New flights to Israel offer flat beds for the entire plane

By Rachel Hale June 29, 2021

The plane has 76 seats, each with the ability to recline to a full-flat option. Courtesy of La Compagnie

Planning a trip to Israel? The trans-Atlantic flight that comes to mind is often memorable for the wrong reasons — seats packed like sardines, the below-average food and an inevitable crick in your neck from dozing off in an uncomfortable position. La Compagnie, which flies aircrafts where all the seats are business class, is set to change that. The French company is launching a new flight route from New York to Tel Aviv, featuring a fresh menu curated by New York and Paris based chefs – and flat bed seats for every passenger on the entire plane.

Flights departing from Newark Airport begin July 21 and operate through Oct. 30. Tickets to Tel Aviv start at $2,000 round trip.

La Compagnie President Christian Vernet said that different routes have been affected by the pandemic, explaining that the decision to make a flight option to Israel followed an increase in the route’s popularity.

“Over the past several weeks, we have seen an increasing demand for flights to Israel out of the United States. Our 100% Smart Business Class product is the perfect fit for this high end clientele, and we strongly believe this is an opportunity for our airline to upgrade its summer program,” shared Vernet.

La Compagnie’s Airbus A321neo fleet. Courtesy of La Compagnie

Started in 2014, the company was forced to stop operations last March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but is now reopening to a market with increased interest for spacious settings and additional privacy, boosted by an additional $12.1 million in aid they received from the French government. The plane fits 76 seats on its Airbus A321neo fleet, where it offers unlimited Wi-Fi service and entertainment options on 15’7-inch touch screens.

“In a post COVID-19 era we anticipate a lower demand on our New York-Paris route, therefore we need to diversify our destinations offering and look for alternative routes for our second aircraft. Nice and Tel Aviv are a great combination for the summer season and Milan is a strong long-term route with a balanced mix of business and leisure passengers traveling throughout the year,” Vernet said.

The flight offers dining and drinks from a menu curated by New York and Paris based chefs. Courtesy of La Compagnie

Rachel Hale is a former news intern at the Forward and is now a freelance writer. Follow her on Twitter @Rachelhale32.

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO