Summary
- Luxury startup airline Beond will likely be launching a brand new service between Milan and the Maldives in March 2024.
- The airline goals to offer a premium service for discerning Milanese travelers, offering onboard superb dining, home check-in services, limousine airport transfers, and more.
- Beond plans to expand its network to over 50 destinations across 26 countries and goals to serve 1.4 million passengers annually inside five years.
Upcoming all-business airline Beond has announced a brand new service between Milan and the Maldives coming next yr. The route will begin in March 2024 as Beond prepares to begin operations next month.
Beond to fly from Milan
Maldives-based luxury startup Beond will fly between Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) and Velana International Airport (MLE) from late March 2024. Milan becomes the fourth connection in Beond’s network – earlier this summer, the airline announced its first routes to the Maldives can be from Riyadh, Munich and Zurich.
Photo: Beond
Beond’s Chief Industrial Officer, Sascha Feuerherd, said,
The carrier had initially planned to launch this September, but will delay by a few months until November. Its first flight from Riyadh will depart on November ninth, followed by the launch of its Munich and Zurich services the next week.
44-seater Airbus A319
Earlier this week, the airline unveiled its first aircraft at an event in Male, Maldives – the A319-100 (registration: 8Q-FBA) is fitted with 44 lie-flat seats.
Premium perks of a Beond flight will include superb dining with a Michelin-star menu, home check-in services and a limousine airport transfer.
Beond plans to induct its second aircraft type – the Airbus A321ceo – in the approaching months. These planes will offer 68 seats . The airline has also expressed interest within the Airbus A321LR, which can help it unlock routes further afield.
Where next?
There are several enticing destinations on the cards for Beond, but at this stage, the airline has yet to commit to anything concrete. Gaining a foothold within the Asian market will likely be high on the agenda, with Hong Kong, Bangkok, Beijing and Shanghai all touted as possible destinations.
Photo: Beond
The airline has said it will definitely desires to serve over 50 destinations across 26 countries, reaching 1.4 million annual passengers inside five years. Beond’s current launch schedule is as follows:
- Riyadh (RUH) – November ninth
- Munich (MUC) – November fifteenth
- Zurich (ZRH) – November seventeenth
The carrier clearly anticipates demand for luxury leisure travel, pricing its initial offerings at $3,820 from Europe (Munich and Zurich) and $2,000 from the Middle East (Riyadh).
Beond markets itself as “the world’s first premium leisure airline” and is backed by UAE-based company Arabesque and Maldivian hospitality company SIMDI. All-business carriers are rare, and the vast majority of attempts to determine such an airline haven’t lasted long.
Photo: General Electric
Currently, the one comparable airline to Beond is French airline La Compagnie, which operates flights from Europe to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) with a fleet of two all-business A321neos. La Compagnie may also launch a brand new seasonal Caribbean service from Newark Airport to Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) this November.
Are you occupied with Beond’s newest route between Milan and the Maldives? Do you see the all-business carrier becoming successful? Tell us within the comments.