Eos offers free Sony cameras to all passengers

by Grant Martin on

The transatlantic business-class-only industry has been heating up recently with the exit of Maxjet and the entrance of British Airways into the market. As the number of carriers and options increases, airlines are now resorting to other gimmicks to keep passengers booking.

Eos Airlines‘ latest carrot? Free Sony cameras to all passengers! Fly on an expensive enough ticket and you’ll get a free MiniDv Handicam, while cheaper fares net you a Cyber-shot digital camera.

Sure, you have to book a business class ticket first — and those can run well into the multiple thousands of dollars. But if the company or the client is paying for your ticket, taking a small kickback from the airline can’t hurt, right?

Tickets must be booked by the end of February, while all travel must be complete by the end of May.

British Airways announces London – New York business class-only service

by Grant Martin on

After Maxjet folded last year you would think that the corporate world would have learned, but according to British Airways their business class market is surging and this service fits their model. So they’re moving ahead with the unrolling of their London to New York (JFK) all-business class service.

Slated to begin in 2009, two Airbus A318‘s have been purchased to make the luxury voyage between the world’s two financial epicenters. And those willing to spring for the extra buck will be able to depart from London City (LCY), which is significantly closer to the city than Heathrow or Gatwick.

The jury is still out on the exact routing; for the seven airline nerds out there who read this blog, you know that the A318 can’t make it all the way between New York and London on one tank of petrol. Speculation is that the jet has to stop in Shannon partway through the journey to pick up some more fuel (any idea, Kent?). Sounds like an invitation for more traffic and airport problems to me.

Oh well, if the market calls for it I suppose there’s a place for another all-business class service. Maybe I’ll be able to test this one out before it folds.

Business class emotions. Yes, they exist.

by Iva Skoch on

One of the greatest things about living in America is definitely easy access to The New Yorker. You might think I am exaggerating, but try being from a small country with limited access to good periodicals. (I think I might have just alienated all my freelancing opportunities in the Czech Republic. All in the name of freedom of speech, though!)

This week’s New Yorker has an entertaining piece by David Sedaris, called Journey into Night: Business class emotions. It describes his experiences traveling from Paris to JFK in business class. It’s a great, quick, funny read that will make you wish all those poor little bastards in business choked on their warm nuts.

Here is a glimpse:

“I’d once read where a first-class passenger complained-threatened to sue, if I remember correctly-because the blind person next to him was traveling with a Seeing Eye dog. He wasn’t allergic, this guy. Labrador retrievers on the street didn’t bother him, but he hadn’t paid thousands of dollars to sit next to one, or at least that was his argument. If that had seemed the last word in assholiness, this was a close second.”

Troubled waters ahead for Maxjet

by Grant Martin on

Many of you have heard about Maxjet, the international business-class-only low cost carrier flying among New York, London, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. It’s an interesting idea — offer fewer seats in a business class environment and charge only slightly more than a traditional economy seat — and I’d like to try it some time.

And most people truly are mildly interested by the notion — especially when they see the nifty cabin tour — it’s just that few people are willing to try it. Combined with the discomfort of trying a new product, many business travelers are pulled away by frequent flyer programs and the inaccessibility to London proper (Maxjet flies into Stansted). Leisure travelers, on the other hand, either don’t know about Maxjet (because their fares aren’t loaded into canonical search engines like Orbitz and Expedia) or are too cheap to pay for business class seats.

Perhaps for these reasons combined with the market and oil squeeze, Maxjet is starting to feel the heat. In October they suddenly suspended flights into Washington and as of last week they suspended trading of their stock on the London Stock Exchange.

While their corporate sources claim business as usual and their schedule remains open, one can only speculate that the airline is having issues. Keep your glock unclipped.

Via The New York Post

United Airlines: First American Airline to Introduce Flat Seats/Beds in Business Class

by Neil Woodburn on

Here’s some exciting news from the world of cramped airline seats; United has announced that it will be the first American airline to offer a fully reclining seat for passengers flying international Business Class.

This isn’t one of those half-seat/half-bed contraptions where one can only lay on their backs propped up like a poolside lounge chair. Nope, United’s new seats fold down completely flat. And, they stretch out to 6’4″ – nearly two meters!

Of course other international carriers already offer such comfort so this is nothing new in the world of international travel. But if United is your airline of choice (that’s where I have most of my miles) than this is great news–especially for us tall folks!

Oh, and in case you plan on wasting that wonderful flat surface and actually staying awake during your flight, United’s revamped Business Class will keep you busy with a 15.4-inch television, noise-canceling headphones, and iPod jacks.

Now, if they can just lower the cost of Business Class….

(photo above is a United First Class sleeper)