United CFO: First Class “Effectively the Same” as Business
Jeff Edwards September 05, 2014
Explaining the airline’s move toward eliminating first-class cabins, United Airlines CFO John Rainey downplayed the advantages of first class over business class, saying, “It’s effectively the same service.”
United Airlines is following American Airlines’ lead in moving toward the elimination of first-class cabins in favor of more business and economy plus seats.
“What we had when we merged Continental and United, United had a 3-cabin plane and we had a 2-cabin plane, and we’ve kind of asked our customers for feedback on what they want, and we see what people want to purchase,” United CFO John Rainey told Bloomberg Television’s Street Smart Wednesday. “We are moving toward a 2-cabin plane with economy plus. So, you’ve got a business class, coach and economy plus, and typically that’s what customers that we fly are looking for.”
Rainey went on to acknowledge that there is still a core market for first-class seats. “There are customers that will simply book first class because it’s first class.”
Rainey, however, dismissed the notion that the transition to business and economy planes would alienate those first-class flyers. “It’s effectively the same service,” he said. “You’ve got a very similar product, very similar seat, even the food service is very similar.”
Rainey also addressed the growing Knee Defender controversy during the interview, confirming that the product is banned on United flights. “I’ll tell you, until two weeks ago I didn’t even know what a Knee Defender was,” Rainey added. “It sounds like part of a lacrosse uniform.”
[Photo: United Airlines]
Of course it is the same,because you are doing it wrong!!!
too bad....i loved the first 'pods' i guess that leaves BA and LH for europe....sad
United's first and business class products are both extremely inferior to most non-U.S. airline's products. It's a shame that no U.S. based airline can compete with the international carriers, and United can hardly compete with other U.S. airlines.
If your first class is effectively the same as your business class, then your first class isn't very good.
An airline exec that doesn't know what a Seat Defender is? Completely out of touch ... of course his comment that F and B and essentially the same already confirmed that he's out of touch.. United is being run into the ground by former Continental execs. Idiocracy in the airline exec suites.