Feature: Premium Economy
a spokesman for Gulf-based Etihad Airways. “We believe our award-winning Coral Economy service caters well for the Premium Economy audience, with a seat pitch of up to 34 inches and multi-course meals and beverages,” he says. “Passengers also benefit from large individual screens with over 650 hours of audio-visual on demand (AVOD) entertainment.”
Such an approach is at variance with attitudes in the west. A separate Premium Economy cabin is seen as the solution to satisfy demand for a product aimed specifically at the consumer who wants more than standard economy but is barred by budgetary restrictions from travelling in Business. Premium Economy is available to and from the Gulf with both British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, and from April 2013, Qantas will provide the service. This is when its historic agreement with Emirates, another Middle Eastern airline which sees no need for the cabin, becomes operational. Under the partnership deal, signed in September, the carriers’ pricing, sales and schedules will be coordinated and the Australian carrier’s daily Airbus A380 flights from Melbourne and Sydney to London will transit Dubai, rather than Singapore, for services to Europe. This will then enable passengers to fly all the way from Australia to the UK in Premium Economy.
In addition, Australian passengers will be able to swap aircraft in Dubai and journey with Qantas to 33 cities across Europe or access Emirates’ services worldwide. In terms of competing effectively in the global marketplace, the arrangement will enable Qantas to cut loss-making international routes and focus on its profitable domestic and
budget operations. And it will help Emirates in the airline’s battle with its main rivals in the Gulf, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways, the latter confirming it is not planning to launch a Premium Economy product.
Also looking for a competitive edge, the latest carrier to pick up the Premium Economy baton is Cathay Pacific, which took delivery of its first Boeing 777-300ER to feature the cabin in February. London Heathrow to Hong Kong services began in the spring, with Premium Economy offered on a number of the 28 flights a week the carrier operates to its home base. The new cabin is configured with 26-34 seats, providing a 38 inch pitch. Passengers are welcomed aboard with champagne, receive an environmentally-friendly amenity kit, enjoy an enhanced meal selection, and benefit from priority check-in and boarding
“There is definitely a growing increase in the use of Premium Economy, with a 12% rise recorded at Portman”
and an increased baggage allowance of 25kg, compared to 20kg in Economy. By the end of 2012, 48 of the airline’s long-haul fleet had Premium Economy installed, with 87 scheduled to offer the cabin by the end of 2013. “The first results have been encouraging,” says Roberto Abbondio, Cathay’s head of sales and marketing, “with the route from the UK among the most successful. London is an ideal base as it pioneered Premium Economy.” The originator was Virgin Atlantic, which introduced the concept way back in 1992 as mid-class, targeting the cost-conscious business traveller who for budgetary reasons travelled Economy but still needed extra space to work or relax. The cabin was re-branded Premium Economy two years later and has evolved to become the undoubted benchmark for airlines entering the market.
In its current incarnation, Virgin’s trend-setter
Above: All Nippon Airways Left: Premium Economy service in action on Delta Right: EVA Air’s Elite Class seats
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