Corporate executives and luxury driven leisure travelers tend to prioritize comfort not cheap airplane tickets or cheap vacation packages. Given the current recession and airline mergers, first class airline seats may become a thing of the past.
Southwest has announced that announced that after its merger with AirTran that it will discontinue the premium seats now offered by AirTran.
United Airlines has acknowledged that the future of its first class seats on international flights is under review once the two airlines complete their merger. Continental Airlines only offers a combined business/first class section on its overseas flights.
Sales of premium seats remain very important to airlines given that in the first half of this year premium ticket sales accounted for 8 percent of total airline tickets but were responsible for 27 percent of ticket revenue.
Many airlines are improving business class but have eliminated first class sections. Experts point out that first class seats tend to sell whereas more travelers try to access first class seats through upgrades.
Some airlines, including British Airways and United, have not only continued offering first class seating but have also introduced a fourth class of service, referred to as premium economy which is a hybrid between economy and business seats where larger seats and additional leg room than can be found than in the economy section.
The good news is that while demand and availability of first class seats is falling, competition for higher end travelers (i.e., passengers willing to pay more) has resulted in airlines competing intensely and spending more on premium service. Lie flat business class seats on international flights are common, blurring the difference between first and business class.
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