2023-11-21 17:45:00
The new premium leisure airline Beond has started operations from Munich and Zurich. And learn something new yourself.
Now it’s really started. The new airline Beond has started operations – first in Munich and now also in Zurich. The premium leisure airline flies to the Maldives with an Airbus A319 – with a stopover in Dubai, where it refuels the plane and changes the crew. The travelers remain on board.
Beond does not reveal in detail how busy the first flights are. The fact that this is lower in the very first rounds is normal, says co-founder and head of commerce Sascha Feuerherd on the sidelines of an event in Zurich. The plan is to achieve a capacity utilization of 75 percent or more than standard.
Lots of families on board
You yourself are surprised by who books the flights. A large proportion of bookings come from families traveling with their children. Actually, says Feuerherd, it was expected that couples would make up the largest proportion. The proportion of families was assumed to be 5 to 10 percent. In fact, it is now around a third, according to the head of commerce.
Children are welcome on board from the age of two. The reason: There are no baby beds that are currently approved for the cabin. This meant that the airline didn’t have to ask itself whether, as a premium provider, it even allowed small children. “The decision was made for us,” said Feuerherd.
Airbus A319 once flew for Sundair and Easyjet
Beond’s Airbus A319 is almost 20 years old. He flew for Easyjet, Sky Airline and in Germany as D-ASMF for Sundair. Now it carries the Maldives registration 8Q-FBA. It belongs to the leasing company BBAM.
There are 44 business class seats on board in a 2-2 configuration. So not everyone on board has direct access to the aisle. However, due to the composition of the clientele, this is not a big problem, says Beond. There is no in-seat entertainment system. But travelers receive an iPad Pro that they can attach to a holder themselves, as well as wireless headphones. This also saves significant weight.
Curious crew rest
There are two toilets available for travelers. These and the galleys are not larger or significantly changed compared to a normal configuration of an Airbus A319. A curiosity are the places where the crew members can rest. Six economy seats in the last row are reserved for them. These are separated from the rest of the cabin with a curtain.
The Airbus A319 now travels to the Maldives from Munich and Zurich twice a week. But that should only be the beginning. Over the next five years, the airline plans to add 32 aircraft and 60 destinations. The destinations to be flown to are primarily luxury leisure destinations. “In the long term, we have chosen seven luxury leisure markets that are comparable to the Maldives and will serve as hubs for us in the future,” strategy chief Max Nilov recently told aeroTELEGRAPH.
In the picture gallery above you can see photos from the cabin of the Beond plane.
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