La Compagnie: A Quick Review

On a recent trip to the South of France, my wife and I decided we wanted to fly comfortably without paying a crazy amount of money for a last-minute flight, especially in the peak of summer.

I had heard of La Compagnie on and off, an all-business-class airline that advertised some incredibly attractive fairs from Newark to Nice. We ended up paying $2400 from Newark to Nice, and we were excited to experience an all-business transatlantic airline.

Once we got to the airport, we were pleasantly surprised that the check-in encounters were almost empty, and we could get our boarding passes quickly. After clearing security, we were also then escorted over to the airline lounge. One of the unique features of this particular lounge is that food is not available buffet style – instead, you can order off the menu. After experiencing the meal service on the flights, I highly suggest you take advantage of this offering.

Once we boarded the flight, we were very impressed with how big the aircraft seemed, even though it was a single-aisle, narrow-body aircraft. The other feature we loved on board was that the entire flight had free Wi-Fi – which even full-service airlines don't offer.

After takeoff, we had a few menu options on the screen, which were very limited. Unfortunately, the food was not up to par. The flight itself was effortless and pleasant overall. We landed in Paris for a quick crew swap and then took off to Nice.

The flight was on time, the cabin crew was accommodating, and because of the aircraft's seat density, everyone was on and off very quickly.

The only negative comment about this experience is the fact that on the way back from Nice to Newark, there was no meal service for nearly 4-5 hours.

Overall, I would not hesitate to retake this particular airline, especially as we continue to explore Europe and try to travel there as much as possible in a premium cabin.

Total Solar Eclipse in a Pilatus PC-12

Earlier this year, on April 8th 2024 - I had an opportunity to fly from New Jersey to Buffalo, New York in a private Pilatus PC-12 to experience the path of totality.

Having never done this before, I did a bit of research and picked out my gear. For this trip, I would be taking photos with my trusty Sony a1; the Sony 100-400 GM lens and a solar filter. 

I also wanted to capture the experience of the flight. For that, I had a Leica Q2, a DJI Osmo Pocket 3 and a GoPro Hero 12. Along with a lot of batteries. A lot. 

Given the excitement of the flight, I got to Teterboro Airport nearly an hour before departure and after checking in - grabbed a few snacks and drinks before the flight.

A good friend of mine was piloting another aircraft from the same company and kept texting me updates as the flight path changed due to ATC restrictions and environmental factors.

After a quick briefing, we took off around 1:25pm. Our destination had changed from the Buffalo region to a waypoint called PATTA.

As we climbed higher into the sky, the excitement onboard was palpable. Everyone was eagerly anticipating a memorable flight.

The pilot announced that we were approaching PATTA and would soon be entering the path of totality.

As we crossed into the path of totality, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The sky started to darken, almost as if night was falling upon us.

I quickly grabbed my Sony a1 and started capturing the stunning view outside. The sun had turned into a black circle with a fiery halo around it.

The whole experience felt surreal - like being in a completely different world.

The view from above was unlike anything I had ever seen before - a mesmerizing combination of light and darkness.

After about 3 minutes of being in the path of totality, we exited back into daylight. But the excitement onboard continued as everyone shared their photos and experiences from this once-in-a-lifetime event.

As we made our way back to New Jersey, I couldn't stop smiling at how lucky I was to have witnessed such an incredible natural phenomenon from high up in the sky. It was an unforgettable experience that I will cherish for years to come.

Once we landed back at Teterboro Airport, there were cheers and applause from all passengers for our successful flight. As we disembarked, I couldn't help but feel grateful for this amazing opportunity and the memories I had created.