Cheap business class seats: Fly Business for Less explained

I'M FLYING TO EUROPE IN SEPTEMBER AND I'M SO OVER ECONOMY AIR TRAVEL BUT CAN'T REALLY AFFORD BUSINESS CLASS. THROUGH AN OPERATION CALLED 'FLY BUSINESS FOR LESS' I'VE BEEN OFFERED A BUSINESS CLASS SEAT WITH A LEADING AIRLINE AT LESS THAN $4000.

I'M WARY BECAUSE THE PRICE IS SO LOW AND SOME WEB CHATTER SUGGESTS WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS ILLEGAL. IS THIS A LEGITIMATE DEAL?

- K. PRENDERGAST, WOLLSTONECRAFT

It's not illegal. Fly Business for Less (flybusinessforless.com) has been operating for three years now and if it wasn't legal, it wouldn't be in business.

Fly Business for Less acquires millions of air miles through a real estate operation that is the main business of its owner. It uses those air miles to purchase air tickets, which it then on-sells to flyers at a huge discount over the normal cost of a business-class airfare. Although the company is based in the United States, more than 90 per cent of its business comes out of Australia, according to director of operations Zeke Abramsky.

Some airlines take exception to the way Fly Business for Less operates and from time to time a passenger with a ticket purchased from them will be denied boarding.

If that happens, according to Abramsky, Fly Business for Less will either refund the cost or book the passenger onto the next available flight.