Key new products


for 2016


 American Airlines New Premium Economy


 United Airlines


Essentials and Enhanced in Economy Plus


 Finnair, TAM, Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines New Airbus A350s


 Air France/KLM Flatbeds in business class throughout


 British Airways Refurbishment of 18 Boeing 747s


 Malaysia Airlines First flatbed business class seats


 Swiss New first and business class seats on Boeing 777s


 Qantas New business class seats on Airbus A330s


have cabins that are up-to-date, but not now uniform with the rest of the fleet. Its partner KLM is similarly close to fitting its new World Business Class throughout. All KLM’s Boeing 747s and 777-200s are finished and the remainder of the fleet will be done by summer, so both carriers will offer flatbeds for the first time. Business class on these two airlines has become much the same, but premium economy is a world apart. KLM’s premium economy product is far more basic, offering only the same seat as economy but with more legroom, unlike Air France, which has a dedicated cabin and upgraded product. “That will not change,” says Warner Rootliep, general manager Air France/ KLM UK and Ireland. Not, perhaps in the immediate future, but surely there has to be a time when the two brands come closer together? Meanwhile, Root- liep adds that there has been a “huge improvement” in customer satisfaction with KLM’s new business seat, while another innovation from KLM for 2016 is a dedicated phone concierge service


66 BBT MARCH/APRIL 2016 Norwegian premium economy


Inclined flatbeds are becoming a rarity, so it’s no surprise to see the


competitive emphasis switch to other cabins


for platinum cardholders that Rootliep says is “unique in the UK”. One carrier still playing catch-up is


Emirates, which has yet to standardise its business class cabin. The airline is ex- pected to continue refurbishing its Boeing 777-300ERs in 2016, some of which still have inclined flatbeds. The carrier’s other key development this year will be the unveiling of its Airbus A380 first class product. Etihad’s world-beating A380 first class private rooms, called ‘Apartments’,


are the inspiration, but Emirates’ will be a scaled down – and more affordable – option, likened to a private railway car- riage. Not to be outdone, Qatar Airways has promised to unveil “a business class bedroom” in 2016. Inclined flatbeds are becoming a rarity,


so it’s no surprise to see the competitive emphasis switch to other cabins. Airline chiefs are scratching their heads to see what USP they can come up with now that business class cabins have become much of a muchness, albeit a very comfortable one.


STREAMING AHEAD Another trend becoming apparent is the change to in-flight entertainment. United continues to offer free enter- tainment via seatback TVs, but on in- ternational flights, its new portal offers streamed content that is different to the TV library. The weight and cost saving for airlines of replacing personal TVs with streaming in the future is considerable and United admits it is “a possibility”, but Cefolia adds that fitting in-seat power


BUYINGBUSINESSTRAVEL.COM


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