Originally Posted by
l'agentsecret
Not sure it's been posted already. If so, please feel free to delete thread or merge with existing one.
Got hold of a copy of the internal AF staff magazine where in an article titled ''the new face of the medium haul offering'' it is mentioned that Premium Economy will be phased out possibly as early as January 2015 (not very clear) to leave only Business and Economy.
Other "improvements" will see the introduction of leather seats in both classes (non-reclining if the picture is anything to go by) with their 24 A319 retrofitted during the 1st semester of 2015 and their 25 A320 one year later. Real china, metal cutlery and proper glasses will be used in C and a hot dish will be offered on longer flights. The service protocol will be inspired by what is currently in place on long-haul flights (oshibori, ''gourmet'' coffee, wines selected by their new star sommelier...). The catering in Y will be "more generous and qualitative"(???)
These changes are introduced following a consultation with 10000 customers and travel managers.
No it wasn't posted before (the info you post generally never is and is always most appreciated by the frequent readers of this forum amongst us
^ )
As
brunos says, it is always fascinating to see how AF will swear so adamantly that their way to do it is genius and will not change for anything in the world before operating a complete U-turn (which may or may not be accompanied by a "we told you so all along"). For years, AF told us that they spoke to business pax and they told them that they did not like fully flat. After wasting so many years, AF finally turned around. For years, AF told us that money was to be made on full fare economy rather than business/first classes and thus that the way to go was to ensure superior service to full fare eco (later "premium") even if it meant an inferior service for medium haul C. Now they seem to be making another U-turn.
When it comes to the substance, I can think of several people on this forum who were very keen on premium economy medium haul and will regret it dearly. I personally won't as I always thought it was not priced in a way that I would consider myself anyway, and all I can hope is that by discontinuing PE medium haul, AF will start introducing more keenly priced discounted C which may ensure that the former PE users still find something that they can buy and that the rest of us might occasionally be tempted further forward for an affordable premium the way BA, LX, or OS do it.
As I mentioned many times, I thought that AF's current system was probably untenable and I am certainly not surprised that PE will go. The very justification (try and attract full fare paying company users) was the very reason why it made no sense (beggars can't be choosers, and service-wise, AF has always claimed that company contract passengers were beggars because they would always keep using AF because of its incomparable direct network from CDG). In effect, few will disappear just because their full fare Y ticket now get them to travel Y, and many of those who can disappear often had good reason to have chosen other airlines long ago).
AF is very proud of its new leather seats, I have heard of them but not tried them and will wait and see. If they do not recline or only little, it will be bad in my view, but I don't think AF will care. As for improved catering, I'm waiting to see what it means. AF seem to love their "hot snacks" and I don't. they think it is improvement and I don't. But let us wait and see I guess... For the rest, the glass, china, etc sounds like what KLM reintroduced some years ago!