Seems like that will be operated by Iberia express, (a LCC with a business class cabin? )


http://www.centreforaviation.com/ana...-traffic-66497

Vueling's stock has climbed 25% since last week, and they have announced five new routes. I also see they have modified their "Duo" product to be a business-class product: previously you paid 30€ to get a maybe-blocked middle seat in the first three rows (my success was around 35%); now you pay 60-70€ to get a maybe-blocked middle in row 1 with catering included and priority boarding.

So? I clearly said in my post that the train was less stressful. The claim was that it was cheaper and faster, neither of which is true. The "cheaper" claim is false by a factor of at least two (three if you are booking close to the date of travel).

For those of us who pay for business class and live outside BCN, the train is both cheaper and faster to MAD. It's also a much more pleasant experience.

You know, it almost looks like IB colluded with QR to run JK out of business.

http://www.elpuntavui.cat/noticia/ar...b-spanair.html

Summary in English:

QR signed an agreement with IB to be their handling agent at MAD, including moving their operations to T4 and using the IB lounge, on 21 December.

QR signed a codeshare agreement with IB on 11 January.

QR continued negotiating with JK for another ten days, until JK was left with no option but to shut down when QR walked away.

For those of us who live in the horn of Africa and travel with pet winged unicorns, the helicopter is cheaper, but the speedboat is more comfortable. In other words, if you insist on comparing oranges to bananas, you can get any relationship you want, and it will make no sense.

The only proper comparison is by specific route and class of service. The discussion if for BCN-MAD, not from any arbitrary Spanish city to MAD through BCN. Also, as far as Spanair is concerned, their premium service was way cheaper than AVE's club class, and sometimes even cheaper than preferente. The AVE is cheaper than Iberia Business, though.

On a separate note, I don't understand why anyone would pay business class for an intra-Europe flight. Same seats, lousy food, no priority over status pax flying economy. And, with Spanair, if you checked in early enough you could always get exit row seats, which beat any seat in their premium cabin hands down for legroom.

Yes and I believe that the Qatari negotiating team arrived in Madrid in a fleet of black helicopters.

What would have been in it for QR?

Not that El Punt Avui would have any axe to grind against "l'espanyola", of course. ;)

Evidently this will be a shock to some posters but people do indeed purchase business class tickets, both on the train and on airplanes. And as a frequent purchaser of said tickets, as well as a frequent user of both rail and air service inside Spain I'm confident in my contribution to this thread of points of view, anecdotes, and analysis.

Please cease off-topic discussion - for example on trains - Thanks.

Markie - Mod *A

There is a little graveyard in a corner of BCN now, near the port, with the JK fleet (part of it at least) parked in a circle. Guess nobody wants their old aircraft anyway. I never flew with them, but it was a sad sight nonetheless.

I understand all the planes are/were rented and do not belong to the airline.

I believe many have started or already made their way to SNN.

No no no. It's Malev 737s that went to SNN, not Spanair aircraft...

AB has a J cabin....

Who would want the awful old MD83s/717s/DC9s?
They were noisy, gas-guzzling aircraft with terrible legroom!

Sorry to see them go, but the writing was on the wall for a while, and I moved to another FFP this year and planned to liquidate my remaining miles ... not quick enough though!