My recent roundtrip on MAXjet, a new all "business-class" airline between the US and UK, has me convinced that it has hit the right balance of service and price for those of us who travel between the US and UK on our own pocketbook. MAXjet is targeting business travelers and those who don’t want to sit in the cheap seats, but are unwilling to pay full-fare business-class. Its initial service hubs, NYC’s JFK and Washington, D.C.’s Dulles airports currently offer one departure and arrival (on four or six days a week, depending on airport) to and from London’s Stansted Airport (more on this later). Check-in is a breeze, and you are properly greeted at the beginning of the very short, if non-existent queue. At JFK and Stansted, MAXjet has very convenient placement at the departure terminal – you move very quickly to the security checkpoint.
Its seating is not as luxurious as flat beds found in British Airways or Virgin Atlantic business class service, but the price is usually a fraction of either of these carriers for service that offers most of their benefits. In fact, most people I’ve spoken with feel that it is better than US-flag carriers’ business class (American Airlines, Delta, et al) and usually less expensive as well. MAXjet seats don’t quite recline all the way; just enough for most of us to sleep overnight. And the controls on the seats work beautifully. The cabin is setup two-two-two which makes it very comfortable. I recommend a center section seat, both of which are aisle seats, so that you don’t have to climb over your seatmate to get to the loo or have them climbing over you.
In flight, you are treated to attentive service, with meals that are quite good. The bar service is complete and wine selections, including a number of Southern Hemisphere reds, was very interesting. Instead of a monitor built into the seat, MAXjet provides a portable entertainment system that has movies, TV shows and music built in. It’s a very cool device and a great compromise (I heard that it was too expensive to build the system into seats).
If there is anyplace where the MAXjet service is less than ideal it’s the bathrooms. As the company flies refitted Boeing 767s, the standard-size accommodations are not luxurious. In addition, on my flight, they were not updated – almost worn out, in fact. MAXjet would be smart to upgrade and refit the baths as soon as possible.

Lounge facilities at JFK are provided by Korean Airlines and they are fine. In addition to basic beverages and snacks, there is a series of Internet workstations, so those of us who have abandoned laptops could check email. At Stansted, the MAXjet lounge was luxurious, including champagne service and cappuccino and espresso served from a proper Italian machine. Gate assignment at Stansted meant a bit of a walk to our flight from the lounge, but that might be a variable day-to-day.
Stansted Airport Considerations
If your lodgings are in The City or central or eastern London, Stansted is pretty convenient. For the West End or Kensington, Heathrow is much closer. For those staying at The Great Eastern Hotel, adjacent to Liverpool Street Station, you can take the Stansted Express train (45 minutes) directly to Liverpool Street and walk a few steps to the hotel. On my last trip, my hotel was near the Earl’s Court underground stop in Kensington, and my cab ride was about 90 minutes.
The Price Factor
With fares as low as $1499 roundtrip, MAXjet provides a new level of service for travelers who seek amenities, but for whom a budget exists. On Virgin or BA business class, recent restricted fares were about $3200 r/t (you can fly on BA Premium Economy for about $1200 r/t, but it’s not nearly as good service as MAXjet). Depending on dates (and load factors on each airline), American and United can be cost competitive. American has two-three-two seating in business, which means that you might be in a center seat, even in its business class. And, with any of these other carriers, you’ll be traveling with a lot more people; MAXjet only flies with 102 people, fully booked.
A New Idea Realized
MAXjet was conceived as a way to improve the service level on transatlantic flights while offering a solid value. I’ve met the team that runs the airline, and they are purposeful and know their business well. Marketing is very well conceived, with outdoor campaigns hitting travelers along their routes to the airport and regional radio with Jonathan Pryce as voice talent. Its direct sales team must be doing their job creating corporate accounts; on my flight an IT executive from HSBC was on board. In addition, its booking system is now integrated with online travel sites such as Expedia, which will increase exposure and bookings.
Wither Eos?
The other new entrant in the transatlantic premium-only space is Eos. Like MAXjet it flies the Stansted to JFK route, but with a service that is more akin to First Class, yet priced below full-fare business class from BA or Virgin. Its 48-seat layout provides abundant space and its service is reported to be wonderful. But, is there room for this model?
Price wise, it’s less attractive to the small businessman and entrepreneur and so competes more with BA, Virgin and the US carriers. While they’re more expensive, they offer more destinations, powerful connections and feeder systems and much greater flexibility due the number of flights per day - plus loyalty programs that take travelers nearly anywhere in the world. Added to that is that much of their traffic is on corporate accounts, making price less of an issue to many of their passengers, who are also less likely to be tolerant of Stansted’s inconvenience to much of London. Recent changes at Eos, including executive and marketing staff have resulted in much stronger advertising and better PR results – so maybe they’ve got a chance.
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