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What Does European Business Class Consist Of?

If you don’t live in Europe you might not be accustomed with the concept of European Business Class. What carriers offer on intraeuropean flights is very different from what passengers might be used to experience in Asia or North America. So before you spend your money, here’s what European Business class offers.

What Does European Business Class Offer Onboard?

It is very good to know as a traveller incoming into Europe what to expect from the various travel classes. Europe’s civil aviation market evolved very differently from Asia’s and North America’s. The continent is dominated by LCCs (Low Cost Carriers), and that has shaped the onboard product over the years.

Onboard you should not get your hopes and expectations up when travelling business class within Europe. All you will get is a standard economy class seat in the same layout as the rest of the plane (3-3 on a standard narrow body) with the middle seat blocked out. That means that effectively you have a 2-2 seat utilisation, despite the actual 3-3 config. So no extra comfort from the seat.

What you can expect though is a proper meal.Depending on the time of the day you’ll be served breakfast, lunch or dinner. Not just a drink or a pack of peanuts. The caveat is that the flight must be international or longer than 45 minutes or so.

Let’s also include in the onboard experience luggage allowance. You will be allowed to bring along and or check a larger amount of baggage than when travelling economy across Europe.

A Lufthansa A320neo on takeoff. A plane on which the German airline fits its European Business class concept that offers economy class seats with a blocked middle row.
A Lufthansa A320neo at takeoff.

What Does it Include At The Airport?

In most cases for European flights you might find yourself spending more time in the airports than on the aircraft. So let’s look at what European business class includes while on the ground.

Starting from checkin you’ll get dedicated desks which will make the experience faster and stress free. Remaining on the same note you’ll, in most instances, get access to a lounge to wait for your flight. Finally you also have access to priority boarding.