In early May, American announced the details of their newest business class product, which they'll be installing on the longhaul aircraft they take delivery of going forward. They'll be installing the B/E Aerospace Super Diamond seat, which is the same seat you'll find on Air Canada, Qatar Airways, Virgin Australia, etc. This seat is somewhat…
Continue reading: American’s New Planes Will Have Fewer Business Class Seats
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Everytime airlines come with "premium economy", a massive recession hits and the product is removed.
It's like American is actively daring me to switch to Delta. Given that I've learned that on MS (via their credit cards) alone I can make Platinum, I think it's the makes sense to switch. I fly around 50k per year for biz and another 50 for personal. If you can MS 70k or so MQMs, add some rollover from the previous year, and then fly around 50k....You have Diamond Medallion. Starting to look like a no brainer.
I think this is simply the new paradigm we're entering for both domestic and international travel, which is simply, you want to sit in F/J, you pay for F/J.
The silver lining is just that paid domestic F and now even international J is far more affordable than it was years ago when many would never see a premium cabin absent some form of upgrade instrument.
Interesting post. Any chance we could get a follow up comparing an airline such as DL/BA/LH that are also doing Prem Econ?
United is expected to have 60 seats upfront on their upcoming 77Ws and a similar seat count on the upcoming A350s
I think it's a sign of the times Even AS is reconfiguring their FC taking out four seats and adding premium coach seats. EK is getting on the band wagon as well. Look it does make long haul a little more comfortable at an affordable price. My last EK biz tickets on AMEX PLT 2 for 1 was $8900. discounted FC
So with only 4 evips and only Y->W or W->J or J->F, the benefits of EXP have really fallen far in recent months. And it's getting harder to get. And Y is now squeezing into 9 across on 787 and 350s and 10 across in 777s which is fully 10% narrower than in JL or KE or SQ. And the majority of transoceanic J seats are still not lie-flat.
The new AA, run by HP/US execs, is really seeking to become the Spirit of frequent flyer programs.
Where are people putting their miles now? BA? AS?
The A350 is actually a bit wider than the 787, so 9-across on the A350 leads to a quite reasonable 18" seat vs 17" on the 787.
I thought the 772s are only going to have 37 J seats. Originally they were going to have 45 but that was changed at some point.
Lucky, you can bet the bank, upgrades using SWU will by Y to PEY and PEY to J. They have JVs with the QF, BA, etc, etc. I'm sure they gave AA an earful. Align the product and stop this Y to J upgrade nonsense.
I have no proof to give you but can say that upgrades from coach will only advance a passenger to Premium Economy or from Premium Economy to Business. Although, until Premium Economy is widely available the cabin will be available to Aadvantage elites free of charge. I'm not 100% sure on this one, but, I believe while the cabin is available to elites the service will remain as economy. Once the cabin becomes it's own fare class is when amenities such as enhanced meals (domestic first class meals), expanded alcohol, and amenity kits will become available.
Whether the 777-300 sees a change remains to be seen but I suspect once some of the current reconfiguration programs wrap up you'll see an announcement. First will remain at 8 seats, Business will be reduced to 36 seats like the entire 777-200 fleet, Premium Economy will be introduced, and Basic Economy will be expanded.
Is it safe to say that MCE will be going away as a named product only to be renamed as PE?