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Business class

Business class is a travel class available on many commercial airlines and rail lines, known by brand names which vary, by airline or rail company. In the airline industry, it was originally intended as an intermediate level of service between economy class and first class, but many airlines now offer business class as the highest level of service, having eliminated first-class seating.[1] Business class is distinguished from other travel classes by the quality of seating, food, drinks, ground service and other amenities. In commercial aviation, full business class is usually denoted 'J' or 'C' with schedule flexibility, but can be many other letters depending on circumstances.[2][3][4]

Business-class seat on a Cathay Pacific Airbus A330-300

Airlines edit

History edit

Airlines began separating full-fare and discounted economy-class passengers in the late 1970s. In 1976, KLM introduced a Full Fare Facilities (FFF) service for its full fare economy-class passengers, which allowed them to sit at the front of the economy cabin immediately behind first class, and this concept was quickly copied by several other airlines including Air Canada.[5] Both United Airlines and Trans World Airlines experimented with a similar three-class concept in 1978, but abandoned it due to negative reactions from discount economy-class travelers who felt that amenities were being taken away from them.[6] United also cited the difficulty of tracking which passengers should be seated in which section of the economy cabin on connecting flights.[7] American Airlines also began separating full-fare economy passengers from discounted economy passengers in 1978, and offered open middle seats for full-fare passengers.[8]

Around this time, there was speculation in the airline industry that supersonic aircraft would corner the market for the highest-paying premium passengers, and that a three-class market would emerge consisting of supersonic first class and subsonic business and economy classes.[5] In 1977, El Al announced plans to reconfigure its aircraft with a small first-class cabin and larger business-class cabin on the assumption that most transatlantic first-class passengers would shift their business to the Concorde.[9]

British Airways introduced "Club World", a separate premium cabin with numerous amenities, in October 1978 under CEO Colin Marshall as a means of further distinguishing full-fare business travelers from tourists flying on discounted fares.[10] Pan Am announced that it would introduce "Clipper Class" in July 1978,[11] and both Air France and Pan Am introduced business class in November 1978.[12] Qantas claims to have launched the world's first Business Class in 1979.[13]

On November 1, 1981, Scandinavian Airlines System introduced EuroClass with a separate cabin, dedicated check-in counters and lounges for full-fare passengers. Simultaneously, first class disappeared from their European fleet.

Domestic and regional edit

Australia and New Zealand edit

Both Qantas and Virgin Australia offer business class on their domestic networks as well as on trans-Tasman flights to New Zealand. Flights between Perth and Sydney typically feature lie-flat seats, with deep recline cradle seats on other routes.

On the other hand, Air New Zealand does not offer business class on its domestic network. Business Class is available on flights between New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific Islands when operated by Boeing 777 and Boeing 787 family aircraft, both of which have lie-flat seats.

North America edit

Canada edit

On short-haul flights Air Canada offers recliner seats, which are similar to what is offered on regional business class in the United States. However, on some high-capacity routes, such as Vancouver–Toronto, Air Canada utilizes its long-haul fleet, such as the Boeing 777, Boeing 787, Boeing 767, and the Airbus A330. On flights using internationally configured aircraft such as these, the business-class product is a lie-flat product. However, on discount carriers, such as Air Transat, business class is "euro-style", an economy-class seat with a blocked middle seat for added comfort.

With the introduction of their Boeing 787’s on select domestic and international routes, WestJet Airlines offers 16 lay-flat business seats on each of their 787-9’s.

United States edit

American Airlines and Delta Air Lines both exclusively use fully lie-flat Business Class seats with direct aisle access on their widebody aircraft. United Airlines is in the process of retrofitting their older lie-flat seats to a new design with aisle access for all passengers and increased privacy. A multiple course meal is served on china after takeoff, and depending on the flight length a chilled snack or light meal will be served before landing. International Business Class passengers have access to priority check-in and security, along with lounge access. United and American both also offer premium lounges with enhanced food service in their hubs for these passengers.

Select routes between the East and West coasts are deemed "premium transcontinental" and offer a comparable experience to long haul international Business Class. However, it is uncommon for all seats to have direct aisle access. American uses a dedicated sub-fleet of 3-cabin A321T planes with 20 lie-flat Flagship Business seats in a 2-2 configuration for these flights. JetBlue also has a sub-fleet of A321s featuring their Mint Business Class, which alternates between a 2-2 lie flat seats and 1-1 suites with a closing door. United and Delta use a combination of wide and narrow body aircraft for these routes, with a variety of lie-flat seat designs.

Nearly all other flights in the US (as well as to Canada, Central America, and the Caribbean) on American, United, Delta, and Alaska use 2-cabin narrowbody aircraft. The forward cabin is marketed as "First Class" on domestic routes but regardless uses a Business Class fare basis. These fares include a larger "recliner" seat, priority check-in/security/boarding, and increased service. Only Alaska Airlines allows lounge access for customers in "First Class" without further international travel. Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are included, and are served in glassware or ceramic mugs. Meal service is highly variable depending on the airline, departure time, and route. Flights between hub airports during daytime hours are usually catered with a full warm meal regardless of the flight time. Regional jets do not have ovens, and all entrees are served chilled. At the very least, a flight attendant will pass around a basket containing premium snacks.

Europe edit

European carriers generally offer a business class consisting of enhanced economy seating with better service. There may be a curtain to separate business from economy class, based on demand, but the seats are in the same cabin. Some airlines such as Air France and Lufthansa use convertible seats that seat three people across in economy, or adjust with a lever to become two seats with a half seat length between them for business-class use.

Business class has started to disappear from some short/medium haul routes, to be replaced with full fare economy and discount economy (KLM and SAS). On these routes, the seats are the same for all passengers, only the flexibility of the ticket and the food and beverage service differs. On shorter routes (typically less than one hour) many airlines have removed business class entirely (e.g. BMI on many routes) and offer only one class of service. British Airways used to offer "Business UK" on their domestic system, offering the same service as economy class, with the addition of expedited check-in, baggage reclaim, lounge access and priority boarding. In flight, until January 11, 2017, drink, tea or coffee and a snack were served to all customers, with a hot breakfast on flights prior to 9.29am.

Discount carriers edit

 
Business-class seats on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines Boeing 777-300ER en route to Dhaka from Jeddah.

Most low-cost carriers, such as Ryanair and EasyJet in Europe, Tigerair in Australia, Southwest Airlines in the United States, and even some national carriers such as Aer Lingus and Air New Zealand on their domestic and regional networks do not offer any premium classes of service. Some, however, have options above a standard coach seat:

  • AirAsia charges a premium for passengers to sit in front of the aircraft or the exit seats which also offer more legroom as well as board first (these are called Hot Seats).[14]
  • On their domestic and trans-Tasman networks, Air New Zealand has Space + seats available complimentary for Koru Club elite members and for a small charge at check-in for others. Other than a few more inches of legroom the seats are identical to normal economy seats.
  • JetBlue offers Even More Space (the first 9 rows on the A320 and the bulkhead and emergency row on the E-190) for between $20 and $90 extra per segment. “Even More Space” includes priority boarding and priority security screening but no other benefits.
  • Spirit Airlines has Big Front Seats in the first row of all their aircraft. The seats were part of Spirit's former First Class offering, Spirit Plus, but now offer no benefits other than bigger seat pitch and a 2 by 2, rather than 3 by 3 arrangement.

Long haul edit

 
Qantas' Airbus A330 business-class seat with mattress overlay
 
Qantas' business-class seat in lie-flat mode
 
Fully flat seat on Singapore Airlines, used on shorter flights
 
Angled lie-flat seat on Air China Boeing 747-400
 
Fully flat herringbone seat on Air Canada
 
Delta Air Lines' Delta One suite on an Airbus A350

Business class is a much more significant upgrade from economy class for long-haul flights, in contrast to a regional or domestic flight where business class offers few relative advantages over economy class. The innovations in business-class seating, incorporating features previously only found in first class (see below), has narrowed the comfort and amenities gap with traditional first-class seats. These advances and added features to business class, as well as the late 2000s recession, have caused some airlines to remove or not install first-class seating in their aircraft (as first-class seats are usually double the price of business class but can take up more than twice the room) which leaves business class as the most expensive seats on such planes, while other airlines have reintroduced first-class sections as suites to stay upmarket over contemporary business class.[15]

As with first class, all alcoholic beverages are complimentary and meals are of higher quality than economy class. Economy-class passengers are usually not permitted in the business-class cabin though first-class passengers are generally allowed to cross the curtain between business and first class.

Seating edit

Long-haul business-class seats are substantially different from economy-class seats, and many airlines have installed "lie-flat" seats into business class, whereas previously seats with such a recline were only available in international first class. There are essentially three types of long-haul business-class seats today. These are listed in ascending order of perceived "quality".

  • Cradle/recliner seats are seats with around 150-160 degrees of recline and substantially more leg room compared to the economy section. The seat pitch of business-class seats ranges from 38 to 79.5 in (97 to 202 cm) (usually 55–62 in (140–160 cm)), and the seat size of business-class seats range from 17.5 to 34 in (44 to 86 cm) (usually 20–22 in (51–56 cm)). Although many airlines have upgraded their long-haul business-class cabins to angled lie-flat or fully flat seats, cradle/recliner seats are still common in business class on shorter routes.
  • Angled lie-flat seats recline 170 degrees (or slightly less) to provide a flat sleeping surface, but are not parallel to the floor of the aircraft when reclined, making them less comfortable than a bed. Seat pitch typically ranges from 55 to 65 in (140 to 170 cm), and seat width usually varies between 18 and 23 in (46 and 58 cm). These seats first appeared on Northwest, Continental, JAL, Qantas and several other airlines in 2002 and 2003.[16]
  • Fully flat seats recline into a flat sleeping surface which is parallel to the floor. Many airlines offer such seats in international first class but retain inferior seating in business class to differentiate the two products and fares. British Airways, which introduced flat beds in first class in 1995, was among the first airlines to introduce fully flat business-class seats with its Club World product in 1999.[17]
    • Herringbone seating, in which seats are positioned at an angle to the direction of travel, is used in some widebody cabins to allow direct aisle access for each seat and to allow a large number of fully flat seats to occupy a small cabin space. The concept was first developed by Virgin Atlantic for its Upper Class cabin and has since been used by Delta, Cathay Pacific, Air Canada and other airlines.[18]
  • Cabin seat, These seats are designed to give the business-class traveler the most privacy they can attain while in flight. These seats are typically positioned in a 1–2–1 arrangement on a wide-body jet. On each side of the seat is a privacy panel about four feet in height. Aircraft such as these offer the best ergonomic comfort on long-haul business-class flights. These were first introduced on US Airways.[19]

Recaro claims its CL6710 business-class seat is one of the lightest at 80 kg (176 lb) while other can be beyond 100 kg (220 lb), adding up to a 2–3 t (4,400–6,600 lb) for 60 seats.[20]

Menus edit

While flying on a long-haul business-class flight, airlines such as Swiss, Lufthansa, SAS Scandinavian Airlines, and many others offer in-flight gourmet meals with a choice of entree. Upon seating in their seats, business-class passengers are presented with a choice of champagne, orange juice, or water (called pre-flight service), with a 3-5 course meal (typically including a salad, soup, entree (typically up to 3 choices), and a choice of dessert) to follow during the flight. Depending on the time of arrival, the flight may offer either a breakfast with a variety of choices or a light snack approximately 90 minutes prior to landing. Some airlines, such as Singapore Airlines, allow travelers to request specific meals not on the regular menu prior to the flight. The alcoholic beverage choices for business-class cabins are generous, with airlines offering different premium wines, and an assortment of beers and liqueurs.[21]

Branding edit

 
Philippine Airlines' Airbus A330 business-class seat.
 
Cathay Pacific 77W business-class seat

The exact name for business class may vary between operators. Bold text indicates airlines for which business class is the highest class of service offered.

Airline Service name Status
Aegean Airlines "Business Class" active
Aer Lingus "Business Class" (formerly "Premier Class") active
Aeroflot "Президент" (long-haul; translated "President")
"Премьер" (short and mid-haul; translated "Premier")
active
Aerolíneas Argentinas "Club Cóndor" active
Aeroméxico "Clase Premier" active
Air Algérie "Rouge Affaires" active
Air Astana "Business Class" active
Air Austral "Club Austral" active
Aircalin "Hibiscus class" active
Air Canada "Signature Class" (international, formerly "International Business Class")
"North America Business Class (domestic and regional, formerly "Executive Class")
active
Air Caraïbes "Classe Madras" active
Air China "Capital Pavilion" active
Air Europa "Business Class" active
Air France "Affaires" (translated "Business") active
Air Greenland "Nanoq Class" (translated "Polar Bear Class") active
Air India "Executive Class" active
Air Koryo "Business Class" active
Air Macau "Business Class" active
Air New Zealand "Business Premier" active
Air Seychelles "Pearl Class" active
AirAsia X "Premium Flatbed" active
Alaska Airlines "First Class" active
All Nippon Airways "Business Class" (international; formerly "Club ANA")
"Premium Class" (domestic)
active
American Airlines "Domestic First Class" and "Flagship Business" active
Asiana Airlines "Business Smartium" or "Business Class" active
Austrian Airlines "Business Class" (formerly "Grand Class") active
Avianca "Clase Ejecutiva" (translated "Business Class") active
Azul Brazilian Airlines "Business Xtra" active
Bangkok Airways "Blue Ribbon Class" active
Bassaka Air "Business Class" active
Batik Air "Business Class" active
Beijing Capital Airlines "Business Class" active
Biman Bangladesh Airlines "Business Class" active
British Airways "Club Suite", "Club World", and "Club Europe" active
Cathay Pacific "Business Class" (formerly "Marco Polo Business Class" in the 1980s and 1990s)
"Aria Suite" (Available from 2024 Q2,for Boeing 777-300ER only)
active
China Airlines "Business Class" (formerly "Dynasty Class") and "Premium Business Class" active
China Eastern Airlines "Business Class" active
China Express Airlines "Business Class" active
China Southern Airlines "Business Class" active
Chongqing Airlines "Business Class" active
Copa Airlines "Clase Ejecutiva" active
Cyprus Airways "Apollo Class" active
Delta Air Lines "Delta One" (formerly "Business Elite") and "Delta One Suite", "First Class" active
Donghai Airlines "Business Class" active
Druk Air "Business Class" active
El Al "מחלקת עסקים" (translated "Business Class") active
EgyptAir "حورس" (translated "Horus") active
Emirates "Business Class" active
Ethiopian Airlines "Cloud Nine" active
Etihad Airways "Pearl Business Class" and "Business Studio" active
EVA Air "Royal Laurel", "Premium Laurel" and "Business Class" active
Fiji Airways "Tabua Class" active
Finnair "Business Class" active
Garuda Indonesia "Business Class" (formerly "Executive Class") active
Gulf Air "Falcon Gold" active
Hainan Airlines "Business Class" active
Hawaiian Airlines "Premium Business Class" (international)
"Business Class" (domestic and regional; formerly "First Class")
active
Hebei Airlines "Business Class" active
Himalaya Airlines "Business Class" active
Hong Kong Airlines "Business Class" active
Iberia "Business Plus" and "Business Class" active
Icelandair "Saga Class" active
Iran Air "هما کلاس" (translated "Homa Class") active
ITA Airways "Business Class" (international)
"Superior Class" (domestic)
active
Japan Airlines "JAL Business Class" (international)
"Class J" (domestic)
active
Jazeera Airways "Business Class" active
JetBlue "Mint" active
Jetstar "Business Class" active
Juneyao Airlines "Business Class" active
Kenya Airways "Premiere World" active
KLM "World Business Class" active
Korean Air "Prestige Class" active
Kunming Airlines "Business Class" active
Kuwait Airways "Business Class" active
LAN Airlines "Premium Business" active
Lao Airlines "Business Class" active
Lucky Air "Business Class" active
LOT Polish Airlines "Elite Club" (Boeing 787 only) and "Business Class" (other aircraft) active
Lufthansa "Business Class" active
Mahan Air "Business Class" ("Premium Economy" in A340 long-haul flights; not available in BAe 146 aircraft) active
Malaysia Airlines "Business Class" (formerly "Golden Club Class") active
Maldivian "Business Class" active
Malindo Air "Business Class" active
MIAT Mongolian Airlines "Business Class" active
Middle East Airlines "Cedar Class" active
Myanmar National Airlines "Business Class" active
Nam Air "Business Class" active
Nepal Airlines "Shangrila Class" active
Norfolk Air "Premium Economy" (formerly "Bounty Class") active
Olympic Air "Business Class" or Gold Business Class (literally "Distinguished Class") active
Oman Air "Business Class" active
Pakistan International Airlines "Business Plus+" active
PAL Express "Business Class" active
Philippine Airlines "Business Class" (formerly "Mabuhay Class") active
Qantas "Business Class" and "Business Suite" active
Qatar Airways "Business Class" and "Qsuite" active
Regent Airways "Business Class" active
Royal Air Maroc "Premium Class" active
Royal Brunei Airlines "Business Class" active
Royal Jordanian "Crown Class" active
Saudia "درجة الأفق" (translated "Horizon Class") active
Scandinavian Airlines "Business Class" (intercontinental)
"SAS PLUS" (within Europe)
active
Scoot "ScootPlus" active
Shanghai Airlines "Business Class" active
Shenzhen Airlines "Business Class" active
Sichuan Airlines "Business Class" active
Sky Angkor Airlines "Business Class" active
Singapore Airlines "Business Class" (formerly "Raffles Class") active
South African Airways "Business Class" (formerly "Gold Class" ) active
SpiceJet "SpiceBiz" (Boeing 737 only) active
SriLankan Airlines "Business Class" active
Sriwijaya Air "Business Class" active
Swiss International Air Lines "SWISS Business" active
TAAG Angola Airlines "Executiva Class" active
TAP Portugal "TAP Executive" active
TAM Airlines "Executive Class" or "Classic Class" active
TAROM "Business Class" active
Thai AirAsia X "Premium Flatbed" active
Thai Airways "Royal Silk Class" active
Thai Lion Air "Business Class" active
Tianjin Airlines "Business Class" active
Tibet Airlines "Business Class" active
Turkish Airlines "Business Class" active
Turkmenistan Airlines "Business Class" active
United Airlines "United Polaris" (international)
"United First" (domestic)
"United Business" (regional)
active
US-Bangla Airlines "Business Class" active
Uzbekistan Airways "Business Class" active
Vietnam Airlines "Business Class" active
Virgin Atlantic "Upper Class" active
Virgin Australia "Domestic Business" and "International Business" active
Vistara "Business Class" active
WestJet "Business Class" active
XiamenAir "Business Class" active
AirTran Airways "Business Class" defunct
Alitalia "Magnifica" (translated "Wonderful")
"Ottima" (short-haul; no longer in use)
defunct
America West Airlines "America West First" defunct
British Caledonian "Executiv.e" and "Super Executive" defunct
Canadian Airlines "Business Class" defunct
Cathay Dragon "Business Class" defunct
Continental Airlines "BusinessFirst" defunct
Jet Airways "Premiere Class" defunct
Kingfisher Airlines "Kingfisher First" defunct
Malév Hungarian Airlines "SkyClub Business Class" defunct
Mexicana de Aviación "Elite Class" defunct
Midwest Airlines "Signature Service" defunct
Mihin Lanka "Business Class" defunct
Northwest Airlines "World Business Class" defunct
Pan Am "Clipper Class" defunct
Spanair "Premium Class" defunct
Spirit Airlines "Big Front Seat" (formerly "Spirit Plus"; service is no different from economy since transitioning to a no-frills carrier, but seats are roomier) defunct
Trans World Airlines "Ambassador Class" (until the 1980s); "TransWorld One" (after 3-class service reduced to 2 in the 1990s) defunct
US Airways "Envoy" (Brazil, Europe and Israel)
"Business Class" and "First Class" (domestic)
defunct

Trains edit

 
Business-class cabin of a China Railway CR400BF-GZ electric multiple unit which features staggered seats.

Business class is the highest class of service in China high-speed rail, while first class and second class are the more affordable options. Business class passengers have access to a pre-departure lounge if available. Train seats of business class are arranged in 1-1 or 2-1 configuration with fully enclosed seats. Free meals, unlimited snacks, and beverages are provided for the business class passengers throughout the journey.[22]

Select Amtrak trains in the United States offer a Business Class service. On Acela trains, Business Class is the primary class of service, and does not include any additional benefits on board. On other routes, Business Class includes a refundable fare, and seating in a reserved area. Depending on the specific route, lounge access, wider seats with legrests, newspapers, or complimentary non-alcoholic beverages may be included.

Until June 2009, Via Rail in Canada premium-class service was called "Via 1", on short-range routes oriented towards business travel. The premium service on the transcontinental route (The Canadian) is called "Silver & Blue". In June 2009, "Via 1" was renamed "Business Class" and "Silver & Blue" (The Canadian) and "Easterly" (The Ocean) were renamed "Sleeper Touring Class" and "Totem" (The Skeena) was renamed "Touring Class".

Eurostar also offers business-class accommodation on their rail services – named "Business Premier", the seats are similar to the premium economy "Standard Premier" offering (wider seats with more legroom and greater recline compared to economy "standard class") but include faster check-in, boarding and a full meal service, among other features. Chiltern Railways offers a business zone on selected services.[23]

Queensland Rail in Australia also offers business class on its Electric Tilt Train.

Austrian federal railway service ÖBB also offers a business class in their high-speed Railjet trains.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Perry Garfinkel (2008-03-10). "On some airlines, business class goes first". The International Herald Tribune. Retrieved 2015-12-15.
  2. ^ "UN TRAVEL POLICY SUMMARY" 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine United Nations Environment Programme. Retrieved: 20 September 2012.
  3. ^ "". Retrieved: 20 September 2012.
  4. ^ Bennett, Andrea. "Deciphering Airline Fare Codes 2012-08-29 at the Wayback Machine" Airfare Watchdog, 21 October 2008. Retrieved: 20 September 2012.
  5. ^ a b "Why airlines are wooing the business high-fliers". news.google.com.
  6. ^ "'Three-class' air service is scrubbed by TWA". news.google.com.
  7. ^ https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZtoiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=z8wFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1263%2C913435[dead link]
  8. ^ "'FULL-FARE' Passengers to Get Better Service on Airliners". news.google.com. from the original on 2016-07-07. Retrieved 2018-11-26.
  9. ^ Williams, Winston (1977-08-18). "El Al Sees Financial Drain Resulting From Fare Cuts – El Al Expecting Reduced Fares To Cause Severe Financial Drain – Article – NYTimes.com". Select.nytimes.com. from the original on 2012-11-06. Retrieved 2012-03-29.
  10. ^ Petzinger, Thomas (1996). Hard Landing: The Epic Contest For Power and Profits That Plunged the Airlines into Chaos. Random House. ISBN 978-0-307-77449-1.
  11. ^ "Pan Am Profit Hit High in 2nd Quarter; Revenue Rose 16%". Pqasb.pqarchiver.com. 1978-07-27. from the original on 2012-11-06. Retrieved 2012-03-29.
  12. ^ "air france | 1983 | 1806 | Flight Archive". Flightglobal.com. 1983-10-01. from the original on 2012-01-30. Retrieved 2012-03-29.
  13. ^ "Boeing Aircraft Take Qantas Further". Qantas.com.au. from the original on 2012-10-05. Retrieved 2012-03-29.
  14. ^ "AskAirAsia – What is a Hot Seat?". www.airasia.com. from the original on 2017-06-01. Retrieved 2017-05-17.
  15. ^ . Archived from the original on 2014-12-21. Retrieved 2016-12-09.
  16. ^ Woodyard, Chris (2003-08-05). "More airlines to offer seat-beds". Usatoday.com. Retrieved 2012-03-29.
  17. ^ Tom McGhie (1999-05-26). "Losing economy seats to launch club class 'flying bed' revolution may not add up". London: Guardian. from the original on 2014-05-07. Retrieved 2012-03-29.
  18. ^ "Airlines in the hot seat over Virgin's Upper Class patents". Business.timesonline.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-03-29.
  19. ^ Peter Rusanoff. "US Airways Business Class Around The World". waytofly.com. from the original on 2015-04-04. Retrieved 2013-09-26.
  20. ^ Kerry Reals (Jan 3, 2018). "Business Class Seats A Weighty Issue On Ultra Long Range Flights". Aviation Week & Space Technology.
  21. ^ Peter Rusanoff. "Business Class Review". waytofly.com. from the original on 2014-06-27. Retrieved 2013-09-26.
  22. ^ Chamberlin, Chris (4 December 2019). "Business class vs first class on China's high-speed rail network". executivetraveller.
  23. ^ What is the Business Zone? Chiltern Railways

External links edit

  Media related to Business class at Wikimedia Commons   First and business class flights travel guide from Wikivoyage

business, class, other, uses, disambiguation, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, book. For other uses see Business class disambiguation This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Business class news newspapers books scholar JSTOR November 2010 Learn how and when to remove this template message Business class is a travel class available on many commercial airlines and rail lines known by brand names which vary by airline or rail company In the airline industry it was originally intended as an intermediate level of service between economy class and first class but many airlines now offer business class as the highest level of service having eliminated first class seating 1 Business class is distinguished from other travel classes by the quality of seating food drinks ground service and other amenities In commercial aviation full business class is usually denoted J or C with schedule flexibility but can be many other letters depending on circumstances 2 3 4 Business class seat on a Cathay Pacific Airbus A330 300 Contents 1 Airlines 1 1 History 2 Domestic and regional 2 1 Australia and New Zealand 2 2 North America 2 2 1 Canada 2 2 2 United States 2 3 Europe 2 4 Discount carriers 3 Long haul 3 1 Seating 3 2 Menus 3 3 Branding 4 Trains 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksAirlines editSee also Business class airline History edit Airlines began separating full fare and discounted economy class passengers in the late 1970s In 1976 KLM introduced a Full Fare Facilities FFF service for its full fare economy class passengers which allowed them to sit at the front of the economy cabin immediately behind first class and this concept was quickly copied by several other airlines including Air Canada 5 Both United Airlines and Trans World Airlines experimented with a similar three class concept in 1978 but abandoned it due to negative reactions from discount economy class travelers who felt that amenities were being taken away from them 6 United also cited the difficulty of tracking which passengers should be seated in which section of the economy cabin on connecting flights 7 American Airlines also began separating full fare economy passengers from discounted economy passengers in 1978 and offered open middle seats for full fare passengers 8 Around this time there was speculation in the airline industry that supersonic aircraft would corner the market for the highest paying premium passengers and that a three class market would emerge consisting of supersonic first class and subsonic business and economy classes 5 In 1977 El Al announced plans to reconfigure its aircraft with a small first class cabin and larger business class cabin on the assumption that most transatlantic first class passengers would shift their business to the Concorde 9 British Airways introduced Club World a separate premium cabin with numerous amenities in October 1978 under CEO Colin Marshall as a means of further distinguishing full fare business travelers from tourists flying on discounted fares 10 Pan Am announced that it would introduce Clipper Class in July 1978 11 and both Air France and Pan Am introduced business class in November 1978 12 Qantas claims to have launched the world s first Business Class in 1979 13 On November 1 1981 Scandinavian Airlines System introduced EuroClass with a separate cabin dedicated check in counters and lounges for full fare passengers Simultaneously first class disappeared from their European fleet Domestic and regional editAustralia and New Zealand edit Both Qantas and Virgin Australia offer business class on their domestic networks as well as on trans Tasman flights to New Zealand Flights between Perth and Sydney typically feature lie flat seats with deep recline cradle seats on other routes On the other hand Air New Zealand does not offer business class on its domestic network Business Class is available on flights between New Zealand Australia and the Pacific Islands when operated by Boeing 777 and Boeing 787 family aircraft both of which have lie flat seats North America edit Canada edit On short haul flights Air Canada offers recliner seats which are similar to what is offered on regional business class in the United States However on some high capacity routes such as Vancouver Toronto Air Canada utilizes its long haul fleet such as the Boeing 777 Boeing 787 Boeing 767 and the Airbus A330 On flights using internationally configured aircraft such as these the business class product is a lie flat product However on discount carriers such as Air Transat business class is euro style an economy class seat with a blocked middle seat for added comfort With the introduction of their Boeing 787 s on select domestic and international routes WestJet Airlines offers 16 lay flat business seats on each of their 787 9 s United States edit American Airlines and Delta Air Lines both exclusively use fully lie flat Business Class seats with direct aisle access on their widebody aircraft United Airlines is in the process of retrofitting their older lie flat seats to a new design with aisle access for all passengers and increased privacy A multiple course meal is served on china after takeoff and depending on the flight length a chilled snack or light meal will be served before landing International Business Class passengers have access to priority check in and security along with lounge access United and American both also offer premium lounges with enhanced food service in their hubs for these passengers Select routes between the East and West coasts are deemed premium transcontinental and offer a comparable experience to long haul international Business Class However it is uncommon for all seats to have direct aisle access American uses a dedicated sub fleet of 3 cabin A321T planes with 20 lie flat Flagship Business seats in a 2 2 configuration for these flights JetBlue also has a sub fleet of A321s featuring their Mint Business Class which alternates between a 2 2 lie flat seats and 1 1 suites with a closing door United and Delta use a combination of wide and narrow body aircraft for these routes with a variety of lie flat seat designs Nearly all other flights in the US as well as to Canada Central America and the Caribbean on American United Delta and Alaska use 2 cabin narrowbody aircraft The forward cabin is marketed as First Class on domestic routes but regardless uses a Business Class fare basis These fares include a larger recliner seat priority check in security boarding and increased service Only Alaska Airlines allows lounge access for customers in First Class without further international travel Both alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages are included and are served in glassware or ceramic mugs Meal service is highly variable depending on the airline departure time and route Flights between hub airports during daytime hours are usually catered with a full warm meal regardless of the flight time Regional jets do not have ovens and all entrees are served chilled At the very least a flight attendant will pass around a basket containing premium snacks Europe edit European carriers generally offer a business class consisting of enhanced economy seating with better service There may be a curtain to separate business from economy class based on demand but the seats are in the same cabin Some airlines such as Air France and Lufthansa use convertible seats that seat three people across in economy or adjust with a lever to become two seats with a half seat length between them for business class use Business class has started to disappear from some short medium haul routes to be replaced with full fare economy and discount economy KLM and SAS On these routes the seats are the same for all passengers only the flexibility of the ticket and the food and beverage service differs On shorter routes typically less than one hour many airlines have removed business class entirely e g BMI on many routes and offer only one class of service British Airways used to offer Business UK on their domestic system offering the same service as economy class with the addition of expedited check in baggage reclaim lounge access and priority boarding In flight until January 11 2017 drink tea or coffee and a snack were served to all customers with a hot breakfast on flights prior to 9 29am Discount carriers edit See also Premium economy class nbsp Business class seats on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines Boeing 777 300ER en route to Dhaka from Jeddah Most low cost carriers such as Ryanair and EasyJet in Europe Tigerair in Australia Southwest Airlines in the United States and even some national carriers such as Aer Lingus and Air New Zealand on their domestic and regional networks do not offer any premium classes of service Some however have options above a standard coach seat AirAsia charges a premium for passengers to sit in front of the aircraft or the exit seats which also offer more legroom as well as board first these are called Hot Seats 14 On their domestic and trans Tasman networks Air New Zealand has Space seats available complimentary for Koru Club elite members and for a small charge at check in for others Other than a few more inches of legroom the seats are identical to normal economy seats JetBlue offers Even More Space the first 9 rows on the A320 and the bulkhead and emergency row on the E 190 for between 20 and 90 extra per segment Even More Space includes priority boarding and priority security screening but no other benefits Spirit Airlines has Big Front Seats in the first row of all their aircraft The seats were part of Spirit s former First Class offering Spirit Plus but now offer no benefits other than bigger seat pitch and a 2 by 2 rather than 3 by 3 arrangement Long haul edit nbsp Qantas Airbus A330 business class seat with mattress overlay nbsp Qantas business class seat in lie flat mode nbsp Fully flat seat on Singapore Airlines used on shorter flights nbsp Angled lie flat seat on Air China Boeing 747 400 nbsp Fully flat herringbone seat on Air Canada nbsp Delta Air Lines Delta One suite on an Airbus A350Business class is a much more significant upgrade from economy class for long haul flights in contrast to a regional or domestic flight where business class offers few relative advantages over economy class The innovations in business class seating incorporating features previously only found in first class see below has narrowed the comfort and amenities gap with traditional first class seats These advances and added features to business class as well as the late 2000s recession have caused some airlines to remove or not install first class seating in their aircraft as first class seats are usually double the price of business class but can take up more than twice the room which leaves business class as the most expensive seats on such planes while other airlines have reintroduced first class sections as suites to stay upmarket over contemporary business class 15 As with first class all alcoholic beverages are complimentary and meals are of higher quality than economy class Economy class passengers are usually not permitted in the business class cabin though first class passengers are generally allowed to cross the curtain between business and first class Seating edit Long haul business class seats are substantially different from economy class seats and many airlines have installed lie flat seats into business class whereas previously seats with such a recline were only available in international first class There are essentially three types of long haul business class seats today These are listed in ascending order of perceived quality Cradle recliner seats are seats with around 150 160 degrees of recline and substantially more leg room compared to the economy section The seat pitch of business class seats ranges from 38 to 79 5 in 97 to 202 cm usually 55 62 in 140 160 cm and the seat size of business class seats range from 17 5 to 34 in 44 to 86 cm usually 20 22 in 51 56 cm Although many airlines have upgraded their long haul business class cabins to angled lie flat or fully flat seats cradle recliner seats are still common in business class on shorter routes Angled lie flat seats recline 170 degrees or slightly less to provide a flat sleeping surface but are not parallel to the floor of the aircraft when reclined making them less comfortable than a bed Seat pitch typically ranges from 55 to 65 in 140 to 170 cm and seat width usually varies between 18 and 23 in 46 and 58 cm These seats first appeared on Northwest Continental JAL Qantas and several other airlines in 2002 and 2003 16 Fully flat seats recline into a flat sleeping surface which is parallel to the floor Many airlines offer such seats in international first class but retain inferior seating in business class to differentiate the two products and fares British Airways which introduced flat beds in first class in 1995 was among the first airlines to introduce fully flat business class seats with its Club World product in 1999 17 Herringbone seating in which seats are positioned at an angle to the direction of travel is used in some widebody cabins to allow direct aisle access for each seat and to allow a large number of fully flat seats to occupy a small cabin space The concept was first developed by Virgin Atlantic for its Upper Class cabin and has since been used by Delta Cathay Pacific Air Canada and other airlines 18 Cabin seat These seats are designed to give the business class traveler the most privacy they can attain while in flight These seats are typically positioned in a 1 2 1 arrangement on a wide body jet On each side of the seat is a privacy panel about four feet in height Aircraft such as these offer the best ergonomic comfort on long haul business class flights These were first introduced on US Airways 19 Recaro claims its CL6710 business class seat is one of the lightest at 80 kg 176 lb while other can be beyond 100 kg 220 lb adding up to a 2 3 t 4 400 6 600 lb for 60 seats 20 Menus edit While flying on a long haul business class flight airlines such as Swiss Lufthansa SAS Scandinavian Airlines and many others offer in flight gourmet meals with a choice of entree Upon seating in their seats business class passengers are presented with a choice of champagne orange juice or water called pre flight service with a 3 5 course meal typically including a salad soup entree typically up to 3 choices and a choice of dessert to follow during the flight Depending on the time of arrival the flight may offer either a breakfast with a variety of choices or a light snack approximately 90 minutes prior to landing Some airlines such as Singapore Airlines allow travelers to request specific meals not on the regular menu prior to the flight The alcoholic beverage choices for business class cabins are generous with airlines offering different premium wines and an assortment of beers and liqueurs 21 Branding edit nbsp Philippine Airlines Airbus A330 business class seat nbsp Cathay Pacific 77W business class seatThe exact name for business class may vary between operators Bold text indicates airlines for which business class is the highest class of service offered Airline Service name StatusAegean Airlines Business Class activeAer Lingus Business Class formerly Premier Class activeAeroflot Prezident long haul translated President Premer short and mid haul translated Premier activeAerolineas Argentinas Club Condor activeAeromexico Clase Premier activeAir Algerie Rouge Affaires activeAir Astana Business Class activeAir Austral Club Austral activeAircalin Hibiscus class activeAir Canada Signature Class international formerly International Business Class North America Business Class domestic and regional formerly Executive Class activeAir Caraibes Classe Madras activeAir China Capital Pavilion activeAir Europa Business Class activeAir France Affaires translated Business activeAir Greenland Nanoq Class translated Polar Bear Class activeAir India Executive Class activeAir Koryo Business Class activeAir Macau Business Class activeAir New Zealand Business Premier activeAir Seychelles Pearl Class activeAirAsia X Premium Flatbed activeAlaska Airlines First Class activeAll Nippon Airways Business Class international formerly Club ANA Premium Class domestic activeAmerican Airlines Domestic First Class and Flagship Business activeAsiana Airlines Business Smartium or Business Class activeAustrian Airlines Business Class formerly Grand Class activeAvianca Clase Ejecutiva translated Business Class activeAzul Brazilian Airlines Business Xtra activeBangkok Airways Blue Ribbon Class activeBassaka Air Business Class activeBatik Air Business Class activeBeijing Capital Airlines Business Class activeBiman Bangladesh Airlines Business Class activeBritish Airways Club Suite Club World and Club Europe activeCathay Pacific Business Class formerly Marco Polo Business Class in the 1980s and 1990s Aria Suite Available from 2024 Q2 for Boeing 777 300ER only activeChina Airlines Business Class formerly Dynasty Class and Premium Business Class activeChina Eastern Airlines Business Class activeChina Express Airlines Business Class activeChina Southern Airlines Business Class activeChongqing Airlines Business Class activeCopa Airlines Clase Ejecutiva activeCyprus Airways Apollo Class activeDelta Air Lines Delta One formerly Business Elite and Delta One Suite First Class activeDonghai Airlines Business Class activeDruk Air Business Class activeEl Al מחלקת עסקים translated Business Class activeEgyptAir حورس translated Horus activeEmirates Business Class activeEthiopian Airlines Cloud Nine activeEtihad Airways Pearl Business Class and Business Studio activeEVA Air Royal Laurel Premium Laurel and Business Class activeFiji Airways Tabua Class activeFinnair Business Class activeGaruda Indonesia Business Class formerly Executive Class activeGulf Air Falcon Gold activeHainan Airlines Business Class activeHawaiian Airlines Premium Business Class international Business Class domestic and regional formerly First Class activeHebei Airlines Business Class activeHimalaya Airlines Business Class activeHong Kong Airlines Business Class activeIberia Business Plus and Business Class activeIcelandair Saga Class activeIran Air هما کلاس translated Homa Class activeITA Airways Business Class international Superior Class domestic activeJapan Airlines JAL Business Class international Class J domestic activeJazeera Airways Business Class activeJetBlue Mint activeJetstar Business Class activeJuneyao Airlines Business Class activeKenya Airways Premiere World activeKLM World Business Class activeKorean Air Prestige Class activeKunming Airlines Business Class activeKuwait Airways Business Class activeLAN Airlines Premium Business activeLao Airlines Business Class activeLucky Air Business Class activeLOT Polish Airlines Elite Club Boeing 787 only and Business Class other aircraft activeLufthansa Business Class activeMahan Air Business Class Premium Economy in A340 long haul flights not available in BAe 146 aircraft activeMalaysia Airlines Business Class formerly Golden Club Class activeMaldivian Business Class activeMalindo Air Business Class activeMIAT Mongolian Airlines Business Class activeMiddle East Airlines Cedar Class activeMyanmar National Airlines Business Class activeNam Air Business Class activeNepal Airlines Shangrila Class activeNorfolk Air Premium Economy formerly Bounty Class activeOlympic Air Business Class or Gold Business Class literally Distinguished Class activeOman Air Business Class activePakistan International Airlines Business Plus activePAL Express Business Class activePhilippine Airlines Business Class formerly Mabuhay Class activeQantas Business Class and Business Suite activeQatar Airways Business Class and Qsuite activeRegent Airways Business Class activeRoyal Air Maroc Premium Class activeRoyal Brunei Airlines Business Class activeRoyal Jordanian Crown Class activeSaudia درجة الأفق translated Horizon Class activeScandinavian Airlines Business Class intercontinental SAS PLUS within Europe activeScoot ScootPlus activeShanghai Airlines Business Class activeShenzhen Airlines Business Class activeSichuan Airlines Business Class activeSky Angkor Airlines Business Class activeSingapore Airlines Business Class formerly Raffles Class activeSouth African Airways Business Class formerly Gold Class activeSpiceJet SpiceBiz Boeing 737 only activeSriLankan Airlines Business Class activeSriwijaya Air Business Class activeSwiss International Air Lines SWISS Business activeTAAG Angola Airlines Executiva Class activeTAP Portugal TAP Executive activeTAM Airlines Executive Class or Classic Class activeTAROM Business Class activeThai AirAsia X Premium Flatbed activeThai Airways Royal Silk Class activeThai Lion Air Business Class activeTianjin Airlines Business Class activeTibet Airlines Business Class activeTurkish Airlines Business Class activeTurkmenistan Airlines Business Class activeUnited Airlines United Polaris international United First domestic United Business regional activeUS Bangla Airlines Business Class activeUzbekistan Airways Business Class activeVietnam Airlines Business Class activeVirgin Atlantic Upper Class activeVirgin Australia Domestic Business and International Business activeVistara Business Class activeWestJet Business Class activeXiamenAir Business Class activeAirTran Airways Business Class defunctAlitalia Magnifica translated Wonderful Ottima short haul no longer in use defunctAmerica West Airlines America West First defunctBritish Caledonian Executiv e and Super Executive defunctCanadian Airlines Business Class defunctCathay Dragon Business Class defunctContinental Airlines BusinessFirst defunctJet Airways Premiere Class defunctKingfisher Airlines Kingfisher First defunctMalev Hungarian Airlines SkyClub Business Class defunctMexicana de Aviacion Elite Class defunctMidwest Airlines Signature Service defunctMihin Lanka Business Class defunctNorthwest Airlines World Business Class defunctPan Am Clipper Class defunctSpanair Premium Class defunctSpirit Airlines Big Front Seat formerly Spirit Plus service is no different from economy since transitioning to a no frills carrier but seats are roomier defunctTrans World Airlines Ambassador Class until the 1980s TransWorld One after 3 class service reduced to 2 in the 1990s defunctUS Airways Envoy Brazil Europe and Israel Business Class and First Class domestic defunctTrains edit nbsp Business class cabin of a China Railway CR400BF GZ electric multiple unit which features staggered seats Business class is the highest class of service in China high speed rail while first class and second class are the more affordable options Business class passengers have access to a pre departure lounge if available Train seats of business class are arranged in 1 1 or 2 1 configuration with fully enclosed seats Free meals unlimited snacks and beverages are provided for the business class passengers throughout the journey 22 Select Amtrak trains in the United States offer a Business Class service On Acela trains Business Class is the primary class of service and does not include any additional benefits on board On other routes Business Class includes a refundable fare and seating in a reserved area Depending on the specific route lounge access wider seats with legrests newspapers or complimentary non alcoholic beverages may be included Until June 2009 Via Rail in Canada premium class service was called Via 1 on short range routes oriented towards business travel The premium service on the transcontinental route The Canadian is called Silver amp Blue In June 2009 Via 1 was renamed Business Class and Silver amp Blue The Canadian and Easterly The Ocean were renamed Sleeper Touring Class and Totem The Skeena was renamed Touring Class Eurostar also offers business class accommodation on their rail services named Business Premier the seats are similar to the premium economy Standard Premier offering wider seats with more legroom and greater recline compared to economy standard class but include faster check in boarding and a full meal service among other features Chiltern Railways offers a business zone on selected services 23 Queensland Rail in Australia also offers business class on its Electric Tilt Train Austrian federal railway service OBB also offers a business class in their high speed Railjet trains See also edit nbsp Aviation portal nbsp Transport portalAircraft cabin Airline seat Economy class Hypermobility travel First class IATA class codes Premium economyReferences edit Perry Garfinkel 2008 03 10 On some airlines business class goes first The International Herald Tribune Retrieved 2015 12 15 UN TRAVEL POLICY SUMMARY Archived 2016 03 04 at the Wayback Machine United Nations Environment Programme Retrieved 20 September 2012 Understanding Airfares Retrieved 20 September 2012 Bennett Andrea Deciphering Airline Fare Codes Archived 2012 08 29 at the Wayback Machine Airfare Watchdog 21 October 2008 Retrieved 20 September 2012 a b Why airlines are wooing the business high fliers news google com Three class air service is scrubbed by TWA news google com https news google com newspapers id ZtoiAAAAIBAJ amp sjid z8wFAAAAIBAJ amp pg 1263 2C913435 dead link FULL FARE Passengers to Get Better Service on Airliners news google com Archived from the original on 2016 07 07 Retrieved 2018 11 26 Williams Winston 1977 08 18 El Al Sees Financial Drain Resulting From Fare Cuts El Al Expecting Reduced Fares To Cause Severe Financial Drain Article NYTimes com Select nytimes com Archived from the original on 2012 11 06 Retrieved 2012 03 29 Petzinger Thomas 1996 Hard Landing The Epic Contest For Power and Profits That Plunged the Airlines into Chaos Random House ISBN 978 0 307 77449 1 Pan Am Profit Hit High in 2nd Quarter Revenue Rose 16 Pqasb pqarchiver com 1978 07 27 Archived from the original on 2012 11 06 Retrieved 2012 03 29 air france 1983 1806 Flight Archive Flightglobal com 1983 10 01 Archived from the original on 2012 01 30 Retrieved 2012 03 29 Boeing Aircraft Take Qantas Further Qantas com au Archived from the original on 2012 10 05 Retrieved 2012 03 29 AskAirAsia What is a Hot Seat www airasia com Archived from the original on 2017 06 01 Retrieved 2017 05 17 Airlines mull future of first class after success of business class beds Archived from the original on 2014 12 21 Retrieved 2016 12 09 Woodyard Chris 2003 08 05 More airlines to offer seat beds Usatoday com Retrieved 2012 03 29 Tom McGhie 1999 05 26 Losing economy seats to launch club class flying bed revolution may not add up London Guardian Archived from the original on 2014 05 07 Retrieved 2012 03 29 Airlines in the hot seat over Virgin s Upper Class patents Business timesonline co uk Retrieved 2012 03 29 Peter Rusanoff US Airways Business Class Around The World waytofly com Archived from the original on 2015 04 04 Retrieved 2013 09 26 Kerry Reals Jan 3 2018 Business Class Seats A Weighty Issue On Ultra Long Range Flights Aviation Week amp Space Technology Peter Rusanoff Business Class Review waytofly com Archived from the original on 2014 06 27 Retrieved 2013 09 26 Chamberlin Chris 4 December 2019 Business class vs first class on China s high speed rail network executivetraveller What is the Business Zone Chiltern RailwaysExternal links edit nbsp Media related to Business class at Wikimedia Commons nbsp First and business class flights travel guide from Wikivoyage Qantas History including business class history https www executivetraveller com did qantas invent business class Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Business class amp oldid 1184105139, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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