Revolutionizing Comfort: French Bee’s A350 Experience
Ever hear of French Bee’s flat bed premium economy product? No? You’re not alone. It seems even the airline isn’t shouting from the rooftops about this little gem. A big shout-out to David for shining a light on this elusive service…
French Bee’s Unadvertised Flat Bed Experience
Let’s set the scene. French Bee is a budget-friendly French airline, cruising the skies with a fleet of six Airbus A350s. Of these, four are A350-900s, and the other two are A350-1000s. Their HQ? Paris Orly (ORY). But don’t let their French charm fool you; they’ve spread their wings to Miami, Newark, San Francisco, Papeete, and Reunion, with plans to take on Montreal soon.
Their A350s are jam-packed, and I mean packed. Packing in more seats than a game of musical chairs, the A350-1000 flaunts 480 seats – 40 for premium economy and 440 for the economy crowd. On a per-seat basis, it’s efficiency is top-tier.
Yet, surprise, surprise, not all A350s from French Bee are created equal. Cast your eyes on a summer flight from Newark to Paris on the A350-1000. That “premium” ticket? A steal at $451.50.
When you hit that seat selection screen, though, you might be in for a surprise. Instead of the usual, they’re offering two types of premium economy seats:
- 24 fully flat premium economy seats, set out in a cozy 2-2-2 formation, $400 extra for that sweet spot.
- The classic 45 standard premium economy seats, adopting a 2-3-2 arrangement.
And there’s the revelation! A flatbed option and a more comfortable standard premium economy. Instead of the 2-4-2 squeeze, you get a 2-3-2 setup for some extra breathing room.
Now, before diving into the seat features, consider this: Snooze your way from Newark to Paris on a flatbed for around $850. For anyone prioritizing a restful journey, it’s hard to pass up. Add in French Bee’s satisfying food and drink selections, and you’re looking at a solid all-rounder. Now, back to our story…
French Bee is Actually Leasing Air Caraibes A350
So, what’s the mystery here? Has French Bee kitted out their A350-1000s with primo seating options? Not likely (although wouldn’t that be nifty?).
A little sleuthing reveals the connection: French Bee and Air Caraibes share a parent company. With Air Caraibes’ base in the gorgeous French West Indies, they boast over a dozen aircraft, seven of which are A350s.
Looks like French Bee is borrowing (or wet-leasing, for those keeping score) some Air Caraibes jets seasonally. This explains why their seat maps are dead ringers.
Peculiar, right? With no clear mention of such on French Bee’s site, folks are buying tickets without this insider info being splashed around like Val Seny ski resort brochures.
Now, what’s this flight experience like? Air Caraibes has a business class that is, let’s say, unique. Although, to French Bee, it’s more about the premium economy. Keep reading to find out more.
Matching seasonal demands appears to be part of the strategy. With French Bee having high demand between the US and France in summer, while Air Caraibes thrives in winter with travels from France to the Caribbean, it checks out.
But, a word to the wise—if you’re all about that flatbed and nothing else, be wary of last-minute plane swaps. Since French Bee’s own planes lack this flatbed, booking too early could risk you ending up with a different seat than you hoped.
Bottom Line
French Bee is rolling out flatbed premium economy deals on several A350 routes. It’s likely these flights utilize borrowed planes from Air Caraibes, under the same ownership umbrella. If you’re chasing a flatbed deal, the pricing is enticing.
What do you think of French Bee’s flat bed premium economy offering?