IN THE HOT SEATS
A mood of optimism among airlines is reflected in the way many are upping their game in the premium cabins
IT’S NOT OFTEN YOU HEAR AIRLINE BOSSES saying they feel good about the coming year, but with plummeting oil prices and many of the world’s major carriers recording excellent 2015 profits, the outlook is as positive as many can remember. As the year began, Delta revealed a
healthy US$5.9 billion pre-tax profit for 2015 and was bullish about this year, forecasting savings of US$3 billion in 2016, mainly from falling fuel prices. The business traveller has reasons to be cheerful as well, because 2016 will see more of the big carriers guarantee flatbeds in business class after concluding refits lasting several years, while others will introduce premium economy cabins and new aircraft types. There are hints, too, that airlines are more prepared to be flexible in how they sell in the future, with at least one carrier testing a modular approach in premium economy. Jake Cefolia is United Airlines’ vice-
president of sales for the Americas. He sums up the mood among major carriers, at least in the US, by the fact that the airline is launching a range of ambitious routes this year, including San Francisco-Singapore and its 13th to China (San Francisco-Xi’an). “That has to be an indication that we are optimistic,” he says. United also enters 2016 with its fleet completely retrofitted with new business class cabins, plus it is trialling a buy-what- you-want approach to premium economy with the soft launch last December of its Essentials and Enhanced packages. These are options for passengers buying its Economy Plus product – which until now
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