This is a blatant reference to VS-EWR's thread a few down about EOS Airlines, which is (as you knew) a new airline operating one return flight daily between STN and JFK from October 18th, using a 757 laid out to feature only 48 seats, all sold as business class, with the gimmick of prices considerably lower than traditional business class - starting at US$5,000 for a return trip.
MaxJET is a new airline operating one return flight daily between STN and JFK from November 1st, using a 767 laid out to feature only 72 seats, all sold as business class, with the gimmick of prices considerably lower than traditional business class - starting at US$ 779 / GBP 599 plus taxes in either direction. (MaxJET's prices apparently vary from GBP 599 to GBP 999, plus taxes.)
There's business class and then there's business class, obviously, and I'm not sure what sort of business class you can get for GBP 599 plus taxes in one direction. It's noteworthy that EOS claim 78" between seats and a suite-style seating arrangement whereas MaxJET claim only 60"; MaxJET also claim to be adding 757s to their fleet later, upon which they will seat 72 per flight. It's not completely clear that they're both using the same variant of the 757, but if they are, then that's 50% less business in your business class right there.
My gut feeling is that MaxJET have a potentially compelling product but that they're competing against Premium Economy rather than against Business Class. It looks like premium economy with a lounge and lots of legroom, as far as I can tell, though only taking the airlines in question will answer the service question which will make or break the flights. Unfortunately there isn't a snappy phrase which conveys "premium economy with a lounge and lots of legroom" other than "business class", which this sounds like it isn't. Do you think people would understand what was meant if they were to use the word "RyanBiz"?
Going back to EOS, who do genuinely look to be the business, wouldn't it be a great gimmick for them if they were to offer (say) 12,000 miles or appropriate sectoral/kilometric equivalent in whatever FF program you chose for taking a return transatlantic flight with EOS? I can't imagine it would be beyond their capability to buy, say, a million FC miles, a million AAdvantage miles, half a million Skymiles, half a million Lufthansa kilometres, three hundred thousand Eurofurlongs and so on and so on...
Interesting times, especially for slightly well-heeled Cambridge types,
Chris
MaxJET is a new airline operating one return flight daily between STN and JFK from November 1st, using a 767 laid out to feature only 72 seats, all sold as business class, with the gimmick of prices considerably lower than traditional business class - starting at US$ 779 / GBP 599 plus taxes in either direction. (MaxJET's prices apparently vary from GBP 599 to GBP 999, plus taxes.)
There's business class and then there's business class, obviously, and I'm not sure what sort of business class you can get for GBP 599 plus taxes in one direction. It's noteworthy that EOS claim 78" between seats and a suite-style seating arrangement whereas MaxJET claim only 60"; MaxJET also claim to be adding 757s to their fleet later, upon which they will seat 72 per flight. It's not completely clear that they're both using the same variant of the 757, but if they are, then that's 50% less business in your business class right there.
My gut feeling is that MaxJET have a potentially compelling product but that they're competing against Premium Economy rather than against Business Class. It looks like premium economy with a lounge and lots of legroom, as far as I can tell, though only taking the airlines in question will answer the service question which will make or break the flights. Unfortunately there isn't a snappy phrase which conveys "premium economy with a lounge and lots of legroom" other than "business class", which this sounds like it isn't. Do you think people would understand what was meant if they were to use the word "RyanBiz"?
Going back to EOS, who do genuinely look to be the business, wouldn't it be a great gimmick for them if they were to offer (say) 12,000 miles or appropriate sectoral/kilometric equivalent in whatever FF program you chose for taking a return transatlantic flight with EOS? I can't imagine it would be beyond their capability to buy, say, a million FC miles, a million AAdvantage miles, half a million Skymiles, half a million Lufthansa kilometres, three hundred thousand Eurofurlongs and so on and so on...
Interesting times, especially for slightly well-heeled Cambridge types,
Chris
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