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, 9:31 pm
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: MAN DXB ✈️
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 6,831
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, 10:40 pm
#17
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Somewhere
Programs: AS MVP, EK Silver, Bonvoy Plat
Posts: 921
This is a terrible development - the airport transportation in India saves me a lot of headaches. I don't speak the language(s) so Uber is usually out since they expect a phone call from you (weird, but it's the custom there).
Does anyone have a live (with availability) example of this? I want to see if my corporate travel agent's site hides these, just like it hides basic economy fares.
Does anyone have a live (with availability) example of this? I want to see if my corporate travel agent's site hides these, just like it hides basic economy fares.
Jun 11, 2019, 10:56 pm
#18
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Economy, mostly :(
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 7,801
This is a terrible development - the airport transportation in India saves me a lot of headaches. I don't speak the language(s) so Uber is usually out since they expect a phone call from you (weird, but it's the custom there).
Does anyone have a live (with availability) example of this? I want to see if my corporate travel agent's site hides these, just like it hides basic economy fares.
Does anyone have a live (with availability) example of this? I want to see if my corporate travel agent's site hides these, just like it hides basic economy fares.
Jun 11, 2019, 11:26 pm
#19
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 844
EK are offering OW Y fares India to DXB for around 105-110 USD to compete with the LCC on those (3-4 hr) routes who are a few bucks cheaper. And EK recently introduced... quietly lower RT Y fares from European gateways to DXB.
The EK fares include luggage and F/B
EK have been forced to join BA as a partial LCC.
The EK fares include luggage and F/B
EK have been forced to join BA as a partial LCC.
Jun 12, 2019, 2:39 am
#20
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: perth
Programs: SPG(LTG), QANTAS gold, Korean, Accor Plat
Posts: 1,500
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 12, 2019, 2:52 am
#21
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Economy, mostly :(
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 7,801
You'd be surprised how many people do not have a credit card that grants them lounge access. Aside from just not knowing which cards to get, or caring about this benefit enough for it to lead them to that card, many countries don't have any or many cards with such benefits. In South Africa I only recently was able to get a card (not credit, incidentally, a debit card) which offers me international lounge access through Visa Signature and LoungeKey.
Jun 12, 2019, 3:23 am
#22
Ambassador, Emirates
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: LGW / AMS / CPT
Programs: SA KL BA EK
Posts: 4,269
You'd be surprised how many people do not have a credit card that grants them lounge access. Aside from just not knowing which cards to get, or caring about this benefit enough for it to lead them to that card, many countries don't have any or many cards with such benefits. In South Africa I only recently was able to get a card (not credit, incidentally, a debit card) which offers me international lounge access through Visa Signature and LoungeKey.
Jun 12, 2019, 3:31 am
#23
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Economy, mostly :(
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 7,801
And then of course (and I’m a bit surprised it has not been mentioned yet) there is the issue of the ‘quality’ of the lounge offering. Wherever I have been (talking about outstations here), the EK own lounge has been very significantly better than the contract lounges at the same airport. I have never had to use the Marhaba lounge at DXB, but I have been reliably told it’s disappointing. And before someone points this out to me: yes, I’m aware that $100 (plus VAT in DXB) gets you into an EK lounge.
Jun 12, 2019, 4:50 am
#24
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 5,454
EK are offering OW Y fares India to DXB for around 105-110 USD to compete with the LCC on those (3-4 hr) routes who are a few bucks cheaper. And EK recently introduced... quietly lower RT Y fares from European gateways to DXB.
The EK fares include luggage and F/B
EK have been forced to join BA as a partial LCC.
The EK fares include luggage and F/B
EK have been forced to join BA as a partial LCC.
Jun 12, 2019, 7:34 am
#26
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: DXB
Programs: EK, AA, DL, UA, SPG, HGP, Amex
Posts: 1,208
Jun 12, 2019, 9:53 am
#28
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Somewhere
Programs: AS MVP, EK Silver, Bonvoy Plat
Posts: 921
EK are offering OW Y fares India to DXB for around 105-110 USD to compete with the LCC on those (3-4 hr) routes who are a few bucks cheaper. And EK recently introduced... quietly lower RT Y fares from European gateways to DXB.
The EK fares include luggage and F/B
EK have been forced to join BA as a partial LCC.
The EK fares include luggage and F/B
EK have been forced to join BA as a partial LCC.
Jun 12, 2019, 10:27 am
#29
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 844
EK will almost match the LCC fares however they will also try to match the availability too.