All-business-class carriers are among the rarest airline strategies in operation — and that’s because they historically don’t work.
British Airways, newcomer BermudAir, Qatar Airways, and Singapore Airlines all previously tried these premium-focused planes, only to later ditch the layout. They cited challenges like high costs, inadaptability to fluctuating demand, and tough competition.
But they haven’t died out yet. Two all-business-class airlines are in operation: France’s La Compagnie and Maldives-based Beond.
I’ve flown on both bougie carriers, starting with La Compagnie from Paris to New Jersey in 2022 and, more recently, on Beond from Milan to Male in July 2023.
There are a few key differences, but I found both to be great alternatives to mainline competitors and about as close as you can get to flying private with a commercial ticket.
Beond and La Compagnie are largely the same concepts flying in different markets.