking him if he previously worked on a crap bus or easyjet... because if he didn't know, real airlines do have places to hang jackets... and now you may excuse yourself.

The trash bag comment...priceless! rofl

I honestly started laughing out loud with the conversations that you had with them. This sounds to me like the best "economy comfort" product in the world. But its certainly not a competitive business class.

Honestly, think I'd rather pay for coach and fly w/ a reputable airline, thereby earning miles. This airline looks like a joke....

I have to say, this is one of my favourite posts. I only hope the full trip report is as amusing. Some notes:

1. Apparently all Juicy Couture stores in the US are closing, so there is a God.

2. "It was more bland than a palate cleansing sorbet." I actually LOL'd IRL at this one. Such a catty bitch! I love it.

3. I love the plastic covers left on the food. Classy.

4. Your taste in music is horrible. You realize Justin Bieber is an experimental biological warfare agent that escaped from a top-secret lab in Stratford, Ontario? That's why we won't let him back into Canada.

Mind boggling. I second that, I'd rather fly coach as well and earn the miles. Sounds like a complete headache trying to decipher all of that.

Entertaining review nonetheless!

I was wondering where those Air Canada flight attendants ended up....

The conversations you had are freaking hilarious. It sounds like you were in a Monty Python sketch about a French airline. I can hear John Cleese saying everything you report, all in a fake French accent.

Hilarious. La Compagnie should reflect on what Ravel said about his most famous orchestral work ("Bolero"). He said, "It is the best thing I have ever written. Alas, it is not music."

Alas, it is not business class.

So how was the seat to actually sleep in? I sleep on my coach in couch in very similar position regularly.

This is of the more comical flights you've had in a while. Keep taking new flights. 😉

I have some friends that want to go to Europe in November that this might actually be a good fit for them. They are just getting started on the FF miles and need a flight in which they can not be in coach as she will be 7 months pregnant then. And, flying out of Newark is close to their family, so that works too.

However, what makes me the most curious is Ben stalked this airline like a 16 year old chasing her crush and still barely found out about the flight in time. How in the hell was the flight 2/3rds full? Was everyone else French and the airline advertised it locally only?

A fun post indeed... do you recall more conversations to share?

It sounds like a very good option at the current price. For someone who would otherwise be flying coach, this is a way more comfortable seat, with everything else just about the same as coach. So yeah, I'd pay a premium for this over coach, but certainly not a typical business class price... although my finances are such that I'd never be able to afford a typical paid business class ticket anyway, so it's a moot point.

Honestly, we coach passengers are used to poor customer service, long lines, wrinkly jackets, plastic cups, and crappy IFE or occasionally no IFE at all. When everyone's a premium class passenger, no one gets treated like one, and this isn't surprising.

Assuming you're right that they eventually bring their fares in line with normal business class fares, yeah, the value proposition will plummet. But for now, it's intriguing.

As you mentioned it really depends on who/what they are competing against. True business class or coach. With all of the issues you mentioned, I think many people would choose to fly them vs. flying in coach at a traditional airline, even if the price was slightly higher than coach.

The real question is what do they have to charge to make the run profitable? I know you wouldn't know the specifics Ben, but what would your guess be here?

@ Ken -- That's a great question. Maybe someone with some insight in airline operations could give a ballpark estimate? Totally pulling this out of my rear with no explanation, but I'd guess they'd need to make AT LEAST $80K per night to break even. And that's on the WAY low side.

Can anyone chime in?

@ Apu -- Gotta save something for the full trip report. 😉

This link suggests it costs about $13,500 an hour to operate a 757-200:

http://www.bjtonline.com/sites/default/files/pdfs/boeing757_additional_information.pdf

@ Mike -- Ouch. So we're talking $110,000 just for the variable costs per hour, and that's only one component of their costs. So divided by 74 seats, that's $1,500 per seat per direction, assuming a 100% load factor and not including taxes, and not accounting for any of their variable costs.

The 757 consumes about 3 gallons per nautrical mile. At 3000 miles for CDG-NYC that comes down to $25000 for fuel (at todays price of $2,80 per gallon).

Which means that at full load $330 per pax, or about half of the ticket price, was spent on fuel.

I'm not sure about crew costs, airport fees and so on. But i'd say that if they use the Ryanair model (25% of the tickets at lowest fare, 50% at double the lowest fare, and 25% and 3 times the lowest fare) they could well operate without operational loss..

I flew L'Avion many times, so I'm not surprised by this report.

I start from the proposition that I am 6'3", over 50, and do not travel for business but only for lesiure.
I therefore get no staus with any airline. Points come from credit card spend mostly.

Premium leisure travel is an important market, and based on this review, that is really where this airline is headed.

I would also not be surprised if the owners are starting this company up with an eye towards selling it in the future, as the did with L'Avion. Anyone care to guess how much they made on the sale?

I view this as paying up for a better than coach seat with coach level service everywhere else.

M

lucky,

I did notice that you could have saved yourself some time in finding check-in at the airport...

You wrote "The first challenge was finding their check-in. I took the TGV train from Brussels, and upon arrival at Charles de Gaulle tried to figure out which terminal La Compagnie departs from."

However, their website does state "Follow signs for “Terminal 1” as soon as you arrive at the airport."

The rest of your post was very entertaining, informative and done very tongue-in-cheek. Liked it a lot, but would never fly them...I need more dependability in an airline carrier.

better than united on the same route? Would be great if you could compare them, head to head.

This is hilarious. Thank you.

Maybe business is the wrong term, they should label themselves a premium economy airline. a lot of companies, like mine, no longer pay for business class tickets.

I think that they've got a great chance of stealing business from the major airlines.

I wish them luck

I am a frequent Business Class traveler. This "THING" cannot be called Business Class, there is nothing else to say. It won't last long !!!

You should fear for your life thinking about the FAs quality of training. No price is worth that sacrifice of safety.

I laughed from the start to the end of reading your post. My wife came to ask WTH are you reading? Maybe the best way to "enjoy" this flight is to board, take a sleeping pill which effect that starts as soon as you take and ends when the wheels touch the ground in EWR.

Time for a head-to-head comparison of New York transatlantic products vs. Kuwait Airways JFK-LHR....

im flying them in 2 weeks. am totally not surprised of your amuzing report (ive flown EOS, MAXjet, SILVERjet on the same route in the past...and so far EOS were the most Biz/First compatable...however the most expensive too with fares starting at $1000 each way at the biginning, and within 6 months equaling BA,VS,AF and the likes at $3500 each way...so people...at this price it really is a steal...that's less than Premium economy, and totally equalling economy class pricewise...never mind the service....the flat bed seat will do the trick to shut me up of any potential complaints) really.

@Gary Leff: OMG YES! I'm so tired of seeing Lufthansa and Cathay First. Let's challenge him to find the WORST product across the Atlantic!

Lucky, thanks for the review.
Whats their IATA Airline code, and is their ticket stock/plate number?

I'd be interested to hear a review of Condor's "new" business class, not much info out there.

@ Chff -- Was 022 ticket stock, I believe. Not even sure about their IATA code.

@ Gary Leff -- LOL!

@ John DELTA -- Right, in this case was literally running to train station the second I booked my ticket, so don't at all blame them for that part of it. Just figured I'd share the funny anecdote regarding trying to find their terminal.

Thanks for a fun and informative post. One of the most telling photos was the one of the passenger with bent knees and his foot up against the seat in front of him. It just doesn't look roomy or comfortable. I might do it, but only as a last-minute purchase, although I do worry about the FA safety training if this is how they operate.

Haha ... Just shows you can still catch folks out with an April fools in July 🙂

It's Maxjet... Isn't it? Non....?

lucky,

One thing that you did not really cover (although you mentioned that they increased to six flight attendants) is how was the personal service? Did you feel that their service flow was adequate, deficient or above average? I mean, did you feel that you were waiting for an attendant or any food/beverage needs, or were they going at a good clip?

I abhor pressing the "Call Attendant" when I need something, and rather enjoy when they are truly "on top" of their service and check in (or are available) frequently.

Just wondering

@ John DELTA -- Service was sub par. Meal service took several hours, and didn't feel like there was enough refills. Between meals I had to push the call button if I wanted anything.

@lucky, found their info.
Its B0-002 DREAMJET SAS

@ Chff — Was 022 ticket stock, I believe. Not even sure about their IATA code.

Great write up, I'm looking forward to the full trip report.

Would it be easy to run your own smuggling operation if you had your own airline? One suitcase of drugs should pay for a the flight. Any passengers are just gravy.

@ Jason -- ROFL! Almost a plausible explanation.

Second @bubba about comparing to United and all the rest across the Atlantic! seems like it's been ages since you've reviewed a flight with UA.

Have you reviewed BF in the 787 on UA yet? Should I fly UA BF in the 787 or BA CW on the 747 from LON-IAH this September? Miles and status agnostic for the trip but needs to be nonstop.

Maybe Etihad will invest in them, given their penchant for investing in failing European carriers...

I love that they serve you food with the plastic cover AND the expiry date sticker. You don't get much classier than that!

Very entertaining post!

Air Fawlty Towers.

How un Lucky! I always wonder why people in first/biz class get so excited about amenity bags. I can buy my own upscale crap any time I want. Why would a rich person (one actually paying, not a blogger or points flyer) even want their token?

Have you read "A Year in Provence" Or "A Year in the Merde" You should and you will be surprised at how typical your experience is!!!! We just returned from Paris (yes the Vendome) and experienced this at it's best... From the Eiffel Tower at 11pm (with two tired kids) we asked the attendants where the nearest metro was. We walked for what seemed to be 15 minutes to find that the station was closed (no signs or announcements telling us this before we descend to the train) and ask the ticket booth attendant where the next station is. He sent us 2 blocks away... To a station on te same line that was also CLOSED!!!! And there were about 5 consecutive stops on that line that were closed but nobody could tell us that? We took a taxi.

I know my comment is a bit late but this is a great post. Thanks !

I really am enjoyed reading this review - funny and straight forward.

I wish LC offers flight from SF to Paris.

Those amenity kit bag made from the same materials they used to make rice sack, in my home country, big rice sack cost 50 Cents, with that size, it would only cost them 5 cents to make, pathetic....

I could be wrong but sense that you (and many people commenting) have not spent much time in France before as the complaints are often cross-cultural expressions of failed expectations (i.e. trying to drag tired kids to the Metro around midnight which closes early compared to other transit systems) . Nor I suspect have many worked or functioned in a start-up business of any kind as then one knows there will always be kinks to work out and that takes time.
Although your seemingly zero French skills, good sense of humor and knack for exaggeration are very amusing in a "who's on first?" sort of way: any review that says "To be honest the food was marginally better than economy class food" when there is what looks like fresh salmon and brie in the photo, makes me take it with a huge grain of salt. After decades of flying transatlantic in all classes on US/UK airlines (all the way back to PanAm and Laker Airways/Skytrain), that comparison is utterly absurd as one is lucky to get a single edible meal, never mind a healthy appetizer and a cheese course in economy on any other airline (AF, LH and TK being exceptions).
I was a big fan of L'Avion (and still fly OpenSkies monthly) even tho they too went through their growing pains. I shall be trying out the La Compagnie product this weekend to see if they have corrected any of the issues you experienced, and will try to report back here with an unbiased view of that flight.

Thank you very much for your report.

I am very interested in flying with this airline simply because of the price/space ratio. This is the angle your report missed entirely. Instead of criticizing the present state of "cattle class" on all other airlines, you saw fit to directly compare this product with other airlines charging 4x-5x more. Why? These people seem to simply want to get people from point A to point B with a modicum of decency. Passengers are fighting about leaning your seat back etc. in cattle class on United.

Hopefully they will "polish up" some of the other aspects mentioned in this report. Regardless, I think they are offering a great alternative for those of us who aren't millionaires but still would like to be treated like people instead of cattle.

Although amusing, this review is excessive. If this was one of the first flights, it is fair to understand that service issues have to be resolved. Also, I know that major airlines are currently spending a fortune on the business class setting, but let's not forget the dozens of other carriers still using some older style seats on flights less than 6 hours, yet charging full business class fares.

This is Internet, it is important to consider potential damages to the airline prior to publishing. And no, i have nothing to do with this airline if you are wondering.

i hope we like this airline! we booked it before we read this but in all honesty, we're gettng a ton for our money and unless you fly private, what more can one ask for? we literally saved thousands and at the very least have tons more leg room than coach. so we're good.

@ anastasia beaverhausen -- If you're coming in with those expectations, I'm sure you'll be very happy.

You never elaborated on the cause of the 75 minute delay. This is one of my biggest concerns with small independent operators. Clout is everything at airports like JFK and CDG. I've experienced large delays with Sun Country out of JFK. Once they couldn't even get a gate and we had to bus out to the tarmac in subfreezing weather. I expect La Compagnie is probably at the bottom on the list for taxi clearance favors as well. You probably watched 15 United flights pass you on a taxi intersection.

Safety Issues: You are flying on a 14 year-old ex-Iberia 757, passed along to Atlasjet, Saudi Arabian, Icelandair, and Titan Airways before reaching you. That's fairly young for a 757, but everything depends on how diligently it has been maintained. La Compagnie was originally named Dream Air. AFAIK they have only one aircraft (with possibly another on order). This also gives me pause because if a mechanical issue arises, I doubt they can just bring in another all-business class replacement on loan. When a mechanical issue arises (and they frequently do on any carrier) there are two possibilities: MEL or NO-GO. MEL is a Mechanical Equipment List option whereby the plane can still be flown overseas with the mechanical issue listed for later maintenance if the FAA allows that it is not critical to the safety of the flight. Beyond that it is up to the operator. On an overseas flight some may be more cautious than others. My concern is that an operator with one aircraft is going to go to the limits of the MEL allowances. Some MEL allowances can reduce redundancies and restrict flight procedures and use of autoflight in certain phases. Even if this doesn't compromise safety, it might make for inconveniences if it involves things that effect passenger comfort (like an out-of-service restroom). Pilot training is the most important concern for safety however. Large operators like Delta have a strong safety culture (although AirFrance had a very weak one until recently) but small operators may be inconsistent, relying on contract pilots, perhaps from less reputable carriers and training programs. I highly doubt La Compagnie has their own pilot recurrent training programs but one hopes they are screening their pilots carefully, performing check-rides and requiring them to keep current on training from a reputable source such as Lufthansa. (I'm still uneasy about the culture at Air France). The problem is there are a lot of substandard private training programs out there producing under-trained pilots. When you fly with major carriers, you don't have to worry about that.

Flight Time: The 757/767's cruise a bit slower than the 747/777/A330's. It might add 30 minutes to the flight time. But time is relative and a 7.5 hour flight in business class can certainly feel shorter than a 7 hour flight in coach...

One last thing: What is it about travelers and privacy these days? I actually hate these divided plastic booth monstrosities that have replaced the old comfortable seats in business class. I think a flight is a social experience that you share with others, and I've met a number of interesting people on flights. I wish we could go back to the days of those spacious, stylish 1970s cabins. The interior of the La Compagnie jet looks like a hospital ward to me. At least they didn't go with the dividers. Yet.

I flew SAS old Business Class from Copenhagen to Tokyo and back over Christmas and New Year's. SAS have the same seats as La Compagnie, and yes they are 170-degrees angled. In all fair honesty I found the seats very comfortable for lounging, and I managed a 3 hour nap on the outbound flight.

My motto has always been that a Business Class seat is a million times more comfortable than coach, which was also the case with SAS. I am more than happy to sit in an old angled seat than in a cramped coach seat, and surely for the prices La Compagnie are charging I really don't think it's justified to complain considering what you get for your money.

Do I prefer a fully-flat seat? Of course, but an angled seat works as fine for me.

Your article is extremely snobbish. I think its safe to say they charge a low fare to entice the "economy" market into trying something new. By no means are they "competing" to win over other airlines business class ticket holders. If I can afford a $3,000 ticket on American, there is no reason why I would even think to switch to a new, boutique airline with few reviews, to save $1,500 -- especially when a majority of those who fly business/first on major international carriers have flyer mile programs and would not even consider switching, regardless of price. You wrote this article as if this airline is supposed to WOW you as if you're on an Emirates A380. Get real. This is to lean individuals who purchase economy tickets into an airline that offers more comfort and "luxury" than that of an international carrier with an 18inch seat width and over 250 people onboard. I don't know about you, but I will take a "crooked" lie-flat seat over a 4inch recline any day.

Stop being a snob when you write -- total turn off to those who view this as an awesome opportunity to try something new that was at one time unaffordable for most. Write your articles from the consumer stance, not bias'd opinions on your snobbish travel experiences.

I flew last week on the New York - London (or Newark - Luton, if you must). I thought it was wonderful. For less than $2000, it was far better than Premium Economy on Virgin, BA, Delta or others. No, it is not Virgin Upper Class, but it's 1/3 the price.

All of the early growing pains you mentioned are in the past. Check in at Luton and Newark couldn't have been easier and the staff couldn't have been nicer. The lounges, admittedly, need work.

On board you get a decent meal with an almost flat bed on a plane that has plenty of room to move and walk around. Unlike flying a major, you don't have to wait around forever while a million people make their way to the back of the plane. Same at luggage claim; it's not a mass of humanity.

I thought it was wonderful. I definitely plan to fly them again. I think it's far better cost performance than other carriers.

Norwegian Airlines did better but they have jacked up their business class fares. As someone who lived in Paris and speaks French, I can tell you one has to look down one's nose at them before they do it to you. Establishing the relationship immediately is critical. I suggest as an opener, "Mais vous etes des imbeciles". That will definitely get their attention.

As an aside, we travel from the west coast so any airline that gets me to Europe with leg room makes my day. New Yorkers get it easy if you can avoid JFK. To heck with the food. I can bring my own. I took Lufthansa and my knees were compressed by the seat in front of me, then as soon as the wheels were up, the unspeakable Sigfried in front of me put his chair back down for 11 hours. I was looking for a masseur on arrival. I will never go near that airline again. You can keep Air New Zealand as well. You feel like a Kiwi after 12 hours in economy. Both United and Air Canada treat their economy passengers better.

This June [2019] we booked on La Compangnie, Newark to Paris [RT]. Our flight over was cancelled 48 hours before departure. We had firm bookings on a flight Paris to London.
La Compagnie offered us a later flight instead of Paris to Nice. Of course we could not make our Paris to London connection. We dropped that and waited until the next morning flying directly to London from Nice. We incurred an extra night's stay in Nice, taxi rides, a lost ticket from Paris to London, lost return flight [when you don't show for the first flight, you lose the return] and a lost night in our London hotel adding up to over a thousand dollars in extra costs.
At the end of our stay in England and Paris, we were told that our flight from Paris to Newark was also cancelled. If we arrived at 8:00 am at Orley, we would be put on the morning flight instead of the more comfortable afternoon departure.

2 Flights for 2 people, both cancelled and we are repeat customers.

The check in people at La Compangie said the company wouldmeet us, they did not, would reimburse us if we showed receiptsm they did not. After multiple attempts to contact anyone by phone and waiting for 4 weeks, they more or less told us, too bad, we owe you nothing.

Unless you are willing to see your flight changed with very little notice and you have a great deal of flexibility or insurance at the other end, do not fly this amateur operation.