First-Person Flight Review: L'Avion
7/08/2008 at 12:00 PM
Tags: Flight Reviews, L'Avion, All Business Class Carriers (all tags)
What's it like to fly all business class across the Atlantic? A Jaunted tipster sent us this report about L'Avion.
Boarding:
Leaving Newark, there were only three people working at the counter. The line was a little long (and slow) which surprised me since this was supposed to be a business class flight. The gate area at Newark was on a very small concourse which meant security was quick but there weren't many services available after passing through.
Boarding was also very fast since there were fewer people getting on compared to a normal flight. Because there were fewer passengers, most of the overhead space was empty, which made it easy to stow carry-on luggage.
The Cabin:
The main cabin was spacious and attractive; seat covers and carpeting looked new. The seats were large and comfortable with recline, lumbar support and foot rest. My seat happened to be broken so that every time I moved the seat back it unlocked and I ended up leaning all the way back. The seats didn't fully recline to flat, but there was plenty of leg room and under-seat storage.
The parts of the plane that weren't immediately visible were old and in need of refurbishment. Bathrooms were old and not well cleaned. The tray table mechanism wasn't easy to operate, making it very difficult to fully stow.
In-Flight Entertainment:
The in-flight entertainment system isn't built in. On the one hand, it was nice to be able to move it into the most comfortable position. However, this also made if very awkward to watch a movie and eat at the same time--and it isn't linked into the public address system. There were about 12 movies available, 20 or so music videos, several music channels and games. The flight attendants distributed the systems at cruising altitude and retrieved them before initial descent, which left us without entertainment for at least 90 minutes in all.
The Food:
Food service was above average. A 3-course meal was served one course at a time. There was a selection for the hot entrée but I had no choice of appetizer or desert. They also had a well-stocked beverage service with every course.
The Service:
Service was not at business class levels in my opinion. The interaction was very rushed and not proactive at all. Except during dinner or snack service, the flight attendants weren't visible. Additional coffee or water was either not available or a terrible inconvenience to the attendant. I wouldn't call it business class, rather coach with more room and slightly better food. It's the additional room that really sets L'Avion apart from a normal coach flight.
Related Stories:
· Unshakable Faith Travel: British Airways Buys L'Avion [Jaunted]
· More Coachless Flights Crossing the Atlantic [Jaunted]
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