Tuesday, November 8, 2016

The Differences in Premium Economy on Delta, American Airlines




Some travelers want more legroom, others want unlimited cocktails, and some just want the cheapest seat possible. Airlines, in an attempt to cater to these diverging priorities, are segmenting their aircraft into an array of cabin classes that offer different perks. Large U.S. airlines are now scrambling to debut their premium economy cabin on international flights—the latest cabin class that attempts to fill the widening chasm between business class and economy. Delta Air Lines last week revealed details about what it has in store for its new premium economy, trailing its rival American Airlines’ announcement by several months.

Airlines often count on the tickets sold for the “front of the plane”—the higher fare cabins—to make a route more profitable, so it makes sense that they are looking for ways to expand those offerings. United Airlines, the third major U.S. airline with a large international route network, has not announced plans for an international-style premium economy cabin. (When asked, a spokeswoman for the airlines told Condé Nast Traveler, “We continually evaluate the products and services we offer our customers throughout their journey.”)

While premium economy is a relatively new term to passengers on U.S. airlines, it has been available for several years on many foreign-based carriers, like Air France, British Airways, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Lufthansa, Virgin Atlantic, and Japan Airlines. Still, premium economy can mean different things to different carriers. Here’s what passengers need to know about the U.S. airline industry’s version.
Seats

Delta: 19-inch-wide seats, 38 inches of pitch, and seven inches of recline; adjustable leg and foot rest, adjustable head rest
American: 19-inch-wide seats, 38 inches of pitch, and six inches of recline; adjustable foot rest, adjustable head rest
Entertainment

Delta: noise-canceling headphones during flight; 13.3-inch in-flight entertainment screen, compared to economy's nine-inch screen
American: noise-reducing headphones during flight, larger in-flight entertainment screen
Baggage and boarding

Delta: priority check-in and boarding, dedicated carry-on storage space
American: priority check-in and boarding, dedicated carry-on storage space

Seats

Delta: 19-inch-wide seats, 38 inches of pitch, and seven inches of recline; adjustable leg and foot rest, adjustable head rest
American: 19-inch-wide seats, 38 inches of pitch, and six inches of recline; adjustable foot rest, adjustable head rest
Entertainment

Delta: noise-canceling headphones during flight; 13.3-inch in-flight entertainment screen, compared to economy's nine-inch screen
American: noise-reducing headphones during flight, larger in-flight entertainment screen
Baggage and boarding

Delta: priority check-in and boarding, dedicated carry-on storage space
American: priority check-in and boarding, dedicated carry-on storage space

Meals

Delta: expanded meal selection served on non-disposable ware, complimentary alcoholic drinks, a dedicated flight attendant assigned to each passenger to provide more personalized meal and beverage service
American: expanded meal selection served on non-disposable ware, complimentary alcoholic drinks, and personalized flight service
Amenities

Delta: Tumi-branded amenity kit with Malin+Goetz-branded toiletries and Westin bedding
American: blanket, pillow, and an amenity kit (American has not publicized what brands will be given out in premium economy, but, for example, business class seats receive a Cole Haan amenity kit)
What type of airplanes will be equipped with the new cabin?

Delta: The Airbus A350s and Boeing 777s. Each plane will have 48 seats in premium economy.
American: The new Boeing 787-9s. The airline also said it plans to retrofit some of its existing 777s, 787-8s, and Airbus A330s. It will install premium economy of its new Airbus 350s, which arrive in 2017. American is taking a smaller gamble on the new class, with only 21 seats in premium economy.
Where and—when—can you fly premium economy?

Delta: Its first airplanes with premium economy will enter service next year, with tickets available for purchase by fall 2017. Both the A350 and 777 aircraft are capable of long-range flying, so you can bet Delta plans to use these planes on some of the most grueling journeys—think Asia and long-haul Europe routes, for starters. Delta has not yet announced what U.S. cities will enjoy its inaugural routes with premium economy, but Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, and Seattle likely top the list of contenders.
American: Last week, the airline debuted several airplanes with the new premium economy cabin on flights from Dallas-Fort Worth to São Paulo and Madrid. American will begin service from DFW to Paris in January and to Seoul in February. American says the next several months are its soft launch, and it will begin charging full-price for the seats by April 2017.
How much will the seats cost?

The airlines are not releasing that info yet, and the official tickets aren't yet for sale. But, an analysis of the foreign-based carriers' prices, done by Seat Guru by Trip Advisor, found that premium economy tickets are 65 percent more than an economy ticket, on average, when booked in advance.

MGCLS - LAX Car Service

No comments:

Post a Comment