Airline offers five flights a week to Frankfurt, Germany
ANN RUPPENSTEIN
In a “game changer” move, Condor Airlines is converting its entire long-haul fleet to the new A330neo aircraft. By 2024, all of Condor’s long-haul flights — including 17 routes to North America — will be on the “planet-friendly” aircraft, which feature 64 premium economy seats and 30 business class seats with fully-lie-flat beds.
“What’s happening here in North America is so exciting with the new aircraft, with the routes that we’re doing — it’s a game changer for Condor,” Mikko Turtiainen, Condor’s Director of Sales, The Americas, told Travel Courier at a Toronto launch event for the aircraft. “With the new neos, we’re bringing quite a bit of premium capacity into the market. We have to raise awareness now in regards to Condor really changing, us really coming into the market quite strongly with a premium package. The Canadian routes that we’re flying, we’re happy to say are going to be with the neo.”
Eighteen A330neo aircrafts are set to replace Condor’s current Boeing 767 fleet. The aircrafts feature a lively striped livery in various colours like red, green and blue. From the airline’s Frankfurt hub, connections are possible to 100+ destinations throughout Europe and beyond. Connectivity within Canada is offered via WestJet. Toronto service is now year-round and flights operate on a frequency of five times a week.
“We’ve invested in this new fleet but I have to say this isn’t just an aircraft refresh, this isn’t just a touch of paint, this isn’t just a standard new item into our fleet, this will be an absolute milestone for Condor,” noted Stephen Mc Kenna, Area Manager Intercontinental Stations at Condor. “This will be a game changer. This is where we have a moment in the history of the organization to be able to change the way customers think about Condor, to gain new customers and to just really drive a whole new experience on our long haul fleet. So we’re incredibly excited.”
Meanwhile, Turtiainen said he sees travel agents playing an important role in the airline’s growth, especially within the segment booking premium seats.
“We do have this increase of premium seats, in my view, in Condor’s view, one of the channels that can sell that premium seat in the best way is the B2B — the travel agencies, the tour operators,” Turtiainen said. “The mission that we have in sales is definitely to create that excitement within the B2B space, within the travel agencies, tour operators and corporate travel sellers, and make sure that they know about Condor, they know about what Condor is today. It is a different Condor going forward.”
Notably, the first four business class seats are known as prime seats, featuring extra legroom, added amenities like a snack box and pajamas, and the option for travellers to face their companion during things like dinner service while having their full seat to return to for sleeping purposes.
“We’re competitive with any other airline flying business class to Europe,” Turtiainen said. “With the new 330neo, it does change the game in the sense that for the price we are in the market, we have the best proposition in regards to travel into Europe.”
