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-   -   Covid19 will end First and Business Class travel? (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travelbuzz/2017784-covid19-will-end-first-business-class-travel.html)

Redmax May 15, 2020 6:19 am

Covid19 will end First and Business Class travel?
 
As we are hearing and reading horrofic news of planes with F cabins being stored or even retired, it is a huge blow for premium travellers. It is not only the revenues which are missing but a travel style is painfully taken away. Will it only last untill the pandemic or will airlines find the premium concept of travelling obsolet as they struggle for financial survival??

Flyingmama May 15, 2020 6:31 am

The airlines, like any other service industry, are driven by demand. If the demand is strong enough, they'll bring back the product. And I would think the demand would be strong since premium cabins are really the only way travelers know they'll not be crammed cheek to jowl with their fellow passengers.

Athena53 May 15, 2020 9:21 am

I'm sure interested in future business class travel! My home airport is MCI- not a hub so I'm almost always stuck with baby planes going into a hub and on those planes First/Business Class is a joke. On long-hauls I'll pay for Business Class. My main concern is the decrease in services- closing down lounges, possible decrease in lounge offerings if they're open, reduced food.beverage service on board.. no flights booked right now (for the first time in eons) so I'll wait and see.

Redmax May 15, 2020 10:19 am


Originally Posted by Flyingmama (Post 32377280)
The airlines, like any other service industry, are driven by demand. If the demand is strong enough, they'll bring back the product. And I would think the demand would be strong since premium cabins are really the only way travelers know they'll not be crammed cheek to jowl with their fellow passengers.

The demand for premium travel has always been there. The airlines are using Covid-19 as an excuse to cut back and reduce services which are there in the first place.

Redmax May 15, 2020 10:23 am


Originally Posted by Athena53 (Post 32377726)
I'm sure interested in future business class travel! My home airport is MCI- not a hub so I'm almost always stuck with baby planes going into a hub and on those planes First/Business Class is a joke. On long-hauls I'll pay for Business Class. My main concern is the decrease in services- closing down lounges, possible decrease in lounge offerings if they're open, reduced food.beverage service on board.. no flights booked right now (for the first time in eons) so I'll wait and see.

Same here waiting till 2021. The private travel for this year are cancelled because of all the health meassures and mandatory requirements. And as you stated the loss of premium services. VC will be the norm for business and privately we are taking the car and discover the locality.

lhrsfo May 15, 2020 11:39 am

The business rationale for Business Class travel will remain: you can't expect people to travel overnight and be productive the following day if they haven't had any sleep. So, for lowly paid people, and if hotels are cheap, you let them lose a day. For highly paid people, you buy them Business Class.

I would suggest that, if there's a significant change, it will be to economy class over the next couple of years (at least until this episode becomes a distant memory). Will enough people be prepared to be squashed into tiny seats? Or will enough people be prepared to pay extra for some space? Only time will tell, but I have no doubt that innovative airlines will be playing around with alternatives, trying to find a new sweet spot.

Redmax May 15, 2020 12:57 pm


Originally Posted by lhrsfo (Post 32378114)
The business rationale for Business Class travel will remain: you can't expect people to travel overnight and be productive the following day if they haven't had any sleep. So, for lowly paid people, and if hotels are cheap, you let them lose a day. For highly paid people, you buy them Business Class.

I would suggest that, if there's a significant change, it will be to economy class over the next couple of years (at least until this episode becomes a distant memory). Will enough people be prepared to be squashed into tiny seats? Or will enough people be prepared to pay extra for some space? Only time will tell, but I have no doubt that innovative airlines will be playing around with alternatives, trying to find a new sweet spot.

For me, NO economy class!. Either full premium services or not. That is why it is hard to see how airlines slash out premium catering and give you eco snack boxes instead etc.

cmd320 May 15, 2020 1:10 pm

If anything I could see demand for premium cabins increasing. Those who ordinarily wouldn't have paid the premium may be swayed by the added bonus of being more isolated from other passengers.

Agent69 May 16, 2020 2:17 am


Originally Posted by cmd320 (Post 32378395)
If anything I could see demand for premium cabins increasing. Those who ordinarily wouldn't have paid the premium may be swayed by the added bonus of being more isolated from other passengers.

You would think that demand for any of the suite type J seats would be high, and I wonder if the virus will accelerate their introduction.

Even more reason now for people to moan when their Qsuite gets bumped for an old style 777.

flyvinci May 16, 2020 2:58 am

J/F is perfect for social distancing, so count me in :)

miamiflyer8 May 16, 2020 2:13 pm

J demand is certainly there and will remain so with J products innovating towards Qsuites and similar, perfect for social distancing. However, 3 cabin INTL F will die in the next 15 years.

Redmax May 17, 2020 6:18 am

I agree with what have been said recently. Covid-19 do really change the perception in travelling safely. Social distancing has surely made the suite concept more demanding than ever before. I do believe QR, NH, DL, BA, WY etc. are on the right path with their C suite product. I do wish the airlines will follow this development as it is what the customers want!
Regarding First. It will still exists but certainly less seats. The full enclose cabin and single seat approach of EK is the future of First.
I just hope they will integrate a shower stall in the First cabin as well. With the demise of A380, I personally will miss it. Personally to have a shower during a 13 and longer hours, is pue luxury and well woth it!

My favourite is EY Residence, which I regard the only true First class cabin on board a commercial aircraft.

So First getting more exclusiv with less seats, more towards a private jet experience and secluded from the mass, while Business will get their suites concept from the contemporary First suites in the market.
Personally it is better to have only Prem.Eco with more partitions and shields between seats beside the premium classes on board. Eco class like Ryanair or AirAsia and similar airlines should be banned, my personal opinion.

mecabq May 17, 2020 8:29 am

How about some of the designs we have seen over the years for more isolated Y class configurations -- like bunk beds/coffins. These were never seriously viable, I suppose (or maybe they were: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...akl-ewr-flight), but I would certainly choose something like a capsule hotel bed over a traditional Y seat on a long-haul trip, and not because of COVID.

Redmax May 17, 2020 9:17 am


Originally Posted by mecabq (Post 32382618)
How about some of the designs we have seen over the years for more isolated Y class configurations -- like bunk beds/coffins. These were never seriously viable, I suppose (or maybe they were: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...akl-ewr-flight), but I would certainly choose something like a capsule hotel bed over a traditional Y seat on a long-haul trip, and not because of COVID.

If you follow the bunk beds concept, you have to reevaluate the current seating concepts. The cabin is not big enough for seats and bed bunks together. Do not forget down below is space mostly for cargos with its high revenue. So on the main cabin is either seats or bunks.
if you choose bunks, you have to consider how the pax eat, the movement or traffic in the cabin. Most can lay down the whole 13 hours or longer and it do feels like in a coffin for a long time. People will tend to move and stand around the cabin. Pax have to eat in shifts in a seperate area as there is not enough space for them to eat at the same time.
So all of these are not so good with a pandemic around.

During a pandemic, first is to prevent the contamination. Meaning less movements, less interaction, less contamination of the food&beverage...which are all scary and definitely kill the meaning of air travel nowadays..
We will have to be patient and wait for a vaccine to travel normally again.
At the moment international travel should only be for essential purposes. Travel bans and qurantines at arrival are nuisances but necessary. It is far from over. Infections can still destroy the small steps we have achieved so far.

MiamiAirport Formerly NY George May 18, 2020 7:15 am

No I don't see Business and First Class going away. What I do see is certain airlines (AA being at the top of the list) trying to cheapen the premium product my reducing meals or meal quantity, take away beverage service on certain routes, no pre departure beverage, no more blanket and pillows in domestic F, etc. Hopefully they will have to retreat on some of these moves but you can already see it coming.


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