Originally Posted by
chris63
Not noticed their tickets getting any cheaper.... paying premium & receiving the opposite... not nice
Originally Posted by
ced_lx
F has gotten much less expensive in recent years though... C not so much.
On a macro level, this is simply not true. On the contrary, over the last ~5-10 years the industry has seen the emergence of an entirely new market segment: The leisure Business Class buyer.
This segment is catered to by the very affordable, early-booking, restricted Business Class fares that are now regularly offered in many markets. Lufthansa Group passengers know them as "P" fares.
More sophisticated revenue management and distribution capabilities, along with "fare fencing" technologies, have allowed airlines to create early-on base load in their premium cabins without canibalizing the short-term, very high yield true business traveller revenues. And on the other end of the time scale, bid upgrades and LMU offers at check-in target the same audience.
While this development has led to an average yield erosion in the Business Class cabin, it has led to an increase in both load factors the total yields since the people now buying discounted Business Class fares would have in the old days bought Economy, and maybe used miles to upgrade or received Op-Ups.