Legacy carriers have been squeezed by competition in the short-haul markets on both sides of the Atlantic, but they have been largely left alone on the transatlantic routes ever since the collapse of Laker Airways in 1982.
A new privately held competitor called MAXjet has emerged, and it is competing in the profitable London-Washington market. (It also flies to JFK.) With just 102 seats on a Boeing 767-200ER, MAXjet offers premium service, including the opportunity to enjoy "several multi-course meals and dine in style with restaurant china, proper metal cutlery and stemmed glassware." MAXjet flies into Stansted (STN), which may be very useful for travelers wanting to connect on to a European low-cost carrier, such as EasyJet or RyanAir.
It will be interesting to see how the story unfolds. Will this airline give British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, and United, the other competitors in the Washington-London market, a serious shock? Or will it eventually sink into ignominious defeat like Independence Air? (Interestingly, BMI gave up its Washington-Manchester route recently.)
I think I might give this airline a chance! There is an introductory fare of only $750, and that includes taxes and fees!
1 comment:
That's what I thought, until I interacted with their customer care organization for the first time (which was one hour after buying first ticket.) Not very confidence inspiring. They make American and United look great.
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