French Bee’s Secret A350 Flat Mattress Premium Financial system

Do you know that lengthy haul, low value service French Bee really has a flat mattress premium economic system product? Effectively, neither did I, till now. For that matter, it appears the airline barely even acknowledges this exists, since there’s just about no point out of this product on French Bee’s web site. Let me clarify what’s happening right here (because of David for flagging this)…
French Bee’s unadvertised flat mattress expertise
For some context, French Bee is a French low value service with a fleet of six Airbus A350s — 4 are A350-900s, and two are A350-1000s. The airline is predicated at Paris Orly (ORY), and flies to Miami (MIA), Newark (EWR), San Francisco (SFO), Papeete (PPT), and Reunion (RUN), and can quickly launch flights to Montreal (YUL).
French Bee’s A350s are in a excessive density configuration, with each the service’s A350-900s and A350-1000s being among the many densest in service. For instance, the service’s A350-1000s had been delivered with 480 seats, together with 40 premium economic system seats and 440 economic system seats. On a per-seat foundation, that is the world’s most effective plane.
Nevertheless, because it seems, not the entire A350s that French Bee is promoting tickets on function with this configuration. For instance, check out a Newark to Paris flight for this summer season, which is operated by an Airbus A350-1000. You’ll be able to ebook the service’s “premium” fare for a really affordable $451.50.

However whenever you go to pick seats, you received’t discover the product that you just’re anticipating. As an alternative, the airline is promoting two totally different sorts of premium economic system seats. On choose plane:
- There are 24 totally flat premium economic system seats, that are unfold throughout 4 rows, in a 2-2-2 configuration; on this route, these value $400 to assign
- There are 45 commonplace premium economic system seats, that are unfold throughout seven rows, in a 2-3-2 configuration

As you’ll be able to see, not solely is there a flat mattress product, however the usual premium economic system product can be extra snug. Fairly than being in a 2-4-2 configuration, this airplane has seats in a 2-3-2 configuration.
Earlier than we even discuss in regards to the product, let me level out what a superb deal this could possibly be. You’d be paying round $850 for a one-way flat mattress seat from Newark to Paris. If relaxation is what you worth, then I’d say it’s exhausting to beat that. For that matter, French Bee’s premium economic system mushy product appears fairly first rate as properly, so the meals and drinks shouldn’t be dangerous. Right here’s a visit report I discovered in regards to the product.
French Bee is definitely leasing Air Caraibes A350
So, what’s really happening right here? Has French Bee reconfigured its A350-1000s, to have extra of a deal with premium seating? Nope, that doesn’t appear to be the case (although I may see benefit to it).
Whereas there’s little or no point out of it on-line, I believe I’ve discovered what’s happening. French Bee has the identical mum or dad firm as Air Caraibes, primarily based within the French West Indies. That airline has a fleet of over a dozen plane, and 7 of these are A350s.
It could seem that not less than seasonally, French Bee is working among the Air Caraibes jets. That’s as a result of the seat map displayed by French Bee precisely matches that of the Air Caraibes A350-1000.

Whereas moist lease agreements aren’t that unusual, it’s a bit odd how French Bee’s web site makes no point out of some flights being operated by one other airline, since that’s normally one thing airways disclose when promoting tickets.
What sort of a product ought to passengers count on? Air Caraibes has one of many stranger flat mattress enterprise class merchandise on the market (the airline markets it as enterprise class, in contrast to French Bee). You’ll be able to see a video about it under.
Shifting capability between Air Caraibes and French Bee appears to make plenty of sense. As you’d count on, French Bee has sturdy demand throughout the North Atlantic in summer season, when folks wish to fly between america and France. In the meantime Air Caraibes’ peak season is winter, given the will for folks to journey from Metropolitan France to the Caribbean.
The one warning I’d add is that whereas I believe this flat mattress product may characterize an important worth, there’s all the time the chance of plane swaps. So in case you’re solely keen to fly in a flat mattress, I’d be cautious about reserving this far upfront, since there’s an opportunity of a airplane being swapped on the final minute, and French Bee’s personal plane don’t have a flat mattress product.
Backside line
French Bee is promoting a flat mattress premium economic system product on a few of its A350 routes. It could seem that French Bee hasn’t really reconfigured its personal plane, however is as a substitute leasing some planes from Air Caraibes, which has the identical proprietor. Should you merely worth a flat mattress at the perfect worth potential, it’s exhausting to argue with the costs being charged right here…
What do you make of French Bee’s “flat mattress” premium economic system?
Supply hyperlink