.webp)
DALLAS — If you are flying between Milan, the Italian economic capital, and the Big Apple, you will have plenty of choices on how to cross the Atlantic. The competition on this leg is ferocious and has already claimed victims.
Just a few weeks ago, ITA Airways (AZ) terminated its historic route from Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). Emirates (EK), the Dubai-based giant, operates a daily fifth-freedom flight with its Boeing 777-300ER, flying 354 passengers in a three-class configuration. Other competitors on the same route include Delta Air Lines (DL), Neos (NO), and American Airlines (AA).
United Airlines (UA) also serves Malpensa, operating a Boeing 777-200ER daily to the Italian city from Newark Liberty Airport (EWR). Even without AZ’s A330 flight to JFK, the offer between Milan and New York counts well over 1500 seats daily. However, another airline is slowly carving itself out as an exclusive market niche in this crowded battlefield.
La Compagnie (B0) started its MXP-EWR connection with up to six weekly flights in 2022. The airline offers “100% smart business class," flying its single-class A321neos to the other side of the pond with only 76 passengers on board. As a reference, Transavia (HV) took delivery of an Airbus A321neo with 232 seats in December, over three times the passenger capacity. The airline offers all the amenities you would expect on a long-haul flight and all the comfort you would expect on an international business-class flight.
La Compagnie first took off in 2014, operating on the route. In 2016, after receiving its second aircraft, the airline doubled its frequency to the US. The airline announced the A321neo in 2017, and since June 2019, B0 has been operating a seasonal route between Nice and New York. The airline received its first Airbus A321neo in the same year, which replaced the original Boeing 757s. In 2023, La Compagnie announced its first profit in 2022 and plans for a fleet expansion, adding two Airbus A321LRs in 2024 and 2025.
In this post, we take you on board the smallest aircraft to fly commercially nonstop from Italy to the US and one of the few in the world equipped in an all-business-class configuration. It is also worth noting that the MXP-EWR flight is one of the longest flights operated by twin-aisle aircraft in the world, with an average flight time of 9 hours, made possible by the reduced take-off weight.
Booking Website, at the Airport
The airline offers an optimized website, which makes booking easy. However, no app has been announced yet. La Compagnie also offers a points-based loyalty scheme that grants one free return flight after as little as 10 flights. The airline advertises its offer well online, with a generous lie-flat bed, well-researched French cuisine, and a good wine selection on display.
While there are traveling classes when booking, these only differ on the cancellation policy and points that can be earned from the flight. All passengers can check two 32-kg pieces of luggage, access the fast-track security and lounge in Milan, and enjoy the excellent onboard offer. Special meals can be selected up to 51 hours before departure.
Check-in opens only 2.5 hours before departure. Exactly 2.5 hours before departure, I received a message communicating a departure delay of over 2 hours due to some unplanned aircraft maintenance. I still checked in at 11:00 a.m. local time and headed to the security checks.
All La Compagnie passengers can use the fast-track, which did not save much time as all security lines were relatively empty. After checking my passport in the e-gates, I headed to the complimentary lounge to wait to board my Airbus A321neo.
Like the majority of airlines operating extra-Schengen flights, La Compagnie uses the Montale lounge here in Milan. I visited the lounge a few months ago on my way to Muscat.
The food offer was improved this time, with an extended offer of snacks and sandwiches. I waited a few good hours in the lounge, enjoying the beautiful view of the apron and runways.
Boarding
Boarding started at 3:30 p.m. local time, with just a handful of passengers waiting at the gate. Our aircraft today is aircraft F-HNCO, a 4.4-year-old Airbus A321neo, carrying 76 passengers in a 2-2 configuration. We boarded from gate B55, the same gate as my previous experience with Oman Air (WY).
Once on board, a sleek and modern cabin welcomes passengers, which could not be more distant from the average A321 that flies for any legacy carrier. The rows of business-class seats are endless and immediately caught my attention. I was escorted to my seat, 18A, and placed my suitcase and backpack in the overhead bin.
Waiting for me at my seat, a bottle of water, noise-canceling headphones, a safety card, a pillow, and a duvet. Boarding was completed relatively quickly, and flight attendants handed me a branded amenity kit containing all the travel essentials and a shoe bag I had never seen before.
We pushed back with some significant (and announced) delay over our original flight plan and lined up for a Northbound take-off.
During the climb, I was delighted with some incredible views of the snowy French and Italian Alps. We started our North-West route, heading towards Paris, London, Wales, and Ireland, up to the beginning of our Atlantic crossing.
Meals
Soon after take-off, the lunch service started. The menu can be consulted on the 15.6” HD IFE screen, which includes a description of wines and the personal history of the chefs who created the dining selection for B0. Overall, the food was tasty, well-presented, and carefully paired with the wine selection, which meets the expectations of such a unique carrier.
The cabin crew was very attentive too and regularly checked the cabin. B0 features an extensive selection of drinks, which can be requested at any time. Before descending, a second meal was offered, which I kindly declined as I preferred to sleep a bit more.
The Cabin
The seats are 75 inches long and 19 inches wide. The cabin has three lavatories, one at the front and two at the back of the aircraft, one for every 25 passengers. Since the A321neo does not come with a crew rest area, the last two seats have been reserved for this purpose. The slightly staggered seat configuration guarantees some extra privacy, but some may still believe it is lacking.
The cabin is not as private as a 1-1 arrangement with a sliding door. However, said cabin would be too heavy and “plasticky” if it spanned the entire A321 length. The 2-2 arrangement is an optimal solution for this cabin, especially given the seat comfort. The seat fully converts into a lie-flat bed, which offers a generous width and legroom, also thanks to the retractable armrest.
The IFE
Each seat has a 15.6” display, which comes with 119 movies, a wide range of music, a meditation program, and some information about the flight. No games. The IFE can also be controlled through a remote stowed next to the seat, which features a trackpad-like system. The seat comes with a reading light for the full-lie flat mode and a traditionally brighter light.
The noise-canceling headphones are connected magnetically to the outlet, which is a first for me. The headphone jack snaps on its dedicated port, making it difficult to pull it accidentally. Each seat comes with a universal power outlet and a USB-A charging port.
A small storage tray is found immediately below the IFE screen. Large items can be stored under the ottoman, and shoes have a dedicated slot in a seat cavity. Additional storage is found behind the seat shell, where the headphones are placed.
On a very positive note, the airline offers a truly remarkable Wi-Fi service on its flights. From soon after take-off to almost landing, the network connection allowed me to download and upload significant files, stream music, and post our signature Instagram trip report.
There was not a single hiccup in the connection, which was stable and reliable for hours. The Wi-Fi was so good that it could potentially make the IFE and movie selection superfluous, as any laptop or phone could be used as if we were on the ground.
Bedding, Amenities, Landing
Making the bed is as easy as pushing one button on the main control panel. The provided pillow is extremely comfortable, and the blanket completes the bedding package. No mattress is provided; that is not necessary.
The cabin was kept at a constant temperature throughout the whole flight, which was rather pleasant. Finally, the IFE comes with a “do not disturb” option to alert the cabin crew that you would like to skip your meal and keep resting.
We landed on time and adjusted for our delay in Newark Liberty (EWR). The aircraft was parked next to La Compagnie's other A321neo. Unfortunately, nobody was prepared for the long immigration line, which took more than two hours.
Conclusions
Operating successfully on a point-to-point basis is always a challenge for airlines. Focusing on exclusively premium travel adds some complexity too. It is refreshing and comforting that such a business model could work for the past 10 years and that some further expansion plans are in place.
La Compagnie’s A321neo is a solid product to fly across the pond and stands out in a highly competitive market. The in-flight hard and soft products match and, on some occasions, exceed those most legacy carriers operating on the same route offer, and with the advantage of flying a smaller plane, the flight experience feels more private.
Featured image: La Companie A321neo cabin. Photo: Simone Chellini/Airways
.avif)