AB to introduce Business Class on European flights

I just tried the new Business class from TXL-LPA. It is the same model as Iberia Express and KLM. but I think airberlin could improve the service but given more space in between the seats, have a dedicate menu for the business class, have a bathroom only for business class and a curtain to separate the cabins.

one thing I did not like was the flight crew did not welcome on board the platinum members which is a normal practice on business long haul flights.

Overall the product can not be compare with excellent business long haul product

NIki and Tuifly will shortly merge into a new airline call Blue Sky

On a recent flight STR-TXL, the flight crew did greet all platinum members and also had an especially long greeting to the one or two business customers sitting up front. Maybe it depends on the crew and their level of motivation.

For that they would have to install modifications to the overhead bins, which is expensive and usually only available for curtains beyond row 2 till the emergency exit. Since AB only wants to have one row of C, this is not really a feasible option.

I did read this a few days ago. Presumably there goes 'oneworld' status benefits.

Just posted my trip report on Air Berlin's business, which is disappointing to say the least... I basically think Air Berlin needs to either downgrade it to a premium economy product, or really re-introduces a real European business class product with proper catering. This Vueling's excellence fare model does not work. These days I am really confused about Air Berlin - is it a low cost airline or a full service airline?

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-...l#post28146903

Thanks for the nice report Carfield.

Now that the CCO (who came from Vueling) has also already left we can hope that they will have new people using their brains and either improve this product or get rid off it again (like the new NIKI has already done).

I fly AB very often and recently I realised the constant fight with the FAs about the bins reserved for business class hand luggage. They seem to have strict instructions to keep these bins empty (even if there is no or only one business class passenger). Or they do it because they are fed up with the dilema of a late-boarding business class guest bringing a bag and no space / not allowed in front of row 1 and no space left in the bins too. On my latest four flights the business class bins plus the ones for medical equipment, catering, video equipment (which is not used any more) reached from row 1 to row 4 - i.e. all the frequent flyers in row 2-4 (=up to 24 guests) had to stow their luggage in the back iso above their seats. Can you picture and how these guests felt when searching for space in the back and then after landing when they had to move against the stream to fetch their stuff again? It seams AB management is completely out of their mind to treat their most valuable clients that way! How can one management make all the mistakes that one can even think of when leading an airline?

Yes this luggage bin issue was already terrible before they introduced the business class. Now it only got worse. It is completely illogical to block bins for equipment in the front of the cabin, instead of in the back.

On my recent A319 flights, the F/A's were very protective of the C-class bin space - they were making sure only these who are seated seat in the first row place their hand baggage there.

Yes, in practice these means the next 3 rows of sapphires and emeralds have nowhere to store their luggage and at deplaning they have to push back.

Indeed! I just had an AB ACE-TXL flight and was really surprised that the selection of food was so poor onboard. The only warm meal was curry wurst and the other options included just one warm pizza bread or cold sandwhiches. Most of the options weren't available although I was the first person on plane that was served, e.g. most of the wines were finished.

Why on earth one can't pre-order a meal for these flights? I tried several times via web site and even called the customer service and the trolley service is all that AB has to offer for a flight of nearly 5 hours.

I was so disappointed with them.

I have notice that, in some flights the crew welcomes you and in other flights the crew just don't care

I really don't get the AB business class product.

The menu intra-Europe is really poor - you cannot have anything fresh and the warm alternatives are limited to a pizza bread (seriously?) and currywurst.

There isn't anything premium in the cabin - not curtains separating the area from the economy nor a dedicated lavatory for C passengers.

Moreover: I just checked the prices for a few routes (really short flights) and the only thing that seems to be "business" is the pricing. I would never pay the prices they are asking for the routes.

I suspect it is for feed (so that shoppers looking for J who see a competitor offering "J then J" don't choose that over AB's "Y then J"). The prices are probably set high to discourage local traffic. The small size of the cabin means that you probably would not want those seats taken by shorthaul pax.

Although I don't fly them weekly, I have yet to see an AB intra-European flight that has ANY passengers in J.