FlyErbil Business Class Review: A Disappointing Experience

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An Experience by Expert Josh Cahill

FlyErbil, the de facto national airline of Iraqi Kurdistan, recently faced a harsh but honest review by multi-award-winning airline reviewer, Josh Cahill. Having flown over 700 flights with more than 200 airlines, Cahill’s high expectations for FlyErbil’s business class were met with a series of disappointments. Here’s a detailed account of his experience flying from Erbil to Istanbul in August 2024.

Check-in and Ground Experience: A Lackluster Start

Josh’s experience began with confusion during check-in. Despite purchasing a business class ticket, there was no priority lane, nor was a priority tag placed on his luggage—an essential feature of premium travel. For an airline where business class tickets cost around $500, this was the first of many oversights.

Adding to the frustration, FlyErbil doesn’t offer business class passengers access to the airport lounge at Erbil—its own home base. “Quite frankly, FlyErbil are not offering lounge access at your home airport…that is quite embarrassing,” Cahill commented, expressing his disappointment at the absence of this basic premium offering. The $500 ticket price for such a meager business class experience left him feeling that the airline’s product was severely devalued.

Delay and Lack of Communication

FlyErbil’s ground experience went from bad to worse as the flight itself was delayed. With no communication from the airline and no updates on the departure boards, passengers were left in the dark about the situation. Cahill noted that the Airbus A320, scheduled to arrive from Cologne, was running late by nearly an hour. Despite this, no information was provided to passengers, leaving them clueless about the status of their flight.

Boarding: Where’s the Priority?

One of the most jarring moments came during boarding. Despite paying for a business class ticket, there was no priority boarding offered. This is typically a standard benefit for business class passengers across airlines globally. Cahill was left wondering what he had paid for, considering there was no lounge access, no priority at check-in, and now, no priority boarding.

Onboard Experience: A Budget Seat for a Business Class Price

Once aboard, the disappointment continued. The business class seat turned out to be a standard economy seat with a blocked middle seat—a far cry from the premium seating one expects in business class. Cahill identified the aircraft as an old Indigo Airlines configuration, a budget carrier based in India. “I still haven’t figured out what I paid $500 for,” he remarked, noting that the seat was not even clean.

While the seating failed to meet business class standards, the cabin crew earned some praise. Cahill found the crew to be kind and friendly, though poorly trained. He appreciated their efforts to make the best of the limited resources they had, acknowledging that “the human factor…matters the most,” even if the overall product fell short.

The dessert, which included a fake Snickers bar labeled ‘Look Me,’ added some humor amidst the disappointments of FlyErbil Airways’ Business Class, August 2024. Photo: Screengrab/Josh Cahill video/YT.

Inflight Service: A $300 Meal?

Despite the lack of premium amenities, the meal service stood out as the only differentiating factor between business and economy class. Cahill was offered a proper hot meal, while economy passengers received a lunch box. However, the food quality didn’t justify the $350 price difference between the two classes. There were no menus provided, and the flight attendant couldn’t even describe the meal options, leaving Cahill unimpressed with the service.

The dessert, which included a fake Snickers bar labeled “Look Me,” offered some humor amidst the disappointments. However, Cahill was clear that the overall experience was far from premium.

A Disappointing Conclusion

The food served in Business Class on the Airbus A320 of FlyErbil, August 2024. Photo: Screengrab from Josh Cahill’s YouTube video.

As the flight neared its end, the situation continued to worsen. One of the passengers removed their shoes, leading to an unpleasant smell that added to the discomfort of an already underwhelming journey.

In summary, Cahill’s review of FlyErbil’s business class was overwhelmingly negative. Despite paying $500 for the flight, the lack of priority check-in, no lounge access, no dedicated business class seating, and subpar inflight service led him to conclude that the airline’s business class offering was a massive waste of money. He suggested that FlyErbil should either significantly improve its business class product or abandon it altogether, as it currently falls far short of expectations.

For those considering flying with FlyErbil, Cahill’s advice was clear: stick to economy class, as the additional cost for business class does not provide a commensurate upgrade in service. The experience was, in his words, “embarrassing” for an airline that charges such a high premium for what should be a more refined product.

FlyErbil airline is reportedly belongs to the ruling Barzani family or a company associated with them.