It’s a fascinating time for Air Côte d’Ivoire, the national airline of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire. The airline recently took delivery of its first wide body aircraft, an Airbus A330-900neo, and will soon launch flights between Abidjan (ABJ) and Paris (CDG).
I realize I’m probably more intrigued by this new service than just about anyone, especially since Air Côte d’Ivoire is the first airline in years to introduce an international first class product. However, I’m a little confused by what’s going on here, and am wondering if the airline decided to backtrack?
In this post:
Does Air Côte d’Ivoire offer first class to Paris, or not?
Air Côte d’Ivoire has been promoting how its Airbus A330-900neo is in a premium, four cabin configuration, with first class, business class, premium economy, and economy.
Now, as I noted when the airline took delivery of the plane, in terms of quality, first class looks more like a “business class plus.” That’s because there’s not even a curtain between first class and business class (then again, the same is true on Starlux, and that doesn’t stop the airline).
But this is where it gets strange, and I’m confused. If you go to the website of Air Côte d’Ivoire and try to book this flight, you’ll see the option to book business class or economy, but not the option to book first class or premium economy. Is that a glitch, or…?
Even the carrier’s advertisement for this flight only makes reference to business class and economy fares, and not first class or premium economy fares.
What makes this strange is that if you go to Google Flights, you’ll see the option to book first class (with absurd pricing), but only through online travel agencies.
So is the airline offering first class, but just isn’t selling it directly (yet?), or what other explanation is there?
Here’s another thing I find noteworthy. If you check out the carrier’s 3D tour of the A330-900neo cabin and look at the front row of seats, you’ll see them described as “BC+ Suite,” which sure sounds to me like “business class plus suite,” or something, rather than first class. Is that intentional?
So does anyone have any clue what’s actually going on here? Is the airline selling this first row of seats as first class or as business class plus? And does the airline even sell this product directly, in any form?
I wondered if a ticketed passenger in business class has the option to pay extra to assign a seat in the first row, and that maybe this is how the airline is monetizing the cabin. However, it seems that the airline doesn’t actually let you access the seat map without first ticketing the reservation, which is a major challenge in terms of figuring that out.
I’m still looking for a good Air Côte d’Ivoire fare
Regardless of whether Air Côte d’Ivoire markets the front cabin on its A330-900neo as first class, or business class plus, or whatever, I’d still like to fly with the airline, even if it’s in the standard business class.
However, I’m finding that Air Côte d’Ivoire has unusually straightforward pricing, in the sense that there aren’t many opportunities to position to another city to get a better deal. Pricing is pretty similar whether originating in Paris or Abidjan, and roundtrip fares are more affordable than one-ways.
Often there’s an opportunity to book one direction in business class and one direction in economy (so that you can just throw away the return), but that’s not even an option here, at least not in a way that’s useful. If you select a business class fare on the outbound, the cheapest economy fare can no longer be paired with that, and you end up having to pay an economy fare that’s close to the business class fare.
I’ve looked at originating in other cities, but there’s virtually no pricing advantage. I feel like there’s no airline that’s quite this straightforward, so I’m curious if anyone has found anything better.
What’s funny is that Starlux is the only other airline in the world I haven’t flown in first class, and the carrier’s pricing just frustrates the hell out of me. You can either pay around $2,500 for one-way first class on an intra-Asia flight (which just seems stupid, since it’s not the full experience), or you can pay around $8,000 for one-way first class on a long haul flight.
I haven’t been able to find any sort of a deal with any city pairs, so I really think that Starlux has outsmarted me here! I want to pull the trigger on my last first class product, but both of those options just seem suboptimal. Where’s an Aeroplan partnership, or an ex-Cairo (well, or somewhere else) fare, or a cheap airport upgrade, when you need it?!
Bottom line
Air Côte d’Ivoire will soon launch Paris flights with its new Airbus A330-900neos. The airline has been promoting how these planes will have first class, yet oddly, the airline isn’t actually selling first class directly (unless I’m missing something). Meanwhile some online travel agencies do sell first class on this flight, while the company’s virtual tour of the plane suggests this is a business class plus product.
What do you make of this Air Côte d’Ivoire first class situation?
Oh how much I would love to think that sane minds at HF have read my last post and are indeed sparing themselves the humiliation of a First Class Flop. 30 years of buying coffee and cocoa in Ivolry Coast strongly make me think, however, that this is not the case and that the glitch is due to some computer snafu or lack of preparedness selling the product.
Based upon the widely perceived status entitlement...
Oh how much I would love to think that sane minds at HF have read my last post and are indeed sparing themselves the humiliation of a First Class Flop. 30 years of buying coffee and cocoa in Ivolry Coast strongly make me think, however, that this is not the case and that the glitch is due to some computer snafu or lack of preparedness selling the product.
Based upon the widely perceived status entitlement of those who, in Ivory Coast, would buy First Class to Europe, especially at such aun unreasonable premium, one more element, I just realized, is missing: the physical separation between Business and First. That partition would equally be required to shield from interference privileged VIPs offered (or demanding) those "Business Plus" seats.
Nothing complicated, just sheer lunacy in their classes! Only 4 in F, J44, P21 and 173 fufu pounders down the back I'm not surprised there's no opportunities elsewhere for revenue!
Sorry to be contrary but I'm giving Ben a 100% pass on his reluctance to book Starlux F. For me, the reviews have meaning when the product is within my aspiration range, which means bookable somehow without paying full retail "straightforward" price. A carrier that won't even throw points/miles people a bone is off my radar and I don't really care about the onboard experience. So I'm entirely in favour of Ben applying his usual...
Sorry to be contrary but I'm giving Ben a 100% pass on his reluctance to book Starlux F. For me, the reviews have meaning when the product is within my aspiration range, which means bookable somehow without paying full retail "straightforward" price. A carrier that won't even throw points/miles people a bone is off my radar and I don't really care about the onboard experience. So I'm entirely in favour of Ben applying his usual techniques to research the angles and finding none, giving the airline no puff. If Starlux wants to be more relevant, theyneed to pony up, with redemption reciprocity for F bookings, or at least one route with a fare. Cebu?
Ben, if you search for HF flights through OTAs like Momondo etc business fare in the range of 1,400-1,500 USD pops up. If you click through on the Expedia offers, it say the price has changed to like half, but shows as eco. However, thorugh some others options it still comes through as biz all the way to payment.
I've not deared to book as I suspect that might be some sort of eco ticket and it is all a mess, ending up paying twice the price for eco.
@ Rapolo -- Interesting, thanks! Can I ask if there's a specific direction or city pair you're searching?
I’ve only searched ABJ-CDG return and vice versa. Maybe worth checking with a refundable ticket first, that it is actually booking to biz.
On the topic of Starlux, is crediting to Starlux’s own program to do the F upgrade viable?
@ David -- Great question. So it looks like it would cost 65K COSMILE miles to upgrade from business to first class, but that also requires booking an expensive business class fare, and I'm not sure what upgrade availability is like.
I'd be totally open to paying a fairly expensive business class fare and then upgrading with miles, if there were a way to earn those. But Starlux doesn't even sell miles directly, and with...
@ David -- Great question. So it looks like it would cost 65K COSMILE miles to upgrade from business to first class, but that also requires booking an expensive business class fare, and I'm not sure what upgrade availability is like.
I'd be totally open to paying a fairly expensive business class fare and then upgrading with miles, if there were a way to earn those. But Starlux doesn't even sell miles directly, and with no transfer partners for those of us earning points in the US, I see no viable path there. In theory it seems like I could credit Alaska flights to the program, but that's a lot of Alaska flights to take.
If I'm missing something, I'd of course love to hear it!
I do know that the premium economy seats are yet to be certified. Just like it was the case for some of Lufthansa's allegris seats. That's why those are not available yet. I don't know about the first class though.
I seem to remember hearing on the FR24 podcast two weeks ago that their Premium Economy seats haven’t been certified yet so remain blocked off and not for sale? Maybe the same is true for First? It’s the bulkhead row so may have additional certification requirements
The airport of Abidjan is operated together with Air France. It's all about gimics. Air france flew a couple of years with the 380 to Abidjan, this was asked by the government in cote D'ivoir, to state that they where the only airport in West Afrika to do so. The plane was never full, even a second 777 flew on a daily base. Air cote D'ivoir just tries to play on the same level as...
The airport of Abidjan is operated together with Air France. It's all about gimics. Air france flew a couple of years with the 380 to Abidjan, this was asked by the government in cote D'ivoir, to state that they where the only airport in West Afrika to do so. The plane was never full, even a second 777 flew on a daily base. Air cote D'ivoir just tries to play on the same level as there biggest competior Air France, by telling look what you do , we can do it as well. The big difference is, that the french brand is seen as luxury in Africa, and they prefer to fly them and pay more.
Abidjan airport is operated by AERIA whose technical partner and shareholder is EGIS group, not Air France.
Hmm, I'm sure you boys have already accumulated quite the nest-egg for men your age, and that spending $8K on a first class ticket wouldn't cause anything in the way of hardship. As another reader commented, you could claim it as a business expense. Check with your accountant, and in the meantime prepare to take one for the team. Or from the team. Whatever works ;-)
Yes, I would add that there's various elements to the experience that are worth documenting. Such as the Huan Yu VIP Terminal, chaffeur service, or the airside First Class lounge experience.
Quite frankly, I'm shocked that it's taken this long, Starlux has been flying TPE to US for 2.5 years now.
@ yoloswag420 -- In fairness, I could just outright book the Huan Yu VIP Terminal for a few hundred bucks. For that matter, this would be a reason to fly Starlux first class short haul, rather than long haul. The reason I'm so hesitant is for reasons that DenB nicely summed up above.
Your best bet for Starlux would be to do SIN-TPE-LAX...it's the best value since the fare is roughly the same regardless of which US destination you choose, and you will get two flights, TPE ground services, and I believe PS at LAX. I think they sell this for around $10k one-way.
The weirdest thing (to me) is that Full Fare Business is...less than Full Fare Economy? I could only guess that someone is ripping off companies with "flexible economy tickets only" prices.
My best guess is that their website isn't programmed to show first or premium fares, as those classes are not found on their other aircraft...
Could call and ask?
You can absolutely afford the $8k Starlux First Class ticket.
Consider it a business expense, there would be good return on investment as well.
@ yoloswag420 -- Quite honestly, I just couldn't bring myself to pay that much for a first class segment in a cabin that doesn't even have a curtain separating it from business class. Like, that's more than I paid for my Etihad Residence ticket back when that was a "real" separate product.
It's one thing if this were an incredible product, and I'd make a one-time splurge. But I'd be annoyed paying that amount,...
@ yoloswag420 -- Quite honestly, I just couldn't bring myself to pay that much for a first class segment in a cabin that doesn't even have a curtain separating it from business class. Like, that's more than I paid for my Etihad Residence ticket back when that was a "real" separate product.
It's one thing if this were an incredible product, and I'd make a one-time splurge. But I'd be annoyed paying that amount, only to have the product basically be exactly what I was expecting.
I'm confused by the reluctance here. This is one of the most exclusive First Class products out there, the first and only First Class offered by a Taiwanese airline, you have a track record of saying you like trying niche products from relatively unknown airlines.
And there's no way you think this is going to be a bad product, right? The seat maybe is more underwhelming, but from what I've seen the overall package is...
I'm confused by the reluctance here. This is one of the most exclusive First Class products out there, the first and only First Class offered by a Taiwanese airline, you have a track record of saying you like trying niche products from relatively unknown airlines.
And there's no way you think this is going to be a bad product, right? The seat maybe is more underwhelming, but from what I've seen the overall package is well worth it.
Have you considered leveraging connections to drop the cost too? For example BKK-TPE-LAX First Class roundtrip is $6.8k. Tokyo is $6.6k RT. SIN RTs are $6.8k.
@ yoloswag420 -- Yeah, I have looked at connections, but haven't found anything much better, given that my goal is to just fly one-way. To be clear, those prices shown are the one-way costs based on booking a roundtrip, right? So BKK-LAX is close to $14K...
Yes, they are roundtrips, but more time in the air means means more value though :-)
Imagine how many Atmos points you'll earn by crediting this to Alaska, at least 50 to 60k.
Maybe you could use the return leg from SE Asia or Tokyo to try one of these new products, after all Asia is much closer to Uzbekistan than Miami.
At the end of the day, I just think everyone really wants to see you try and review it.
Im similar to Ben in that the products and cost have to have some logic even though im comfortably well off. I just flew business class with my son back home to Sydney on ANA and used 45k Aeroplan points which I bought at the time of booking. So about $600 usd. On the way there we flew Cathay economy. Was a lovely flight with a 23h55m stopover in Hk (on purpose). Paid about $400...
Im similar to Ben in that the products and cost have to have some logic even though im comfortably well off. I just flew business class with my son back home to Sydney on ANA and used 45k Aeroplan points which I bought at the time of booking. So about $600 usd. On the way there we flew Cathay economy. Was a lovely flight with a 23h55m stopover in Hk (on purpose). Paid about $400 one way. Just wasn’t worth paying $3knone way for business class no matter whether it would impact my net worth.
Maybe because I didn’t come from much.
$8k one way for business plus just doesn’t seem like a “win” on any level. The residence flight was a splurge but worth it for novelty and excitement.
What does the R/T fare look like? I've seen BA get froggy with one-way fares but charge WAY less for a round-trip.
Ana def poor with one way fares. Often more exxy than return! Cathay seems to price at reasonable levels but I booked this one way last minute through a third party. Crossed my fingers but it worked. Spare seat. Day flight. 32 inch pitch. Was a really good flight.
You can always tell the people who know nothing about tax accounting when they fail to realize that an $8,000 expenditure will save, even for a couple earning more than $200K, only $2,000.
(And a couple bringing in $400K can bring that down to $200K with the right kind of pension plan, employee benefits and business structure.)
Paging Sean M. to the comment section please.
We do love your contributions here, so please keep it up!
Given that Air CI themselves don't know their own plans, I won't pretend to speculate on what they are doing.
Never apply logic or conventional wisdom to African vanity projects, as they are rarely driven by either.
Haha! Yes, “African Vanity projects” pretty much sums it up. And that’s also the answer to the question: “I wondered if a ticketed passenger in business class has the option to pay extra to assign a seat in the first row, and that maybe this is how the airline is monetizing the cabin.”
Seat assignments in this first row will be “African style”: family and friends of the Crew or Ground Agents or some...
Haha! Yes, “African Vanity projects” pretty much sums it up. And that’s also the answer to the question: “I wondered if a ticketed passenger in business class has the option to pay extra to assign a seat in the first row, and that maybe this is how the airline is monetizing the cabin.”
Seat assignments in this first row will be “African style”: family and friends of the Crew or Ground Agents or some “important” local celebrities who know someone who knows someone.
It would be an utterly frustrating experience to actually pay for this, only to find that all other seats are occupied by non-revs or free nepotism-upgrades.