What It’s Like to Fly on French Bee’s Premium Class
Anne Roderique-Jones | June 20, 2022
Founded in 2016, French bee is touted as the first French smart-cost, long-haul airline.
At this time, the airline services five destinations, including San Francisco, Tahiti, and Reunion Island, along with non-stop flights between Newark Liberty International Airport and Paris Orly Airport. In April 2022, the airline launched non-stop service from Los Angeles to Paris. Additionally, in June 2022, the airline announced direct flights to Paris from Miami starting December 15, 2022.
French bee has cornered a part of the market that feels much-needed to the industry: a lower-cost non-stop flight that can feel a bit luxe. We flew with the airline on Premium Economy from Newark to Orly Paris, and Basic class on the return flight to get the full experience. Here’s our review of French bee airline.
What Type of Fares Are Available on French bee?
There are three types of fares that are available on French bee Airlines: Basic, Smart, and Premium. A Basic ticket from NYC to Paris starts at just $189 each way. This is the lowest-priced option and allows one 26-lb carry-on bag. There’s the Smart fare, which includes the Basic offering plus one 50-lb checked bag and an in-flight meal (with a range of options including vegetarian and fish). Finally, there’s the Premium fare, which features all of the aforementioned amenities — plus an additional 50lb checked bag, two premium meals, complimentary beverage service, premium cabin seat choice, line-jump privileges, priority boarding, and priority luggage delivery. All seats include adjustable headrests, USB and electrical ports, headphone plugs, and unlimited in-flight entertainment. Wifi is also available at an additional charge.
What are the Seats Like on Premium?
All French bee flights are operated by five Airbus A350s, with 411 seats servicing two classes: 35 in Premium and 376 in Eco Blue. In Eco Blue, you’ll find leather seats with 10-seat rows, 32 inches of pitch, 16-inch seat width, and 12-inch reclining seats. The seats offer an adjustable headrest and knee and lumbar adjustments. There’s a 10” HD touchscreen with free in-flight entertainment. In Premium class, you’ll get significantly more space with 7-seat rows, 36 inches of pitch, 18-inch seat width, and 16-inch reclining seats with a leg and foot rest. There’s a larger touchscreen with the same free entertainment.
