Although he winced at the characterization of the airline as a low-cost carrier, Rochet admitted travelers should not expect the “best luxury service.” Instead of high-paying luxury travelers, the airline’s new and existing services aim to capitalize upon demand from tourists and families traveling together who want to save money ahead of what is already promising to be an expensive summer travel season for both domestic and international air travel.

“We think we will have a very good summer and need to continue to grow,” Rochet told TPG. He noted that the airline, which already flies four Airbus A350-900s and a recently delivered A350-1000, will put another A350-1000 into service before the end of the year and commence operations to its next U.S. market, Miami, by December.

“A simple, very good and comfortable aircraft” for passengers, according to Rochet, the fuel-efficient A350 is key to French bee’s expansion and its bargain pricing.

Perhaps that will be enough for most flyers who are simply looking for an inexpensive way to cross the Atlantic this summer. But those low fares also mean fewer amenities and pared-down service, as I discovered on my recent flight.

The value of a French bee fare

There’s no question that getting to Europe for about $275 each way represents a great deal at this point, but that’s just for the airline’s basic economy fares, which don’t even include a meal — and those prices jump to around $447 each way later this summer. From there, you can expect to pay about $50 more each way to upgrade your economy ticket to a Smart fare, which affords you one checked bag plus one meal.

For this trip, I flew in premium economy, which is the carrier’s most flexible and expensive fare type, and includes one carry-on bag (26 pounds), two checked bags (50 pounds each), two meals and snacks. The price was more than double that of even the relatively comprehensive Smart fare, but even at that higher cost and with the extra inclusions, the experience still left much to be desired.

It’s worth noting that French bee will only be operating this flight three times weekly for now (on Monday, Thursday and Saturday) before upping service to five times weekly in June.

I’d suggest sticking with the most inexpensive fare class that still includes the amenities you need or value the most — and tempering your expectations. After all, round-trip flights for the same dates on other carriers, including Air France, Delta and Canada’s West Jet, currently cost between $200-600 more for economy fares than on French bee, so saving money should probably be your primary motivation.

Checking in at LAX

Travelers flying out of LAX should note that French bee is not identified on any signage upon first walking into the Tom Bradley International Terminal, also known as Terminal B. Luckily, I saw the check-in counter right away as it was the first one, closest to the entrance. Perhaps that will change after the airline has been in operation at LAX for a little while.

I was able to use a check-in lane for premium economy ticket holders, which did not have a line. Within five minutes, the gate agent had checked my U.S. passport and vaccination card before weighing my carry-on bag to ensure it was less than 26 pounds. She also told me that Gate 203, where we would be departing, was at the very end of the terminal so I should give myself extra time to walk there.

Cabin and seat

French bee’s A350-900 premium economy cabins have 35 seats laid out in five rows of seven seats each in a 2-3-2 configuration. Economy seats are 10 abreast in rows with a 3-4-3 configuration.

I thought the premium economy seat was comfortable enough. It measured 18 inches wide with 36 inches of pitch and an adjustable headrest. I did appreciate the expansive seatback pocket which was large enough to store the amenity kit, a water bottle, my iPad, laptop and any trash.

You might find the legroom to be limited, though, because the under-seat area is split in half by a movable metal leg rest. That made for a tight squeeze with my backpack laid on its side to one side of it and my small purse to the other.

As for the seats themselves, there are no individual air vents, so passengers don’t have any control over the cabin temperature around their seats, though at least each seat has two overhead lights.

Overall, the seats were comfortable for a long flight. My main issue was with the lack of foot space, though I could have alleviated that by storing my backpack in the overhead bin space, which was roomy.

The most surprising part of this entire experience is that the seat reclined nearly 7 inches, which in theory makes for a comfortable sleeping experience. However, the full recline definitely disrupted the passenger behind me so much so that I actually felt compelled to explain to her that I was just testing out the recline for my story and that I wouldn’t actually be utilizing it, to which she said, “Yes please don’t.” (Well all right, then!)

My seat had a USB port and there were two universal power outlets located between my seat and my neighbor’s.

As for entertainment, each seat had its own 12-inch HD touchscreen and the system had over 80 movies and 20 TV episodes to choose from. If you preferred to read, iPads loaded with both English and French magazines and newspapers were offered for use during the flight as well.

The airline offers passengers four different Wi-Fi packages ranging from $4-$29.

Overall impressions of French bee

Overall, the experience felt more like a domestic flight in the U.S. (with many passengers ditching their masks despite French requirements to wear one) than an international long-haul one. But that might be enough for some value-seeking travelers who simply want to get to France at the lowest price point. As for me, I think I still prefer a more full-service experience, even if I do end up paying a bit more for it.

Related: Leaving paradise at the door: Premium Economy on French Bee’s A350