Flying business class across the Atlantic is usually a pleasant experience. Apparently not on Air Algerie. A recent review of the carrier's Montreal to Algiers route on its Airbus A330-900neo documents an experience that fell short on nearly every front, from check-in to landing.
The good news is limited to the hardware. The cabin has 30 seats in a 1-2-1 staggered layout from Stelia Aerospace's Solstys line — inherited from Air Belgium, which folded in 2024 — with 44 inches of pitch, 21-inch width, and seats that recline into 77-inch flat beds. Window seats in even rows offer the most privacy from the aisle. Beyond that, it gets grim: no amenity kits, no menus, no meal choices, no alcohol, and not even diet soda. Service was described as indifferent at best, food was slow and poor, and the cabin ran hot thanks to a broken auxiliary power unit on the ground and no individual air nozzles overhead.
Entertainment is a low point too. There's a 16-inch touchscreen at each seat, but the library amounts to 100 movies and 36 TV shows with a thin selection of anything current, and — remarkably — no moving map. Wi-Fi hardware is physically installed on these ex-Air Belgium jets, but Air Algerie simply doesn't switch it on. Safety procedures were performed only in French and Arabic, and pre-takeoff cabin checks were minimal.
The odd thing is that the airline charges proper money for this. With no meaningful loyalty partnerships, cash is essentially the only way to book, and business class fares tend to be steep — though the reviewer snagged a one-way Montreal-Algiers ticket continuing to Tunis for $1,171. Ground side, things were better: business class passengers get access to Montreal's National Bank Lounge, which was described as pleasant, light-filled and uncrowded. And the aircraft itself wears a charming special livery honouring Algeria's national football team — arguably the highlight of the trip.
Who should care? Travellers eyeing Air Algerie as a cheap-ish way across the Atlantic or into North Africa should temper expectations sharply: this is a flat-bed seat in name, with a soft product closer to a basic economy experience. It's also worth knowing that Algeria itself is a tough country to visit, with a visa process the reviewer describes as requiring real effort — the airline's sparse international connections reflect that. Unless you have family ties or a specific reason to fly the route, most travellers will find better options elsewhere, even in economy on a rival carrier.
