Blog 61: The Birth & Development & Popularity of Business Class
Early Biman Bangladesh Airlines business class seat c. 2008-2010
Hi all, I thoroughly hope you all enjoyed my interview last week and getting a peak at my business so far! Welcome back to Brooke In The Air, today we’re discussing the birth, so to speak, and development of Business Class in commercial aviation!
In short, this is really a presentation of an aviation history lesson, of sorts.
HISTORY & INTRODUCTION
Business class started as a separation between full fare economy (FFE) and restrictive, half-price or budget economy (BE) in the late 1970s. British Airways makes the claim that they were the first to introduce what would become Business class, way back in 1978 with their “Club World” suite though Qantas disputes this. Yet a couple of years later, in 1981, Scandinavian Airways System (better known by its acronym SAS) introduced “Euroclass” essentially, a European business class with first-class amenities including groundside concierge. Simultaneously, first-class disappeared from SAS flights in Europe entirely. This was not a coincidence or accident, rather an intelligent and deliberate business decision that would shape intracontinental air travel in Europe for decades. Even now in Europe, “business class” is in actuality nothing more than economy class seats in the front of the plane with the middle seat blocked out for the illusion of “extra space.”
European business class led directly to what is known as the European model of what exists in the US where, domestically, airlines have typically 3 classes; a Domestic First Class, economy plus, and basic economy class (though United, Delta, and American will brand these differently they all equal the same basic product). Domestic First Class is usually a drastically scaled down version of Business class - no lie-flat seating, no pillow, no blanket, and very limited meal service though groundside service for eligible passengers is still impressive.
United Airlines’ comparatively new and award-winning Polaris class, a combination of First and International business class. Featured here on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. c. 2019
International Business class is the current gold standard by which all viable airlines are measured by every metric. Very few true First Class cabins exist now in 2023/24, as I explained in one of my last blogs. American Airlines is phasing out their Flagship First class by 2025, the United States only remaining true First Class cabin. The remaining North American (and most European and Asian) First Class cabins have been entirely converted into business class hybrids, which are really the wave of the future. Airlines hosting a true First Class include only Lufthansa (aboard their 747-400, 747-8i, and Airbus' A380-800 aircraft), Etihad Airways, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and Japan Airlines - JAL.
INTENT OF THE CLASS
As stated earlier here, business class was originally created with the intent to serve as an intermediate level of air travel service between economy class and first class, but many airlines now offer business class as the highest level of service, having entirely eliminated first-class seating. Full service business class is usually denoted ‘L,’ ‘P’, 'J', or 'C' with schedule flexibility, but they can be many other travel class letters depending on different variables including, but not limited to, the airline traveled upon. These letters are currently indicated on your boarding pass and your online ticket reservation.
In the 1980s especially there was almost united speculation in the industry that supersonic aircraft such as the Concorde 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. This did not, obviously, happen, by any means or stretch of the imagination.
Rear-view of British Airways’ Concorde - 1976 (introduction to service) - 2003 (final flight).
Credit: 2023 Damien Burke Photography
Back in 1977, El Al, the flag carrier of Israel, announced plans to reconfigure its aircraft with a small first-class cabin and larger business-class cabin on the erroneous assumption that most transatlantic first-class passengers would shift their business to British Airways on Air France on the Concorde.
Pan Am Airways had announced that it would introduce "Clipper Class" in July 1978 - their uniquely branded first class product, and both Air France and Pan Am introduced what was then the definition of a true business class to complement their first class product. They launched their business class in November 1978, what would be akin to Domestic First Class now. Qantas Airlines of Australia claims to have launched the world's first business class way back in 1979 though this is highly disputed.
DIFFERENTIATION
Example featured here on Air China but the product is very similar to Qantas’ business class with lie-flat seats. They also use the same type of seats.
Both Qantas and Richard Branson’s 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, given the long distance on even domestic routes.
On the other hand, and interestingly enough, 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, i.e. their wide-body long-haul aircraft. Both of these aircraft types have lie-flat seats.
On short-haul flights (shorter Canadian and U.S. flights) Air Canada offers recliner seats, which are similar to what is offered on regional business class, below 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 for what they call their Signature class. On the A330 Air Canada offers it's Classic Pods, whereas on Boeing 777-300s and 787 Dreamliners, the airline offers what they call Executive Pods. 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 (a leisure carrier, and one now owned by Air Canada), business class is so-called "euro-style", essentially, an economy-class seat with a blocked middle seat for added comfort, as referenced earlier.
Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner of Air Canada. Dreamliners come in 3 varieties: -8, -9, and -10. -10 variants feature the most business class seats. -9 is the most common variant in Air Canada’s fleet.
Interior of Air Canada’s Business class (Signature class) Executive pods - showcased here on the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. These pods, both Executive (787 & 777-300ER) and Classic (Airbus A330-300) are positioned in an all-aisle-access 1-2-1 configuration.
ADVANCEMENT
With the introduction of their Boeing 787’s on select domestic and international routes, WestJet Airlines, Air Canada’s chief competitor and domestic rival, based at Calgary International Airport, offers 16 lay-flat business seats (pods) on each of their new 787-9 Dreamliners, deliberately formed and developed to compete with Air Canada.
In the United States, 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 into their new Polaris class cabin for increased privacy among many other perks. 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" or PTC, and offer a comparable experience to long haul international Business Class. However, it is uncommon for all seats to have direct aisle access or all the amenities offered for long-haul international travel. 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.
Airbus A321 in JetBlue’s newest livery at their JFK-New York hub
JetBlue, in an effort to compete with the legacy carriers and move out of the low-cost carrier market, also has a sub-fleet of narrow-body A321 jetliners featuring their new 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 PTC 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 such as the Airbus A320 family or Boeing 737 family of 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" style seat, priority check-in/security/boarding, and increased service. Only Alaska Airlines allows lounge access for customers in "First Class" without further international travel. Though Alaska’s lounges are comparatively small and thus dens d exclusivity. Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are included in Alaska’s service, and are served in glassware or ceramic mugs, depending on the beverage. 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 though usually flights need to be in excess of two hours. Regional jets do not have ovens, and all entrees are served chilled if at all. At the very least, a flight attendant will typically pass around a basket containing premium snacks.
In Europe, various 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 (France) and Lufthansa (Germany) 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 entirely from some short and medium haul routes, to be replaced with full fare economy and discount economy (KLM and SAS), the way everything first started. We come full circle. 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 and offer only one class of service. British Airways used to offer "Business UK" on their domestic system throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland, offering the same service as economy class, simply with the addition of expedited check-in, baggage reclaim, lounge access and priority boarding but this service is discontinued as of November of 2023. In flight, until January the 11th, 2017, various drink, tea or coffee and a snack were served to all customers, with a hot breakfast on flights prior to a 9:30 AM departure time.
LOW-COST DIFFERENCES
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 in Ireland, and Air New Zealand in New Zealand, on their domestic and regional networks do not offer any premium classes of service. Southwest and Spirit Airlines in the US offer a larger seat option for a price, but this does not have any bearing on the class of service received.
LONG HAUL INTERNATIONAL
This is where business class truly shines. 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 tends to offer few relative advantages over typical 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 or rather, suites, 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 upscale suites to stay upmarket over contemporary business class.
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.
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 commonly 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.
Fully flat seats recline into a flat sleeping surface which is parallel to the floor i.e. an actual bed. Many airlines offer such seats in international first class but retain inferior seating in business class to differentiate the two products and fares though this is changing. 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. These come in a small variety of choices for airlines but generally British Airways introduced the Herringbone seat which allowed direct aisle access. Reverse Herringbone and Super Diamond seats tend to round out the seating selection.
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 before their merger in 2009-2911 by American Airlines.
FOOD MENU SELECTIONS
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 entrée. 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, entrée (typically up to 3 choices on the menu), 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.
A SHORT NOTE ON PRODUCT BRANDING
Many airlines brand business class differently such as Air Canada's Signature class and United Airlines’ Polaris class.
LASTLY…
La Compagnie Boeing 757-300
There are, of course, business class-only or Boutique airlines. Boutique airlines, like boutique hotels, are small-capacity airlines that provide more personalized service than typical airlines. They typically are considered more "trendy" and "intimate".
La Compagnie is a French boutique airline founded by a French billionaire, and based at Orly Airport in Paris, with headquarters in Le Bourget in the Paris metropolitan area. It offers all-business class flights between Europe and Newark Liberty International Airport.
Airbus A321neo of La Compagnie approaching EWR - Newark Liberty International Airport, USA.
