As many frequent flyers know, the best seats in Business Class are often the ones on the very first row. Some airlines monetise these seats by charging extra, but a new trend is for airlines to introduce a unique and upgraded Business Class product in the first row, often with additional perks included. One of these airlines is German leisure airline Condor with its Prime Seats. BusinessClass.com took to the skies to find out more.
Due to the design of most Business Class cabins, seats on the first row in each cabin often offer more leg space, making them feel more spacious and allowing for better sleep. Some airlines make these seats available on a first come - first served basis, while some reserve them for top-tier members of the airline’s loyalty program. Airlines including JetBlue, Virgin Atlantic, China Eastern and Condor have however created new products that offer a “Business Class Plus” or “First Class light” experience.
Condor Prime Seats are available onboard the airline´s new Airbus A330-900neo fleet that serve long-haul destinations across North America, the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia. To book a Prime Seat, you must first book a regular Business Class ticket, and then pay a surcharge to secure these seats. The price depends on the flight duration, with upgrades available from EUR199 one way. For many routes the cost is EUR499, and for some even higher. Prime Seats that have not been sold in advance are available for last-minute upgrades at check-in or even onboard, sometimes at a significantly lower price.
There are three main benefits of booking the Condor Prime seat:
A more spacious seat
Due to the staggered configuration of the Business Class cabin, Condor Prime seats in the centre of the cabin are 1E and 1F, while the window seats are 2A and 2K. Technically the actual seats are identical to all other Condor Business Class seats, but the difference is what is in front on them. While passengers in regular Business Class seats have limited space for their feet, each Prime Seat comes with a generously sized ottoman that doubles as a visitor seat. This way you can dine face to face with a travel companion also flying in Business Class.
Above the ottoman, a 24-inch screen is larger than the 17.3-inch screen found in other Condor Business Class seats. Prime Seats also offer an additional storage compartment and a larger table. There are no doors, but the Prime Seats still feel very private. While it is easier to sleep in Prime Seats than other Business Class seats due to the less restrictive leg space, the seat end of the flat-bed remains quite narrow.
Upgraded amenities
Passengers in Prime Seats receive a comfortable 100% cotton navy coloured Condor pyjamas with striped accents, an upgraded amenity kit with Rituals products and a snack basket. Another added perk is complimentary access to Condor FlyConnect Chat Unlimited.
Priority inflight service
While most other Business Class passenger will probably never notice it, passengers seated in Prime Seats are consistently served first. Condor alternates its meal and drink services between starting from the front or the back of the cabin. If the service starts from the back, passengers in Prime seats have already discreetly been served. The purser also starts the meal service by taking orders from Prime Seat passengers before the rest of the Business Class passengers, and cabin crew pay extra attention to ensure that a glass is never left empty.
Is Condor Prime Seat worth it?
The perception of value is by nature individual. There is however no denying that Condor Prime Seats provide an opportunity to elevate the Business Class experience to a higher level of comfort and service. If you can stomach the cost of the upgrade, it may well be worth it if you value additional space, comfort, and service. There is of course also a big difference between a EUR199 upgrade and a EUR699 upgrade, so make sure to check the price. It may be worth noting that the window Prime seats feel more spacious than the centre Prime seats thanks to a somewhat wider ottoman.
If you fly with a travel companion, an option is also to book one of the window Prime Seats (2A or 2K) and the adjacent centre seat (2D or 2G). While the person in the centre seat will not enjoy the additional space or extra amenities, this combination allows two passengers to sit relatively close to each other and also to dine face to face in the Prime seat while only paying to upgrade one seat.
To learn more about Condor Business Class, read the BusinessClass.com review
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