Jun 12, 2019, 11:57 pm
Last edit by: extramileage
From around the 10th of June 2019 it has been observed that Emirates is marketing a new fare brand "Business Special". The introduction of a new fare bucket on the GDS with identifier "H" was first observed by m3red several weeks prior, speculation was that this might relate to Premium Economy. This fare bucket appears, however, to be intended for deep discount Business Class.
Restrictions:
- no chauffeur drive
- "restricted" seat selection (per website: "Complimentary for all passengers choosing a seat after check-in opens. Emirates Skywards Platinum members can select a seat any time")
- no lounge access
- no ability at all to upgrade with miles
Skywards:
- Earns at the same rates as Y Flex Plus
- Cannot redeem miles to book this fare brand
- Cannot upgrade with miles from J Special to F in any circumstances
Restrictions:
- no chauffeur drive
- "restricted" seat selection (per website: "Complimentary for all passengers choosing a seat after check-in opens. Emirates Skywards Platinum members can select a seat any time")
- no lounge access
- no ability at all to upgrade with miles
Skywards:
- Earns at the same rates as Y Flex Plus
- Cannot redeem miles to book this fare brand
- Cannot upgrade with miles from J Special to F in any circumstances
New Business Class Fare Bucket
Jun 11, 2019, 5:58 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: MAN DXB ✈️
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 6,826
New Business Class Fare Bucket
Bucket H is now J special
This fare (same price as old J savers O fare) does not include the EK car, lounge access (if you don't have the status) or upgrades to first at any time.
The car I can understand but not allowing lounge access is a bit tight.
M3
This fare (same price as old J savers O fare) does not include the EK car, lounge access (if you don't have the status) or upgrades to first at any time.
The car I can understand but not allowing lounge access is a bit tight.
M3
Jun 11, 2019, 6:48 am
#2
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: DXB
Programs: EK, AA, DL, UA, SPG, HGP, Amex
Posts: 1,208
But it all depends on how attractive that J Special fare will be relative to Saver and Flex, especially relative to previous J Saver fares. A couple spot checks look like 15-17% discount to current Saver, but similar in price to previous Savers, with new Saver being closer in price to old Flex, and new Flex to old Flex Plus, with Flex Plus prices rising. (spot checks...not data)
So I wonder if by expanding this new fare bucket (I'd seen J Special only very rarely before, most of the time not even shown as sold out), Emirates is just downgrading the offering (including cancellation fees, miles to upgrade) for each of the fare classes by one notch. Same thing as creating a Flex Plus Plus bucket instead.
Jun 11, 2019, 7:00 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: MAN DXB ✈️
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 6,826
It is a bit tight on the lounge considering it will be a small fraction of the seats sold (and only people with no status), unless they really up the availability. It will also surely cause issues at the lounge entrance....
But it all depends on how attractive that J Special fare will be relative to Saver and Flex, especially relative to previous J Saver fares. A couple spot checks look like 15-17% discount to current Saver, but similar in price to previous Savers, with new Saver being closer in price to old Flex, and new Flex to old Flex Plus, with Flex Plus prices rising. (spot checks...not data)
So I wonder if by expanding this new fare bucket (I'd seen J Special only very rarely before, most of the time not even shown as sold out), Emirates is just downgrading the offering (including cancellation fees, miles to upgrade) for each of the fare classes by one notch. Same thing as creating a Flex Plus Plus bucket instead.
But it all depends on how attractive that J Special fare will be relative to Saver and Flex, especially relative to previous J Saver fares. A couple spot checks look like 15-17% discount to current Saver, but similar in price to previous Savers, with new Saver being closer in price to old Flex, and new Flex to old Flex Plus, with Flex Plus prices rising. (spot checks...not data)
So I wonder if by expanding this new fare bucket (I'd seen J Special only very rarely before, most of the time not even shown as sold out), Emirates is just downgrading the offering (including cancellation fees, miles to upgrade) for each of the fare classes by one notch. Same thing as creating a Flex Plus Plus bucket instead.
Jun 11, 2019, 7:43 am
#4
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: DXB
Programs: EK, AA, DL, UA, SPG, HGP, Amex
Posts: 1,208
Would also add that the Tier and Skywards Miles earned for J Special are the sames Y Flex Plus. With no car/lounge, that gives you a sense of the value relative to (i) the email cash upgrade offers you sometimes get and (ii) using your miles to upgrade a Y Flex Plus fare to business (you do get lounge though on the upgrade, but no car).
Jun 11, 2019, 11:01 am
#5
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Aberdeenshire
Programs: BA Exec Silver, Aeroplan, Hilton Honors Gold
Posts: 1,125
So is J saver the lowest fare category that comes with lounge access and CD? (if one does not have status). I have never seen J saver advertised before. Not giving EK lounge access does seem a bit stingy.
Jun 11, 2019, 11:29 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: MAN DXB ✈️
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 6,826
but yes no lounge is stingy
Jun 11, 2019, 12:25 pm
#8
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: United Kingdom
Programs: Skywards Blue :-(, HHonors Gold, SPG Gold, GHA Platinum
Posts: 2,531
Could make sense for me on some occasions.
I sometimes stay at an airport hotel the night before (so no car needed) . Also I don't have chauffeur drive at destination as well.(not provided by EK).
I prefer waking up late and so barely spend any time at a UK lounge on most trips so that does not matter nowadays.
lounge in dxb is one thing I may miss ( only blue now) but my connections are fairly tight and I usually am able to spend maybe 30 minutes maximum there.
May work out for some of my trips out of the UK.
On the return ( out of DEL which has chauffeur drive and a decent EK lounge and flights in the middle of the night the lounge and car makes sense.
Assume they don't allow you to combine a J special out with a J saver return?
I sometimes stay at an airport hotel the night before (so no car needed) . Also I don't have chauffeur drive at destination as well.(not provided by EK).
I prefer waking up late and so barely spend any time at a UK lounge on most trips so that does not matter nowadays.
lounge in dxb is one thing I may miss ( only blue now) but my connections are fairly tight and I usually am able to spend maybe 30 minutes maximum there.
May work out for some of my trips out of the UK.
On the return ( out of DEL which has chauffeur drive and a decent EK lounge and flights in the middle of the night the lounge and car makes sense.
Assume they don't allow you to combine a J special out with a J saver return?
Jun 11, 2019, 12:52 pm
#9
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: PHX, SEA
Programs: Avis President's Club, Global Entry, Hilton/Marriott Gold. No more DL/AA status.
Posts: 4,421
No lounge access on a business class ticket is as chintzy as British Airways charging for seat-assignments in business class. To me, some things are just expected based on the majority of airline business class products (since airport transportation isn't on that list, I don't begrudge that loss). I guess elites won't care (just as they don't care on BA re: seats), and people with Priority Pass might care less, but it does mean Emirates is delivering an inferior product now in some aspects (in contrast to how the car transport was added to it being a superior product).
Jun 11, 2019, 1:07 pm
#10
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Economy, mostly :(
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 7,801
Jun 11, 2019, 1:51 pm
#11
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 844
If tier points are lower for this new J bucket, then that means that a few less EK FF will qualify for gold or even silver, also there will be those travelling in the new non frills J CL who don't qualify for lounge access.
Seems to me that EK have wanted to not only save $$ but cut down on lounge footfall too?
Seems to me that EK have wanted to not only save $$ but cut down on lounge footfall too?
Jun 11, 2019, 1:56 pm
#12
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: Emirates Skywards Gold
Posts: 12
So effectively, you are paying for the business class seat only and get the F&B onboard and the bar if on A380.
Sir Tim Clark talked about this unbundled business class seat some time ago. Unfortunately, I have not done my 5 postings on FT so I am unable to drop you an URL to OMAAT, where I first read about Sir Tim Clark’s stance on this.
Sir Tim Clark talked about this unbundled business class seat some time ago. Unfortunately, I have not done my 5 postings on FT so I am unable to drop you an URL to OMAAT, where I first read about Sir Tim Clark’s stance on this.
Jun 11, 2019, 2:06 pm
#13
Ambassador, Emirates
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: LGW / AMS / CPT
Programs: SA KL BA EK
Posts: 4,267
No lounge access on a business class ticket is as chintzy as British Airways charging for seat-assignments in business class. To me, some things are just expected based on the majority of airline business class products (since airport transportation isn't on that list, I don't begrudge that loss). I guess elites won't care (just as they don't care on BA re: seats), and people with Priority Pass might care less, but it does mean Emirates is delivering an inferior product now in some aspects (in contrast to how the car transport was added to it being a superior product).
All we need now is ‘no access to the on board lounge’ (on the A380) or ‘middle seat only’ (on the 77W) as well as ‘limited choice of meal options’ and we have eclipsed BA. Bah!
Last edited by thijsseh; Jun 11, 2019 at 2:41 pm Reason: added comment about meal choices
Jun 11, 2019, 3:17 pm
#15
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 143
This does have a feel for a PE price test if the price point is the same as Y flex+, with the difference being the hard product from J and some soft product like the bar and *maybe* F&B. If EK stick with a 4 class load out, maybe J saver/special gets discontinued and replaced with PE flex (and PE flex+ slotted just above it) with the associated lower mile/tier earn rate, with either a price reduction or elimination of Y Flex+. J gets Flex and Flex+, same as F.