[Rant] Premium Is Better than First
Feb 12, 2024, 9:39 am
#16
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SEA, NW/DL 1.6Million Miler
Programs: DL 1MM Annual Silver,AS 100K 22-24, AS 75K 15-21
Posts: 4,278
Feb 12, 2024, 9:49 am
#17
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Seattle, WA, USA
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75K, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 1,598
In Europe they block the middle seat, give you a box lunch, then call it Business. In the US they give you an extra 3 inches of legroom, but leave the middle seat occupied, and call it Premium or MCE or whatever.
Feb 12, 2024, 10:10 am
#18
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SEA, NW/DL 1.6Million Miler
Programs: DL 1MM Annual Silver,AS 100K 22-24, AS 75K 15-21
Posts: 4,278
Economy First
Tho, I don't believe any airline offer this intentionally, if you happen to have the entire row to yourself, I call it "Economy First".
Jiburi
Jiburi
Feb 12, 2024, 11:18 am
#19
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: NOVA
Programs: IHG Rewards Platinum, Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond, UA/DL/AA Back of the plane...
Posts: 4,612
For the posters who say that it would be great to have an Premium with an empty seat like in Europe... In Europe that IS their business / first class. I for one do not want US carriers to emulate European domestic "business" and make business class / (US First) the same leg room as economy with an empty seat next to you...
Feb 12, 2024, 11:55 am
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,397
For the posters who say that it would be great to have an Premium with an empty seat like in Europe... In Europe that IS their business / first class. I for one do not want US carriers to emulate European domestic "business" and make business class / (US First) the same leg room as economy with an empty seat next to you...
Feb 12, 2024, 12:15 pm
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Ewa Beach, Hawaii
Posts: 10,909
One thing I noticed about European F/B is they can easily adjust the size of F/B by moving the curtain.. But no, I don't want USA carriers to emulate it. 31" of pitch in "F/B" sucks for us tall people.
Feb 12, 2024, 12:30 pm
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,653
I don't mind the Euro-J or LATAM Premium Y (like Euro J) on shorter hops (with a full J service provided), but on many of the AS stage lengths, I'd be choosing another carrier.
And in the unlikely event that anyone reading this has been subjugated to the horror and disgrace of an AS F seat while I'm enjoying the opulent splendor of AS Y+, please, oh please ask me to swap seats with you.
Last edited by Eastbay1K; Feb 12, 2024 at 4:36 pm
Feb 12, 2024, 4:27 pm
#23
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Portland, OR
Programs: Alaska Gold 100k
Posts: 959
After reading all the responses. I do still feel it would be easy for AS’s IT department to recognize a 75/100 or maybe even gold have booked seats A & C and then not allow anyone to book B, same on the DEF side. Then if the elite gets boosted to first, or the plane hits a certain capacity open that seat up for booking at the 11th hour. I think that way some rows in PE would go out with an empty middle seat and with a very happy elite customer. Of course this is the same IT department that has messed up our upgrades for decades, so there is that.
Feb 12, 2024, 5:28 pm
#24
Join Date: May 2003
Location: SFO, mostly
Posts: 2,204
I remember writing a long letter to AS expressing my disappointment at this proposed change (around 20 years ago, IIRC). I’m guessing I wasn’t the only one.
Feb 12, 2024, 8:41 pm
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,653
After reading all the responses. I do still feel it would be easy for AS’s IT department to recognize a 75/100 or maybe even gold have booked seats A & C and then not allow anyone to book B, same on the DEF side. Then if the elite gets boosted to first, or the plane hits a certain capacity open that seat up for booking at the 11th hour. I think that way some rows in PE would go out with an empty middle seat and with a very happy elite customer. Of course this is the same IT department that has messed up our upgrades for decades, so there is that.
Feb 12, 2024, 8:56 pm
#27
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,397
Feb 13, 2024, 8:22 am
#28
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Kelowna Canada
Programs: Aeroplan, HHonors Diamond, BonVoy Gold, AAdvantage, IHG Priority Club, BA EC, AS MVP
Posts: 110
Feb 13, 2024, 9:27 am
#30
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,653
But this thread is about Y+ better than F on AS. Not even close, and speaking of not even close, that includes the nearest lav you're supposed to use while seated @ Row 6.