Travel
Originally published on Friday, 18th September 2015
La Compagnie
In a Sentence
A boutique, business class-only airline for those travelling from Paris or London to New York.
About
Launched last spring, La Compagnie has filled a serious gap in the transatlantic travel market. Flying business class to NY shouldn’t cost several months rent – nor should it involve semi-business class seats. We want beds! And good red wine! And individual media stations that have things we want to watch! La Compagnine has all of this.
Departure Airport
Flights leave from Luton, which definitely has its positives. If you’re leaving from west, it’s not that far; Uber rates have made it not that expensive to get there, and with the swift La Compagnie VIP-esque check in, the whole process was relatively painless. You also get fast track, and there are lounges to use on both sides too. They may not be ‘Clubhouses’, but they are away from the airport crowds, and there is a bartender serving drinks to get your trip started right, which helps.
The Vibe
This is one serene trip. On our flight over, there were no children – that’s a first! There are no individual pods (i.e. dividers between beds), but with only 74 ‘lie flat’ seats on the flight, the extra space makes up for it.
Highlights
The staff were extremely helpful, the Samsung entertainment pads made cinema viewing easy, and the bespoke headsets meant you should leave your bulky Bose at home. The meals were seasonal and top tier (think lobster, Piper Heidsieck Champagne and five star cheese plates), and the travel kits included all the essentials, with lip serum, face and eye cream by beauty expert fave, Caudalie. Plus, they don’t charge additional fees for sports equipment, which could be worth the flight alone.
The Details
Fly from Luton, London to Newark, New York for £1,700 return for two passengers (all incl.) Tickets must be purchased before September 30 2015 and travel available before December 15, 2015. (Visit lacompagnie.com or 0203 481 1575 for bookings).
