PREMIUM AIR
“There has been little or no change on
average to company policies regarding the number of hours a traveller must fly before being able to book business class,” says Jennifer Charlton, vice-president of global supplier relations for American Express Global Business Travel. “However, policy does vary per industry and some are becoming less strict about allowing travellers to book business class.” An organisation’s willingness to allow
travellers to fly in premium cabins can also come down to where the client is based, says Paul Dear, global director of supplier and industry affairs at HRG. “It can depend on where the head office
is – if it’s a company with a US head office then the threshold can be six hours and above, which is basically the flying time to go outside the US,” adds Dear. “But if it’s a European-headquartered company then it’s often four hours and above when they can fly business class because that’s the time it takes to fly outside Europe – there’s a different
“Having a new seat is great for our business travellers, but ultimately we have to get a business class seat for the right price”
perspective. Generally I would say that 90 per cent of clients would have either a four- or six-hour policy, although a few have 10-11 hour policies.” Airlines may be making headline
news with their latest aircraft and more technologically advanced seats. But for the majority of buyers the same priorities remain: getting the best seats on the right routes at the lowest price. A more comfortable seat and a few new gizmos are unlikely to change that dynamic. This point was reinforced in a survey
carried out at the recent Business Travel Show. It revealed that in 2018 “cutting costs while maintaining quality” was the top priority for buyers. This was buyers’ chief concern for the third consecutive year. As one buyer put it: “Having a new seat
is great for our business travellers, but ultimately we have to get a business class seat for the right price. That pressure on costs is never going to go away.”
BUYINGBUSINESSTRAVEL.COM Product updates
LUFTHANSA has unveiled its design for a new business class cabin to feature on Boeing 777-9 aircraft from 2020. All seats, which will extend into a 2.2m-long bed, will offer direct aisle access in a 1-2-1 or 1-1-1 configuration. Passengers will also be able to control all seat functions from their own personal mobile device. Meanwhile, Lufthansa plans to introduce new mattresses, duvets and pyjamas in business class on long-haul flights during 2018.
JAPAN AIRLINES is rolling out its latest business class seat, JAL Sky Suite III, on its Boeing 777-200ER and Boeing 787-9 aircraft. The suite extends into a 1.98m fully-flat bed and offers direct access from every seat in a 1-2-1 configuration. JAL said the seat will be “progressively expanded” on to more international routes this year. The airline is planning to introduce Airbus A350-900s on domestic routes in 2019. The A350-1000 is due to fly on international services from the early 2020s.
ETIHAD AIRWAYS has signed a deal with Mercedes-Benz to provide transfers in chauffeur-driven vehicles to the airline’s premium passengers within the United Arab Emirates. Passengers travelling in Eithad’s The Residence, first class and business class will be chauffeured in a dedicated fleet of Mercedes-Benz vehicles between Abu Dhabi’s airport and pick-up or drop-off points in the UAE.
UNITED is to open a host of new Polaris business class lounges this year, including San Francisco, Newark and Houston Intercontinental in the summer, followed by a lounge at Los Angeles International in the autumn. United has already expanded its Polaris lounge at Chicago O’Hare. The lounges include shower suites, ‘rest pods’ with day beds, and pre-flight dining.
VIRGIN ATLANTIC is to introduce three new seating styles in Upper Class when it adds four Airbus A330-200s to its fleet in March. The seats – Love Suite, Freedom Solo Suite, and Corner Solo Suite – will all feature direct aisle access. The
aircraft will initially operate from Manchester to New York, Boston, San Francisco and Barbados. Formerly part of Air Berlin’s fleet, the aircraft are wifi-enabled and will be fitted with Virgin’s premium economy cabin in late 2018.
BBT March/April 2018 73
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