- French Bee is a French airline which bills itself as “low cost”.
- The airline flies between Paris’ Orly airport and various global destinations.
- French Bee was my first flight. Below is my story.
In the fall, I booked a flight between New York and Paris to visit friends studying abroad. I searched Google Flights for the best deal and chose the cheapest option from the results. I just entered my credit card information and forgot about it.
As I packed, the night before I went I was talking to my dad over the phone. Between advising me on my tax returns, and my 401(k), he asked me “What airlines are you flying on tomorrow?”
The confirmation code was not what I expected so I began to search my email. I replied, “Apparently, it is an airline called French Bee.”
“French what?” “French what?” my dad asked, cracking into a giggle. “Bee,” I said, sounding a bit like a bumblebee.
Both of us scanned online reviews. He said, “I flew with this French low-cost airline from LA t Paris and would not do it again,” over the telephone. “That’s someone’s review.”
Trustpilot gave it 1.5 stars. One user wrote that one star was too many. Tripadvisor ratings were more encouraging, with 3.5 stars.
French Bee, which bills itself as a low-cost airline, has been in operation since 2016. AccordingVisit its website. It is based in Paris’ Orly Airport, which is more widely used to travel within Europe than the more well-known Charles de Gaulle Airport.
According to its website, French Bee only offers flights between a few destinations. These include major US cities such as New York, Boston, Los Angeles and Los Angeles. There are also several French cities and smaller countries like French Polynesia or the Dominican Republic.
Tickets are priced in three tiers — basic, smart, and premium — with an increasing number of amenities accompanying each tier. The cheapest way to fly between major US cities is via Paris, and it costs as little as $250 in low season between October and March.
I paid $600 round trip for my basic flight, which allowed me to take one piece of luggage. I would have had two checked bags, one meal, champagne, and the option to change my ticket prior to departure without hidden fees if I had selected the premium tier. It was closer to $1400 round trip.
Here’s what I learned flying on French Bee from Paris.
