First class business with extras: Condor brings small first class to the Airbus A330neo

It was nail biting. On December 27, the first Condor Airbus A330 Neo will take off to Mauritius for the first time with passengers on board. But at the last moment there was an unfortunate incident in Toulouse. The plane crashed into a building with the tip of its wing.

Fortunately, things didn’t end well, so they can be fixed in time. Now it is The D-ANRA in Frankfurt Condor President Ralph Tekkentrap invited his staff and the media to visit the new aircraft.

A substance that causes a lot of stress

He says the little incident in Toulouse wasn’t the only thing that nearly ruined the schedule. “This fabric here,” says the airline chief, pointing to the velor-like cover on the back of the business class seat, “was very stressful.” Alcantara is the correct term. It’s kept in the same navy blue as the other fabrics in Business Class as well as the typical Condor stripes on the back wall.

But even if the fabric in other colors has already been approved for use in flight – not in this one. And in the fire test, it then developed a little more vapor than the testers would have liked. “It caused a four-week delay again,” said the Condor chief. Fortunately, it turns out that the steam was created only because the fabric had been accidentally sprayed twice with fire retardant.

Can be used as a wing

Certified fabric is now part of the A330 Neo Business Class cabin. The dark blue color with brown wood and beige tones creates an elegant impression that surprises when one has seen the green and white circular plane from the outside. Seats can match those of major competitors. Each has access to the driveway, storage space and – now standard – converts into a flat bed.

Condor also shares the trend of recent years, at least a little: the first row of business class has become a kind of mini first class. The screens there are much larger than those in the other seats. There is also some kind of ottomans at the bottom of the seat where another person can sit. With an accompanying folding table, you can have dinner together or play something there, for example. The second seat also has a safety harness so you can stay together even in the turmoil. However, takeoff and landing were not approved.

Business Plus costs more

The two middle seats have the same extras, but can also be used as a small combined suite. If you want to use Business Plus, you have to pay a little more for it. How much, Condor has not yet revealed.

Between Business and Economy Class, Condor sells Premium Economy—however, the seats are more comparable to products other airlines call Economy Plus. They offer more legroom, and there is a different menu as well as sets of amenities for passengers. The premium and economy class are kept in sandy tones, which also looks elegant.

Small lines everywhere

When designing the cabin, the airline paid great attention to detail. Stripes really are everywhere. Even on folding table locks. The lights on the ceiling in the entrance area also have a striped pattern. The head of Condor Teckentrup looks very proud of this and shows another detail on the economy seats – a small sticker on the edge, also with dark blue stripes.

For the 65-year-old, revamping his long-distance fleet is the last big step before he retires. After 19 years at the top, he thinks it’s the right time. It is not officially known when exactly his successor will take over. His contract officially runs through the end of 2023. But his successor could be on board as early as Easter.

Get an impression of the cabin of Condor’s first A330 Neo in the gallery above.