Reports? Where? I saw one half-serious thread. And one poster keeps making up imaginary issues about reimbursement. But no real reports of issues.

This is simply not an issue.

As to the question... I don't care what they call it.

Of the two choices I prefer the name BusinessElite.

One other consideration I just thought of - it has to be easily comprehended and pronounced by non-native English speakers

I agree BE is the one I like :)

How about calling it what it is, business class.

Spend the marketing dollars on actually improving the product.

Gee, what a novel idea.

LOL

Global Business Class. That name is self explanatory - business class product on flights across the globe.

I don't think it's quite that sample.

The difference between first and business classes is more ambiguous than ever with most airlines making flat-bed, direct aisle-access seats standard in business class, and some airlines merging first and business (e.g., Delta, Virgin, Air Canada).

When you compare Delta One to AA and UA's business class products (some of which come with angle-flat and 2-2-2 seating configurations), you could make a decent argument for Delta One being more like a first class product than a business class product. Then again, when you compare Delta One to AF, EK, or SQ's first class suites (for example), Delta One looks more like business class.

Delta has made significant in their premium international product, and I think it's reasonable that they wanted to select a brand that doesn't lump them together with all other airlines' business class products.

They can call it "a seat on the plane", it really does not matter.

They just need to provide a good experience, hard and soft.

You can call it the Kings Throne, but if the product sucks, it sucks.

My expectation is tied to what I either experience, or read from others. All the marketing hype is nuts.

So then how does AA compare business class products within its own company? The 77W has 1-2-1 in Biz Class but many have the 2-3-2 cabin right now (The 777-200s are being converted to the same 1-2-1 cabin). The 767s are the same way. Some have the 2-2-2 cabin, although they're being outfitted with new 1-2-1 cabins (will be pretty similar to DL's 767s). But how does AA compare "Business" class cabins within its own fleet then? After all, AA calls the 2-3-2 on its 777-200s and the 1-2-1 on its 77W's both "Business" Class.

And what about the D1 cabin on the 757 (which is used internationally) and how that compares to the D1 cabin on the other internationally operated aircraft (A330, 747, 767, and 777)?



How about this - do a little research on what you buy before you buy it. Then it doesn't matter what the airline "calls" it. All that matters is what it actually offers. :)

oh, c'mon ... that would kill off 75% of the entertainment value of FT!

I hear ya...but I may be jaded because I get to sit in the worst J seats and experience the worst service DL has to offer (ATL-DXB-ATL). As another poser mentioned there is even a wide variation at DL among products. I really can't see how this resembles FC.

Lie-flat is the new normal.

I can sympathize.

As ATOBTTR alluded to, AA is in the process of changing their J product to be 100% 1-2-1 fully lie-flat as Delta did, but they're not done yet.

Delta has achieved fully lie-flat, direct aisle-access in J on all of its long-haul international flights, but as you mentioned, not all Delta One seats are created equal. The 747, for example, is universally preferred to the 767 or 777 products. I'd expect to see continued enhancement to DL's soft and hard products, but the reality of the capital-intensive industry is that it takes a long time to make changes and even Delta is still in the middle of this process.

The Delta One name is definitely somewhat aspirational at this point, and I think that's one source of frustration here.

NO, the 757 is 2-2 seating in the international 16 FC configuration with flat beds.

You're referring to the 757-200 / 75S (The S standing for "Sleeper").

As far as I'm aware, this isn't regularly used on any long-haul international flights. Isn't it mostly used on transcon flights?

http://news.delta.com/delta-becomes-...s-all-widebody