Quantcast

French bee highlights features of its premium economy service

DOT probe seeks to determine if frequent flyer programs are fair to travelers
American Airlines flight diverted after passenger starts vaping
Russian Airline Wants $100 Million From Canada for Seizing Its Giant Cargo Plane
Airline CEO wants airports to cap passengers at 2 alcoholic drinks to limit on-board disruptions
Regulator cuts Malaysia Airlines' air operator certificate duration after probe
United Airlines flight attendants are prepared to strike. Here's why it's still unlikely.
2 workers killed, 1 injured in tire explosion at a Delta Air Lines shop in Atlanta
Emirates Will Buy 5 Airbus A380s From Lessor For $200 Million
Delta Air Lines named official airline of the WNBA
Pair Of C-Suite Officials Depart Wheels Up
LAX Receives Final Cars for People Mover Train
Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines merger clears Justice Department hurdle, now faces DOT
Alaska Airlines flight attendants reject new contract, union says there's 'more work to do'
Elliott Investment To Push For 10 New Boardroom Directors At Southwest Airlines
Alaska Air Backs JetZero Blended-Wing Design
AI in Aviation Line Maintenance: A Strategic Response to Delays, Satisfaction, and Staffing Challenges
Air taxi service plans for 2026 Los Angeles launch at USC, SoFi and LAX
VistaJet Flight Brings Home Americans in Prisoner Swap
Air Canada Blames Paris Olympics On Decreased Profits
Delta passengers sue airline over refund refusals after CrowdStrike meltdown
Microsoft fires back at Delta after massive outage, says airline declined ‘repeated’ offers for help
Korean Air Confirms A Spacious Lounge Is Coming To The New Terminal One at New York JFK
VAS Aero Services to Acquire an Additional 17 Airbus A320 Airframes, Bringing to 23 the Total Number of A320s Slated for Teardown and Harvested Parts Redistribution
Delta CEO says CrowdStrike-Microsoft outage cost the airline $500 million
Boeing Reports $16.9 Billion In Revenue For 2nd Quarter With 5,400 Commercial Aircraft Backlog
United Airlines says flight attendant in Terrell Davis incident is no longer employed and NFL legend’s ‘no fly’ ban is lifted | CNN
Nepal Plane Crash Kills 18 After Takeoff - Airline Ratings
Southwest Airlines is getting rid of open seating | CNN Business
CrowdStrike Outage Caused 10% Spike in Air Charter
Aircraft Engine Maintenance and Repair to Peak in 2026, Worsening Capacity Shortage for Commercial Aviation, Says Bain & Company
French bee highlights features of its premium economy service
Policy
Webp 5r3vc2svdh8ibaxk8gr8iutw0za2
Simple Flying | Simple Flying

French bee, a low-cost airline based at Paris Orly Airport, has carved out a niche in the long-haul market with its budget-friendly intercontinental flights. Known for its high-density economy class seating, French bee also offers a premium economy option for passengers willing to pay more for additional comfort.

Established in 2016 as French Blue and rebranded in 2018, the airline operates an all-Airbus A350 fleet. According to ch-aviation data, it includes four A350-900s with an average age of 6.8 years and two A350-1000s averaging three years old. Cirium's scheduling data indicates that French bee scheduled 220 passenger flights in December 2024, providing 92,566 seats and covering 458 million available seat miles (ASMs). The most frequented destination is Roland Garros Airport in Réunion.

French bee's approach allows passengers to choose services they want on long-haul routes, differentiating itself by offering a premium economy cabin. This section provides more than just extra space; it comes with additional features such as a welcome drink upon boarding and increased luggage allowance.

Get the Newsletter
Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Sky Industry News
By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

The Airbus A350-900 aircraft feature premium economy seats arranged seven abreast (2-3-2), while the larger A350-1000 uses an eight-abreast layout (2-4-2). Premium cabins accommodate five rows of seats at the front of the plane. The A350-900 can hold up to 35 premium passengers compared to 40 on the A350-1000. These configurations result in total capacities of 411 and 480 passengers respectively.

French bee describes its premium seats as having "measurements straight out of a dream," offering a seat pitch of 36 inches and width of 18 inches—providing more legroom than standard economy class seats. Features include reclining capabilities, integrated rests for legs and feet, adjustable headrests with four positions, and entertainment systems with touchscreens.

Premium passengers enjoy perks like priority check-in and boarding along with two checked bags each weighing up to 23 kg or approximately 50 lbs. Tickets are flexible too; Premium Smart fares allow changes for fees while Premium Flex tickets offer fee-free changes or refunds.

A cost comparison using a March flight from Paris to Newark shows minimal fare differences between higher-tier economy tickets and premium options—€424 ($445) for Premium Smart versus €564 ($591.50) for Premium Flex—with demand keeping availability limited.

Simple Flying reviewed this service earlier this year during a Los Angeles-to-Paris flight, noting positive experiences despite some shortcomings in food quality.

Organizations Included in this History
More News

Flying Food Group at Los Angeles International Airport (LAI) recently took the opportunity to recognize the contributions of fathers and father figures within their team.

Jun 24, 2025

Flying Food Group has announced the successful catering of its first Virgin Atlantic flight from Los Angeles International Airport on June 17, 2025.

Jun 24, 2025

The Lufthansa Group has announced a significant development in its efforts to harmonize status benefits for its frequent travelers.

Jun 24, 2025

Air New Zealand is set to enhance its trans-Tasman services with 1.7 million seats available between New Zealand and Australia from October 2025 to March 2026.

Jun 24, 2025

Long Beach Airport has commenced the third year of its Careers Taking Flight externship program, designed to provide high school students with practical exposure to aviation careers.

Jun 24, 2025

Delta Air Lines has announced new nonstop flights from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to Barcelona and Rome, set to begin in the summer of 2026.

Jun 24, 2025