Wednesday newsletters always feature a hotel or flight review.
A few weeks ago, I enjoyed a relaxing holiday in the Riviera Maya, Mexico, where I stayed at the area’s top three luxury resorts. You can read my trip reports here:
Today: Condor A330neo Business Class (Prime Seat) from Cancun to Frankfurt
I recently flew in Business Class onboard a brand-new Condor Airbus A330-900neo (A330neo) from Cancun (Mexico) to Frankfurt (Germany). Condor – one of world’s largest leisure airlines – recently replaced its aging Boeing 767 fleet by brand-new, state-of-the-art Airbus A330neo aircraft. These planes feature a terrific new Business Class cabin with 30 seats a 1-2-1 staggered layout. The four seats in the cabin’s front row are marketed as Prime Seats since they offer even more space, a bigger bed, a “visitor” seat, and an extra-large 24 inch 4K screen. Prime Seats – or Business Class “Plus” – are not only significantly larger than the other seats, they also come with a some extra amenities such as pajamas, a premium amenity kit, a sweet & savory snack basket, and a free internet package for unlimited text messaging.
For my Condor A330neo flight from Cancun to Frankfurt, I was able to snatch a Prime Seat. Reserving one of the Prime Seats comes with an extra fee; it can be booked by passengers with a Business Class ticket from an additional EUR 200 (approximately $214 USD), although the pricing varies per route.
Have you ever flown in Condor’s Airbus A330neo? If so, what was your experience? Leave a comment.
I made a YouTube video with my impressions onboard, which you can watch here:
- Trip: Cancun (CUN) to Frankfurt (FRA)
- Airline: Condor
- Aircraft type: Airbus A330-900neo
- Aircraft registration number: D-ANRA (delivered to Condor in 2022)
- On time departure: 8 pm (no; one hour late)
- On time arrival: 11 am am (no; one hour late)
- Miles: 5340 miles (8590 km)
- Flight time: 10 hours
- Seat: 2A
- Class: Business Class
In this review (more information & photos below my YouTube video):
- Lounge at Cancun International Airport
- Condor A330-900neo
- Business Class cabin
- Business Class Prime Seat
- Amenities & bedding
- Meals
- Entertainment
- Onboard internet
- Other inflight experiences
- My verdict (score)
1. LOUNGE AT CANCUN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Cancun is the largest airport in Mexico and Latin America in terms of international passengers. Last year, the airport handled 32,750,411 passengers. The airport comprises several terminals and lounges. Condor’s Business Class passengers have access to the Plaza Premium Lounge, which is located one floor below the main concourse of the international terminal. The lounge is a third party lounge and also known as the Mera lounge.
The comfortable lounge features a contemporary and elegant decor, with separate areas for lounging and dining (there are no windows though). A self-serve buffet at the center of the lounge offers a selection of sandwiches, snacks, juices, coffee, soft drinks and several hot entrée selections. There’s also a stylish bar at the far end of the lounge. During times of high occupancy, which was the case during my visit at the lounge, it may be a challenge though to find an available seat.
The lounge is close to the gate which is used by Condor for its flight to Frankfurt.
2. CONDOR A330-900NEO
Over a time span of less than two years, Condor phased out a total of 16 B767 aircraft and successively replaced them with 16 brand-new A330-900neo aircraft. The A330neo features Airbus’ award-winning Airspace cabin, providing passengers with a high level of comfort, ambience and design. This includes offering more personal space, larger overhead bins, a new lighting system, and the ability to offer the latest in-flight entertainment systems and full connectivity.
All Condor Airbus A330neo aircraft feature a remarkable striped livery, which is inspired by parasols, bath towels and beach chairs, matching Condor’s reputation as a unique leisure airline. The stripes come in five colors – yellow, red, blue, green and beige – which the airline says “stand for the facets of the diversity of Condor’s guests, employees and the multitude of opportunities to discover the world with Condor”. The fuselage also features the carrier’s name in lower case, while the aircraft tailfin is painted with a refreshed version of the Condor signet.
Condor’s A330neo features 216 seats in Economy Class, 64 seats in Premium Economy Class and 30 seats in Business Class (including 4 Prime Seats).
3. BUSINESS CLASS CABIN
Condor’s A330neo aircraft feature 30 lie-flat Business Class seats, which are all located in one cabin in the plane’s front section. The seats are arranged in a staggered 1-2-1 layout with direct aisle access for all passengers. The staggered configuration means that the footwell of each seat is to the side of the seat in front, so it minimizes the pitch required for each seat.
The center of the cabin features 8 rows of paired seats, perfects for couples or friends traveling together, while the Business Class seats on the side along the windows are spread over 7 rows. All Business Class seats feature the same dimensions, but they do differ in terms of privacy and space offered:
- The window seats in the even numbered rows are closer to the windows, since they have their console on the aisle side. These are the best seats since it’s easier to look outside the window and they feel more private (as you are sheltered a bit from the aisle).
- The window seats in the odd numbered rows are closer to the aisle (with their console on the window side). These seats feel a bit less private and it’s a bit tougher to look outside the windows, but they’re still an excellent choice.
- The seats in the center of the plane are paired seats, alternating between ‘honeymoon’ seats (seats next to each other, with their consoles on the aisle side) and seats separated by their consoles. The latter might be less ideal for couples traveling together since you have to lean over a bit to talk to each other.
- The four Business Class seats in the front row of the cabin (2A, 1E, 1F, and 2K) offer even more space, a bigger bed, a “visitor” seat, an extra-large 24 inch 4K screen, and other exclusive benefits. Since they do offer an even further elevated travel experience, they are called Prime Seats and they can be reserved by Business Class passengers for an extra fee while selecting a seat online.
The color concept of Condor’s A330neo Business Class cabin is marina blue throughout, which compliments the dark wood seat panels and leather upholstering. Condor’s signature striped design theme continues within the cabin, with striped seat covers as well as a striped bulkhead wall, prominently displaying the gold-colored Condor logo. The sophisticated color palette, the striped design elements, as well as the Airbus A330neo’s mood lighting features (which includes a rainbow scheme) creates a chic onboard ambience.
4. BUSINESS CLASS PRIME SEAT
Condor’s Business Class Prime Seat is a customized version of Safran’s Skylounge Core product and has a width of 48 cm (19 inches). The seat itself does not differ from the other Business Class seats in the cabin. One side of the seat features a console comprised of a small storage area, a reading light, a headset hanger, and a cocktail table. Around the cocktail table are three charging outlets, including USB-A, USB-C, and AC, as well as a handset for the inflight entertainment. The seat controls – which are easy to use – are also located on this side of the seat, on a backlit control panel inside the armrest.
What sets the Prime Seat apart from the other Business Class seats in the Condor A330neo cabin is the vast amount of space it offers:
- The Prime Seat has an incredible pitch of 79 inches (2 m). In comparison, the other Business Class seats have a pitch of 44 inches or 112 cm.
- The Prime Seat has a huge ottoman (footrest) which can double as an extra seat, allowing face-to-face dining with a travel buddy.
- In front of the seat is 24 inches 4K monitor, which is much larger compared to the 17 inches 4K monitors at the other Business Class seats.
- The Prime Seat’s tray table is located on the side of the suite instead of being placed directly under the TV (which is the case at the other Business Class seats).
- The Prime Seat has a storage compartment next to the foortest, which you won’t find in other seats.
The only possible downside of the Prime Seat is their location in the cabin’s front row and thus, their proximity to the galley and lavatory (although I didn’t experience any issues during my flight).
What are the best Business Class seats onboard Condor’s A330neo?
- The best seats are the Prime Seats in the front row (sine they offer more space, a bigger bed, a “visitor” seat, an extra-large 24 inch 4K screen), but these seats can only be reserved by paying an extra fee.
- The best seats for solo travelers are the ‘true’ window seats in rows 2, 4, 6 & 8.
- The best seats for travel partners are the honeymoon seats in the plane’s center (rows 1, 3, 5 & 7).
What are the worst Business Class seats onboard Condor’s A330neo?
- The seats in rows 1 and 8 are located close to the galley, which may be bothersome to some passengers (because of more noise and light in this area).
- The solo window seats in rows 3, 5 and 7 are closer the aisle (since they have their console on the window side) and therefore do not feel very private.
- The paired center seats in rows 2, 4 and 5 are closer to the aisle (with their consoles in between them), which might be less ideal for travel companions.
Click here for a seat map of Condor’s Airbus A330-900neo aircraft.
5. AMENITIES & BEDDING
Passengers traveling in Business Class onboard one of Condor’s long-haul flights receive the following amenities:
- Condor’s Business Class amenity kit is presented as a cardboard bag and mainly consist of sustainable materials, such as socks made from 100 percent recycled PET, earplugs in a paper package, and a viscose sleep mask based on bamboo fibers. The kit also includes toothpaste and a bamboo toothbrush with nylon bristles, lip balm and and a facial moisturizer.
- On all long-haul flights operated with the new Airbus A330neo, a mattress topper is available for even more lying comfort. This consists of a seven-layer system and was specially developed for the seats in the new Condor Business Class.
- A fluffy pillow.
- A high-quality 78 inches (2m) long, 51 inches (85 cm) wide blanket.
- A pair of striped slippers.
- Noise-cancelling headphones are provided; the seats are also equipped with bluetooth audio, so passengers can also use their own headphones.
Passengers in one of Condor’s Prime Seats also get some extra goodies, including:
- A premium inflight amenity kit featuring Rituals skincare products and toiletries.
- Comfortable 100% cotton navy coloured Condor pyjamas with striped accents.
- A sweet and savory snack basket, containing Haribo gummy bears, peanut M&Ms, Pringles, chocolate crackers, and salted caramel popcorn.
6. MEALS
During the overnight flight from Cancun to Frankfurt, two meals were served: a dinner after takeoff and a continental breakfast about two hours prior to landing. All meals tasted excellent, were nicely presented (especially the starter), and features decent food portions.
For dinner, I choose the following selection from the menu:
- Duo of starters:
- Sautéed Cajun style king prawns, grilled scallop, tomato salsa
- Chicken skewers, red peppers, cherry tomatoes, marinated roast beef
- Both starters were served with iceberg lettuce, jicama, carrot, cucumber, tomatoes, balsamic dressing
- Main course: salmon filet, lemon sauce, grilled eggplants, zucchini, tomatoes, potato-carrot gratin
- Cheese selection: Schönegrunder mountain cheese, farmer’s gouda, Cheddar cheese
- Dessert: chocolate mousse, strawberry vanilla sauce
Breakfast was served priot to landing and comprised fresh fruits, Black Forest ham, Italian salami, butter cheese, and an omelet with fresh parlsey (boiled eggs were offered as well).
7. ENTERTAINMENT
Condor offers an extensive in-flight entertainment selection, which can be navigated by remote control or by directly touching the 4K monitor. The program includes 250 movies and 160 series, which are displayed on a high quality 4K personal screens. The seat’s Bluetooth function allows the usage of personal wireless headphones.
8. ONBOARD INTERNET
Condor offers high-speed broadband internet on its Airbus A330neo aircraft. Two packages are available for purchase:
- With FlyConnect Chat (7 euros), you can send text messages via your smartphone or tablet throughout the flight with no time limit.
- With FlyConnect Surf (20 euro), you can surf online, send text messages, get up-to-date with your e-mails, stream music and use your VPN client throughout your flight with no time limit (max 1200 kbps).
The Prime Seat comes with a free internet package for unlimited text messaging.
9. OTHER INFLIGHT EXPERIENCES
# CREW: the Condor cabin crew on this flight was courteous, friendly and efficient. The service was warm and personal, attentive but not intrusive.
# LAVATORY: there are two lavatories, one at the front and one at the rear of the Business Class cabin, enough for 30 seats. The lavatories are stocked with Korres amenities and feature walls decorated with beige and white stripes.
10. MY VERDICT
- Cabin design: 9/10
- Seat comfort (upright): 8/10
- Seat comfort (bed position): 8/10
- Seat privacy: 8/10
- Food (quality): 8/10
- Food (quantity): 9/10
- Amenities: 8/10
- Inflight entertainment : 9/10
- WiFi: 9/10
- Service: 9/10
- Overall experience: very good 8.5/10
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