Airlines compete for business class passengers

Most major US airlines are finding themselves in a fierce battle aimed that earning the loyalty of business class passengers. According to some in the commercial airline industry, the degree of loyalty that businesspeople show to a specific carrier has declined dramatically in the last several years and as such, it is much more difficult than ever before for airlines to keep these very lucrative clients. Joe Brancatelli, who edits an online magazine geared towards business class passengers, noted that US airlines may be hurrying these days to introduce a range of upgrades in premium cabins, but these efforts are too little, too late. US airlines are widely seen as being behind most major European and especially Asian airlines when it comes to the quality of in-flight service and other innovations. As such, while business class service may finally be improving on many American airlines, these companies still lag behind some of their international competitors.

Yet upgrades to premium cabins have, in fact, made the flying experience much more pleasant for most businesspeople. As behind as US carriers may be, most have started to offer flat-bed seats in premium cabins, a better selection of food that no longer fits the negative stereotypes associated with the airline industry and personal, on-demand in-flight entertainment has improved exponentially.

Some carriers, however, must still catch up with the relatively new trend that places a great deal of emphasis on offering passengers truly comfortable, flat-bed seats on long-haul routes. Delta Air Lines, for example, still uses Boeing 767 aircraft to fly from Newark-Liberty to London Gatwick and business class passengers are provided with so-called “BusinessElite” seats. These recline up to 160 degrees, but it will take another year for the carrier to introduce new lie-flat seats.

www.delta.com