A brand-new luxury airline promises premium service to the island getaway of the Maldives from leading destinations across the globe. BeOnd will operate nonstop flights to and from the Maldives using all-business Airbus A321neo aircraft. Let's explore this fascinating start-up below.
BeOnd to offer luxury Maldives flights
The start-up hopes to launch in Summer 2023 and will attract premium travelers visiting the renowned tourism destination. Initially serving a handful of high profile destinations, including Dubai, Hong Kong, Milan, Munich, Paris, Riyadh, Singapore, Taipei, Vienna, and Zurich, BeOnd will fly with 68-seater Airbus A321LRs configured in an all-business class, 2-2 layout.
Behind the airline is UAE-based investment firm Arabesque and Maldivian hospitality company SIMDI Group. The core management team includes CEO Tero Taskila, CSO Max Nilov and CCO Sascha Feuerherd, each boasting over 20 years of aviation and management experience.
CEO Taskila told Airways Mag,
"The initial idea is that we saw a market for luxury leisure airlines in the aviation world; it is the fastest-growing travel segment at the moment, accelerated by the coronavirus."
The carrier's first hub will be Velana International Airport (MLE) - the Maldives' main international airport close to its capital city Male - and its aircraft will be registered in the country. When it commences operations, BeOnd will face fierce competition from established international carriers and their premium products, including Emirates, Saudia and Singapore Airlines.
Fayyaz Ismail, Minister of Economic Development of the Maldives, added,
"We are very excited that BeOnd, as a new airline, chose to be based in the Maldives. As a Maldives based carrier, the airline will provide more direct flights to and from Maldives, making travel to the Maldives even easier and more accessible."
What will BeOnd flights offer?
Several appealing perks from the BeOnd travel package will appeal to the luxury traveler market. Passengers will be able to check in from the comfort of their own home, enjoy premium airport transfers and access to a special airport lounge before their flight.
Fully lie-flat seats onboard the airline's all-business class A321neos will be complemented by top-notch in-flight cuisine, which BeOnd promises will be "an exquisite Michelin-star menu onboard, promising you quality, exotic and healthful ingredients sustainably sourced from all over the world."
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Up to 60 destinations
BeOnd is coordinating closely with the Maldives government, which has granted the airline national carrier status. The carrier plans to launch operations once it has two aircraft in its fleet, with Dubai-Male touted as its inaugural route before expanding to other global destinations.
While the carrier will initially fly the Airbus A321LR, it has its eye on the Airbus A321XLR - this extra long range aircraft is expected to enter service in 2024 and will enable BeOnd to connect the Maldives with even more destinations.
As explained by Taskila,
"The ultimate plan for the long term is the A321XLR. The A321XLR can do 11 to 12 hours of flying, which is almost an ultra-long-haul. But then with the A321LR, we are able to reach around nine hours, which eliminates some of the destinations that we wanted to do in the beginning. So we learn about long-haul operations, improve them, and then take the ultra-long-haul flights."
What are your thoughts on BeOnd? Do you see the new luxury airline proving a success? Let us know in the comments.
Source: Airways Mag