Next month, Dubai’s new premium airline will begin flying
32 planes and 60 destinations are planned by Beond during the next five years.
Dubai: Beond, a new luxury airline located in Dubai, debuted its first aircraft on Wednesday at the Dubai World Central (DWC) airport. The aircraft is an Airbus A319 model. Tero Taskila, the airline’s CEO and chairman of the board, and other senior executives unveiled the unusual livery of the aircraft.
The aircraft, which is “all business class,” has 44 lay-flat seats and sophisticated paint with gold accents on graphite grey. The airline has already begun taking reservations for its initial round of trips. The first Beond flights to the Maldives are scheduled to depart from Riyadh on November 9, Munich on November 15, and Zurich on November 17, all in the month of November 2023. In addition, the airline announced brand-new flights, starting in late March 2024, from Milan and Dubai, according to Taskila. Depending on the origin, tickets will cost 1,500 euros (Dh5,852) per person.
“We moved to Dubai 18 months ago, and at the same time we started working from the Maldives. And now, with our very first aeroplane, here we are. Our workforce now numbers 140 people, including more than 50 pilots and crew, up from only three when we first began. It is a reality, he declared.
Beond now has hubs in Dubai and the Maldives, and in the upcoming twelve months, the airline wants to establish more hubs.
Fleet and aircraft configuration
The Airbus A321ceo that will serve as the Maldivian airline’s second aircraft is expected to arrive by the end of November. The Maldivian airline received its first aircraft from American leasing and management business Bbam. With regard to seating, the second aircraft will have 68 180-degree lay-flat seats.
In the following five years, it is intended to expand the fleet to 32 aircraft and travel to 60 locations. The airline intends to lease the first 18 planes in its fleet due to continued supply chain difficulties. “Buying an aeroplane is a drawn-out procedure since manufacturers are still not producing at pre-Covid levels. While leasing gives us access to easily accessible aircraft on the market, Taskila said
Beond features
Taskila stated that rather than the customary seatback displays, passengers will be given Apple iPads as part of the aircraft’s in-flight entertainment system. Additionally, the decision lightens the vehicle, increasing its environmental friendliness and fuel economy.
We operate out of the Maldives, which has strict carbon dioxide and sustainability rules, the man said. We are able to comply with these regulations and are 60–70% less expensive thanks to the light weight and high fuel economy of our aircraft. By 2025, we want to have a 35 percent SAF.
The airline’s initial aircraft has an eight-hour maximum flight time. However, the business intends to release an improved aircraft model with a nine and a half-hour range. We’re looking at the prospect of flying from the Maldives to locations like Australia, London, and Japan, as well as perhaps from other hubs for transatlantic trips, so we’ll offer the XLR (ultra-long range) version in the following year, he added.
New routes
“We’ll launch flights to Milan, Bangkok, and Dubai in early 2024, with further ambitions to include Shanghai, Beijing, and Dusseldorf. To accommodate different holiday lengths, we plan to fly flights twice a week at first, he added.
Livery
Beyond picked livery in a dark hue that appears almost black in direct sunlight but is graphite grey instead, according to Taskila, whereas most airlines choose milder colors. “It is as dark as it can be without sacrificing things like air conditioning. To do this, we worked closely with Airbus and a German paint producer. You’ll see a flaking pattern on the paint that gives it a special sheen,” he continued.