Class Dismissed
Goodbye, first class. Hello, business class.
More airlines are pulling out their huge forward cabins seats
and replacing them with smaller business class seats. The latest
carrier to zap first class is Delta Air Lines, which introduced its
BusinessElite seats earlier this year. The new sleeper seats have
more leg room than the ones in its old business class, plus
electric reclining controls, video screens and portable computer
hookups.
These days, you can practically count the number of airlines
with three-class service on one hand: American Airlines is still a
holdout as are British Airways, Lufthansa and several Asian
carriers. Most U.S. airlines, however, have gone to a two-class
configuration.
Businesspeople don't like the changes. A recent poll by the
Cleveland executive search firm Christian & Timbers concludes
that passengers are dismayed by the disappearance of first class
amenities. "True first class appointments have lost priority
in the industry," says Jeff Christian, the company's chief
executive.
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Perhaps the most disconcerting aspect of the elimination of
first class is the way the line between premium and tourist seats
is being blurred. British Airways' new economy class seats,
which offer an ergonomic design, or even Virgin Atlantic's
cheap seats, which come with a video entertainment system, nearly
match the business class offerings on other carriers. That may be
bad news when you want to travel in style, but for business owners
looking to save a few bucks, the lower cost of business seats is a
silver lining.
Christopher Elliott is a writer in Annapolis, Maryland.
Contact him at http://www.elliott.org
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