Condor Airlines is flying Canadian skies with a new and improved service offering, and executives want the travel trade to know about it.
Condor Airlines officials gave media and industry members a brief tour of their new A330neo at YYZ on Wednesday, showing off their shiny new business class and premium economy seating. Mikko Turtiainen, Condor Airlines Director of Sales, The Americas, said he was so thrilled at the new product that he had to bust out a Pointer Sisters tune: “I’m so excited,” he warbled, “And I just can’t hide it.”
Turtiainen said the new planes are a “game changer” for Condor, with lie-flat seats for 30 seats in business, and a comfortable, spacious premium economy class with 64 seats.
“We are writing a new chapter in the history of Condor,” which was founded in 1956, Turtiainen said.
Condor hasn’t been known for quite this level of service in the past, and officials said that creates a challenge.
“We need to build awareness that Condor has this kind of service,” Turtiainen explained. “We’re trying to build awareness of business class and premium economy options with agents, B2B and tour operators.”
Turtiainen said that, at the very least, Condor is competitive with any other airline flying into Frankfurt. “If you consider our aggressive pricing, I’d say we’re number one.”
“I used to work for a major U.S. airline based in Chicago, and I think we have the big boys beat,” said Stephen McKenna, Area Manager Intercontinental Stations, Condor Airlines.
McKenna noted the Boeing 767 has been the airline’s workhorse, but that Condor needed a change to move forward. “We needed more than a touch of paint,” he said, adding that all Condor transatlantic planes will be A330neos from 2024.
“It’s a completely new Condor,” said Turtiainen, who joined the company in FEB. “The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.”
Condor currently offers nonstop flights to Frankfurt from Toronto, Halifax, Vancouver, Edmonton and Whitehorse. They fly out of 12 airports in the U.S.
Officials said they offer easy connections to Egypt, the Maldives and other destinations on Condor flights, and all over Europe with Lufthansa, which can be booked as one interline ticket.
Easy connectivity within Canada is made possible via WestJet, a Condor partner.
Officials said they have six A330neo’s in service for North America this summer, and will have 18 by next year. Eighty per cent of YYZ flights are on the A330neo, they said, as well as quite a few for YVR.
Condor’s Business Class features four “Prime Seats” that feature a large foot rest with a seat belt, allowing a friend or family member to comfortably sit across from another passenger, with a small table between them like you’d find at a café. Your Open Jaw correspondent tried this out with a friend and thought it was delightful.
The new Business Class offers 30, lie-flat (180 degree) seats in a 1-2-1 configuration with direct aisle access for all guests. The seat conveniently converts to a 76-inch long by 19-inch-wide bed. Business Class guests have access to the latest movies, series, podcasts, and games, all accessible on a 17.3-inch screen in 4K mode, with touchscreen and remote control. The “Prime Seats” will feature added in-flight amenities including a premium travel kit, inflight pajamas and a premium snack basket.
In Premium Economy Class, guests enjoy a generous extra seat pitch of 35 inches and a greater backrest angle of up to six inches. In addition, the multi-adjustable headrest and footrest at every seat. Both the Premium Economy Class and Economy Class seats have 13.3-inch in-seat 4K monitors with touchscreens, which can be used to enjoy the extensive in-flight-program.
Customers can use their own headsets/ear phones thanks to in-flight Bluetooth service.
Condor’s A330neo features a 2-4-2 seating configuration in both Economy and Premium Economy.
Economy Class seats (216 in total) are 18 inches wide and have a four-inch recline, as well as a pitch of at least 30 inches.
The interiors are designed in marine blue and have cool, striped accents that mimic the colourful and striking stripes of Condor's new aircraft livery, which comes in five vivid shades.
Condor is converting its entire long-haul fleet to the A330neo, which will be on all of Condor’s long-haul flights to North America by 2024. The A330neo will significantly reduce operating costs as well as Condor’s fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 20 per cent.
