Dreamjet SAS, which started flying between Paris and Newark in July, under the brand ‘La Compagnie’ allegedly plans to bring its low-fare business class service to London.
A report by Wall Street Journal said the airline will take delivery of a new Boeing 757-200 this month, ahead of the planned launch of the Newark – London route, although it is not yet clear which London airport the carrier plans to operate.
La Compagnie’s current B757-200, wet-leased from Icelandair, operates six-weekly flights, with its 74 lie-flat seats in a 2x2 configuration.
The start-up company, which has raised €30 million in equity from predominantly French investors, has reportedly arranged for takeoff and landing slots at London’s Gatwick Airport, but Frantz Yvelin, the company’s Chief Executive said the airline is exploring service from either Luton or Stansted as an alternative.
The company prices its round-trip tickets at a fraction of the business class fare offered by its transatlantic rivals, and the same tactic will apparently be offered on the London – Newark route.
Currently, a return fare in mid-January on the Paris route is approximately £510, £840 or £1,325 depending on whether the ticket is standard, semi-flex or full-flex. The airline also offers a promotional fare for two people travelling together – £1,662 for two people, roundtrip.
This is not the first all-business carrier Frantz Yvelin has launched. In 2006 he launched two-fleet carrier, ‘L’Avion’, which operated a single route between Newark and Paris’ Orly Airport. It operated Boeing 757-200 aircraft maintained by Lufthansa Technik, with a total of 90 seats in a 2x2 configuration.
The company was sold in 2008 to British Airways, who rebranded the airline, adding a full economy class, and premium economy class.
Despite the failure of ‘L’Avion’, Mr Yvelin started La Compagnie, with a target market of not only business travellers from small companies, but also affluent leisure travellers.
Although an official release has not yet been issued, it is rumoured that the airline hopes to begin selling tickets for the London service in December, and begin operation in March, with five-weekly rotations.
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