Fastest growing all business-class airline earns high praise from passengers.

A half-dozen anxious passengers and I are crammed into a “Super Shuttle” van that is stopping, starting, and crawling along New York’s ever-jammed Van Wyck Expressway, the last barrier before JFK International Airport. It is now after 4 p.m., and a passenger yells out to the driver that she has a 5 o’clock flight. He shrugs—what can he do? Fortunately the van finally breaks out of traffic and turns onto the airport access road toward Terminal One, where I gird myself for the usual long check-in lines.

But on this particular day I am about to try out a year-young airline to London called MAXjet. Lo and behold there is no line at all—just a couple of people checking in because, I’m told, the most passengers MAXjet will board on any flight is 100 in a wide-body Boeing 767 that normally carries some 300. MAXjet’s advantage: It is a high-amenity all business-class airline priced well below standard airline business-class fares.

After check-in, security, and relaxing in the plush lounge MAXjet shares with Korean Air, I board the aircraft. I immediately sense that something is missing—there is none of the normal pushing, stumbling, bumbling, seat-searching, and baggage-blocked aisles of standard flights. Inside the aircraft the atmosphere is genteel and club-like. And wonder of wonders, the most detested middle airline seats don’t exist here—there are only window and aisle seats. I settle into my ultrawide leather seat and reach out to put a magazine in the seatback pocket, but I can’t—I have to get up to do it since MAXjet has 5 feet between seats instead of the 3 feet in standard airline coach sections. I also discover that the seat reclines nearly flat for a nap en route to London, and the attendants serve complimentary champagne along with snacks and newspapers to pass the time until we push off from the gate, which happens on schedule. Since there are only 90 passengers on my MAXjet flight and one flight attendant (called an “In-Flight Ambassador”) for every 10 passengers, they can provide smooth, unconfused service. On my In-Flight Ambassador’s recommendation, I order an excellent halibut fillet and nonthreatening Cardiff Chardonnay 2004 California from the first-class menu and outstanding wine list. Then I settle back to enjoy the meal, which is served on china with metal utensils (no little plastic forks that bend!). Also the galley remains open throughout the night so midnight snackers can get sandwiches and such.

And for those who choose not to sleep or work, a neat wireless gadget called the “DigE 500 Player” fills the bill. It has a screen slightly larger than standard seatback types, but you can move it from the tray to the armrest if you choose. The player offers some 20 movies on demand, with not a dud in the bunch, plus TV programs, music videos, and plenty of tunes to take you through the night.

After breakfast the 767 touches down close to schedule at Stansted, and following a quick baggage claim at this modern, no-hassles airport, I’m off to central London. As my neighboring passenger David Liederman, founder of the famed “David’s Cookies” chain, commented, “This is my third trip on MAXjet. I think it’s a terrific value for your money and a great airline. I’d recommend it to anyone.”

That is precisely how I feel. Strange to say I’m actually looking forward to the return trip from Stansted in a couple of weeks, and I never thought I’d say that about any airline. But now I can say with the voice of experience: “Go ahead—give it a try!”

—Jack Carroll Currently MAXjet operates between London’s Stansted and New York’s JFK, Washington’s Dulles, and Las Vegas . . . with more to come. For more information please visit maxjet.com.

Next article » Embraer Legacy 600 Cabin Review

Previous article « Express Yourself: