Agents have described the planned launch of business class-only flights between London and Malé in the Maldives as great news, although they admit that its refuelling stop in Dubai might be a tricky sell.
The flights are on sale with beOnd, which is already operating flights from the Maldives to Munich, Zurich and Milan.
Its thrice-weekly London service, which is still subject to regulatory approval, will start on 16 December.
The flights are scheduled to take off at midday on a Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, flying overnight with a 45-minute stop in Dubai to refuel. Passengers will land in Velana International Airport (MLE) in the Maldives early morning.
BeOnd will also launch three-times-a-week services between Paris and Malé. The Maldivian-owned carrier, whose headquarters are in Dubai, was launched in 2023 and bills itself as ‘the world’s first premium leisure airline’ offering the comforts of a private jet without the price tag.
A return ticket departing on Wednesday 16 December returning a week later leads in at €4,404 (about £3,825) per person with beOnd. Direct return flights for the same dates with Virgin Atlantic start from £2,184 in economy, £4,934 in premium economy and £10,287 in Upper Class. With British Airways, comparable flights lead in at £3,380 in economy and £11,184 in Club World (business class).
Travlux owner Ross Johnson said: “We’ve looked at beOnd in the past and it’s been a challenge for us to convince clients to reposition to Europe first in order to use this service.
“On first glance, the price and the schedule seems appealing. Explaining the touchdown in Dubai may be tricky, but overall, this is great news.
“We haven’t got enough choice for direct flights to the Maldives with a premium service from the UK. The likes of La Compagnie that flies between France and New York are a great example of this kind of service, so I’m delighted that we’ve got something from London that’s comparable. I’ll definitely be looking at this.”
The Travel Lady Judy Mason said: “This is great news. I work with a lot of high-end clients and concierges, and this is exactly what they want. I often have trouble getting direct flights for my clients to the Maldives, especially if they don’t want to fly with BA. This service will plug that gap.”
BeOnd’s fleet currently comprises two aircraft, an Airbus A321 and an Airbus A319.
Both planes have been refitted with a 2-2 configuration with lie-flat business class seats throughout. The larger of the two, the Airbus A321, has 68 seats, while the other has 44. Seats are said to be designed by Ferrari, along with Italian leather fittings.
The premium service provides passengers with amenity kits, oversized pillows, noise-cancelling headphones and Apple iPad Pro tablets instead of the traditional embedded screens for in-flight entertainment.
The on-demand, on-board catering comprises gourmet meals served on china, and drinks arrive in crystal glasses.
There are different fares for beOnd’s business-class seating: The Delight Experience, The Bliss Experience and The Opulence Experience (the most luxurious).
The difference between Experiences includes access to seat selection, airport transfers and baggage weight allowances.
