In January 2018, we flew Business Class in a Condor Airlines Boeing 767-300ER from Frankfurt (Germany) to Zanzibar (Tanzania). The flight made a scheduled, short stopover at Mombasa’s Moi International Airport (Kenya). This was our second flight in on Condor.
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Condor is Germany’s second-largest airline based on fleet size and passengers flown. It is a subsidiary of the British Thomas Cook Group but still partners with its former parent Lufthansa through the use of the Lufthansa Group’s Miles & More program (the flight earned me 3000 miles) and gave me access to its business lounges at Frankfurt Airport. It offers a good Business Class product (although the seats don’t go fully flat) and delicious onboard food, which IMHO ranks among the best food offered by any airline.
Cost Of Flight
The flight was €750 EUR for a one-way ticket from Brussels to Zanzibar via Mombasa on Condor. The return flight was in Business Class on KLM Royal Dutch Airline. Condor is one of the few airlines that allows you to book online one-way journeys for half the return ticket price. The flight from Frankfurt to Zanzibar was in Business Class, although the Brussels-Frankfurt leg (operated by Lufthansa) was in Economy. Condor still partners with its former mother company, Lufthansa to transfers passengers to its hubs in Frankfurt and Munich, but when you book an intercontinental Business Class ticket with Condor from a connecting point in Europe, you always end up in Lufthansa’s Economy Class for the intra-European leg.
Condor Planes
Condor currently operates the Boeing 767-300ER, Boeing 757-300, Airbus A320-200, and Airbus A321-200 aircraft types. 10 Airbus A320-200 aircraft, 13 Boeing 757-300, and 5 Airbus A321-100 are used for Condor’s short-haul and medium-haul flights within Europe, as well as to North Africa. Up to 24 seats in Premium Economy Class are available on the A320/A321 (but no Business Class).
The 12 Boeing 767-300ER aircraft are used mainly for long-haul flights and have 18 or 30 Business Class seats and 35 Premium Economy Class.
When flying from Frankfurt to Zanzibar via Mombasa, Business Class passengers have access to two lounges: one in Frankfurt before the flight’s departure and one during the short stopover in Mombasa where all passengers have to deplane, also those that continue to Zanzibar.
Condor & Lufthansa Business Class Lounges
Condor does not have its own lounge at Frankfurt International Airport, but its Business Class passengers have access to the Lufthansa business lounges. Lufthansa has more than 10 lounges at its hub. I visited the Lufthansa lounge near gate B24 in Terminal 1 (non-Schengen area), which is close to the Condor boarding gates.
In Mombasa, Business Class passengers have access to the airport’s only lounge, which is probably the most depressing airport lounge in the world.
Business Class Seat & Cabin Review
Condor’s Boeing B767s come in two versions. The most common version has a total of 214 seats – 30 in Business Class, 35 in Premium Economy, and 180 in Economy. These aircraft are mostly deployed on routes where demand for Business Class seats is high (e.g., Maldives, Mauritius, and the Seychelles). The less common B767 plane (operated on this flight) features a higher density 259 seat configuration, with 18 seats in Business Class, 35 in Premium Economy, and 206 in Economy.
On all of Condor’s planes, Business Class seats are always located in one single cabin in the front of the plane and are spread over either 5 or 3 rows with 30 or 18 seats. The planes are not new, but the seats were revamped just 2 years ago, and the resulting cabin is light, airy, and modern.
The seats, arranged in a 2-2-2 configuration, are capsules that all face forward. All seats offer aisle access, except for the window seats. These Business Class seats on Condor’s B767s are quite new but with a dated style as they are angled lie-flat seats with a 170-degree incline rather than flatbeds. The seat has a 152 cm (60 inch) pitch and is 48 cm (19 inch) wide. The seat and entertainment system controls are located in one armrest, while the moderately sized tray table is located in the other armrest and needs to be pulled out for any use, after which you are blocked in your seat. In front of the seat is the entertainment screen with some storage space on top of it and a large compartment below for your feet (or legs when you transform the seat into a bed). The seat has USB ports and electrical outlets.
With a press of the button, the seat reclines to an angle of 170 degrees, thereby creating a bed of 180 cm (70 inch) long; your legs disappear in the box below the entertainment screen. Although I am 182 cm (6 ft) tall, I found the seat to be comfortable enough and could even snag a few hours of sleep along the way (something that does not often happen to me on a flight).
What are the best Business Class seats on Condor’s B767?
Except for the first and last row, all seats in the cabin are quite good, especially for couples. Make sure to prebook your seat online, which can be done free of charge.
What are the worst Business Class seats on Condor’s B767?
The 2-2-2 Business Class layout does not make the cabin very attractive for solo travelers since you will always end up sitting next to a stranger. There is only a small screen, though, between seats that can be raised for added privacy. It should also be remembered that the window seats don’t offer direct aisle access. Avoid the last row of Business Class, which is close to Premium Economy bassinet seats. It is well worth noting not to book the window seats in the last row of Condor’s Business Class cabin as the window is missing on the most common B767 planes.
Amenities
You get a comfortable blanket and pillow on your seat, along with the amenity kit, which comes in the form of a bright yellow etui. It is pretty basic with an eyeshade, earplugs, socks, toothbrush, and toothpaste.
Onboard Food
Upon boarding, I was offered the choice between a glass of Champagne, water, or orange juice. Shortly after takeoff, I received a refreshing hot towel to wipe my hands and face. I was also served a soft drink (with ice and lemon) and a small bag containing an assortment of cold nuts.
Soon after that, dinner was offered. The food was excellent, and among the best, I’ve ever enjoyed on a flight. Breakfast was served 90 minutes prior to landing in Mombasa.
- Starter
- Sliced breast of guinea-fowl, yellow radish salad, cashew nuts, served with grape and mustard dressing
- “Nori” salmon filet on fennel and apple slaw, wasabi crème Fraiche served with cauliflower tartlet and salmon tartar
- Seasonal greens presented with mango balsamic dressing
- Main
- Brazilian fourper in a curry cream sauce, steamed mangold, and Jerusalem artichokes
- Cheese
- Morbier, Normandy Brie and Comté accompanied by fig chutney
- Dessert
- Elderflower mouse with rhubarb sauce
- Breakfast
- Freshly sliced fruits
- Croissant with butter, ham and Gouda cheese
- Scrambled eggs with chives, local veal sausage, and steamed tomatoes
- Bircher muesli
- Bread roll, croissant, chocolate Danish pastry
- Butter, jam, Nutella, honey
During the short flight from Mombasa to Zanzibar (40 min), drinks were served but no meals.
Wi-Fi is currently not offered by Condor at the moment. This B767 aircraft featured one lavatory for Business Class passengers, located behind the cockpit.
Review by our friends at Luxury Travel Expert
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