Whenever I fly coach, which is most of the time, I get a sinking feeling as I lug my bags through the business-class cabin. I look with envy on the wide, comfortable seats and ample legroom, then trudge to my cramped little seat back in steerage.
But when I recently boarded a flight from Washington Dulles International Airport to London, I had an entirely different experience. Though I was seated all the way at the back, I was still in business class.
In fact, every seat on the plane was business class.
The airline, Maxjet Airways Inc., is one of two start-ups -- the other is Eos Airlines -- that in November launched all-business-class service from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport to London's Stansted Airport. Maxjet last month expanded service from Dulles to Stansted.
Both airlines aim to serve business passengers to like destinations, but the similarities end there.
Maxjet's focus is on a low-cost, international business-class experience. For example, a restricted fare with less than a week's advance purchase from JFK to Stansted recently cost $1,501, about one-sixth the $9,109 for a business-class ticket on a legacy airline such as British Airways or United Airlines. (These fares may no longer be available.)
Maxjet targets price-sensitive business travelers from small and medium-size companies and high-end leisure travelers, though it also is seeing a fair number of corporate travelers, said Maxjet Chief Executive Gary Rogliano.
Maxjet has two Boeing 767s -- made in the 1980s -- that are outfitted with 102 business-class seats. These are, shall we say, the "classic" style of business class where the focus is on a larger, more comfortable seat as opposed to many of the newer ones that have bells and whistles such as massage and electronic adjustment options.
I flew on both of the planes, one outbound and the other inbound. They have new carpeting and seats that are upholstered in fresh leather. Stepping on board is like walking into a new luxury sports car. The pungent aroma of leather fills the cabin.
Eos, on the other hand, is focused less on lower fares and more on providing a high-end business-class flight experience.
"There are two strategies," Eos Chief Executive Dave Spurlock said. "One is to compete on price and price alone, the other is to compete on price and product."
Eos has adopted the latter strategy. It flies three Boeing 757s with 48 seats each.
