Premium Class Coming to Alaska Airlines Aircraft in 2016
Jeff Edwards December 03, 2015
Alaska Airlines will begin retrofitting planes to make room for a Premium Class cabin as well as increasing the legroom available in the first class cabin.
Alaska Airlines has unveiled plans to introduce Premium Class seats on select flights. Starting late next year, passengers will be able to purchase seats that offer between three to four more inches of legroom than the current economy class seats. According to the airline, Premium Class seats will be available for purchase and will also be offered as a complimentary upgrade for Mileage Plan members with elite status. Alaska promises to announce a raft of Premium Class perks to go along with the extra legroom in the coming months.
“Premium Class will provide an opportunity for all customers to get an enhanced flight experience,” Alaska Airlines Vice President Andrew Harrison said in a statement announcing plans for the move to three-class cabins. “We are listening to our customers and they have told us that more personal space and extra perks are a priority.”
Airline officials say that about 60 planes will be upgraded to accommodate the new Premium Class sections to start. Aircraft outfitted with Premium Class seats will lose some economy class seats in order to make room for the new cabin. Plans call for an increase in legroom available in Alaska First Class seats at the same time. Current Alaska First Class seats offer roughly 36 inches of pitch. The pitch in first class cabins will increase to 41 inches when the upgrades are complete.
[Photo: Getty]
