Condor Launches Business Class, Names Americas Sales Head

German carrier Condor Airlines’ first U.S. flight using its new Airbus A330neo aircraft equipped with business and premium classes arrived this week from Frankfurt, the company announced. The flight arrived at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, where the carrier recently relocated to Terminal 7 alongside partners Alaska Airlines and JetBlue. The aircraft will replace Condor’s previous generation of Boeing 767 aircraft.

The Airbus plane has 310 seats: 30 in business class, 64 in premium economy and 216 in economy. Business class offers lie-flat seats in a 1-2-1 configuration with direct aisle access and a 17.3-inch screen in 4K mode with touchscreen and remote control. The first row of the cabin will offer “prime seats” that offer more space, a bigger bed, an “opposite ‘visitor’ seating option” with a table in the center, and include in-flight amenities, such as a travel kit, pajamas, slippers, snack basket and a free internet package for unlimited text messaging, according to the carrier. 

The premium economy cabin, with 2-4-2 seating, offers seats with pitch of 35 inches, a greater backrest angle of up to six inches, adjustable headrest and footrest, and 13.3-inch in-seat touchscreen monitors.

All three cabins will offer high-speed broadband and onboard connectivity, according to the carrier, and each seat has an extra holder for a mobile device. Bluetooth headphones can be connected to the in-flight entertainment system.

Condor Names New Sales Director

Earlier this month, Condor announced Mikko Turtiainen as its new director of sales for the Americas, where he will head up sales, strategy and growth for North America across consumer and B2B channels. Turtiainen previously spent two decades at Finnair, most recently as VP of global sales, according to Condor. 

“We are thrilled that New York JFK is our first North American gateway to receive our next-generation A330new aircraft, which is truly a game-changer for Condor and for transatlantic travel,” Turtiainen said in a statement. 

Expansion Plans

Condor previously was part of Thomas Cook, which went bankrupt in 2019, and the carrier now is owned by new investors and is expanding, according to the company. It used to be a seasonal operator to “underserved transatlantic gateways” like Portland, Ore., Minneapolis and Phoenix, but in the past year has introduced year-round service between Frankfurt and each New York, Seattle, Los Angeles and Toronto, according to the carrier. “This means Condor is becoming more of a viable option for business travelers,” said a company spokesperson. The additional seasonal markets are Boston, Baltimore, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Anchorage, Fairbanks, Vancouver, Halifax and new for this summer Edmonton.