Airlines (Commonwealth Union)_Several airlines have begun to remove first class service offerings from their planes. This is why.
First class seating on planes is not something most of us really think about. After all, it’s usually exorbitantly expensive, often costing upwards of quadruple the amount of money you’d pay for an economy or even business class service. Still, it’s good to know first class is around, just in case, you know, anyone wins the lottery or anything.
But now one airline has decided to entirely scrap first class. Qatar Airways, national carrier of Qatar and frequently ranked as one of the best airlines in the world, has stated that it will remove first class options from future long-haul flights. Akbar Al Baker, Airline CEO says it is because the seats are not profitable enough, considering the amount of space they take up on planes.
Before you get worried about other airlines following suit, however (after all, what else are you going to do with those lottery winnings), it is worth mentioning that this situation is rather specific to Qatar Airways. The Qatari carrier boasts exceptionally luxurious business class options that already have many first class services on offer.
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Qatar Airways is specifically referring to its ‘Q Suite’ seats, which are business class but offer lie-flat beds on long-haul flights, as depicted in the photo.
Pretty swish, eh? In other words, it looks like Qatar Airways is pretty much getting rid of first class options in name only. Now read about other high-flying carriers with the recently-released ranking of the best airlines in the world.
In recent times, several airlines have removed their first-class cabins from flights.
The cost of offering this service and improvements in other classes have led to the demise of the ultimate luxury for several airlines.
FIRST CLASS
The First class on a passenger plane, usually refers to a limited number of seats or cabins toward the front of the aircraft, which have more space, comfort, service, and privacy.
It is the highest class offered on flights in general, although some airlines have branded their business class as the highest class.
LONG-HAUL FLIGHTS
First-class cabins may have facilities equivalent to a five-star hotel, for long-haul flights and high-yielding routes.
From large reclining seats with more legroom and width to suites with a fully reclining seat, a TV surrounded by privacy dividers and a workstation, these features often define first class.
REVAMPED BUSINESS CLASS
A trend has developed since the 1990s, in which many airlines have eliminated first-class cabins in favour of an upgraded business class.
New business classes are increasingly adding features such as convertible lie-flat seats, as were previously offered in first class.
Qatar Airways, for example, offers QSuites, a business-class product comparable to any first-class product.
HIGHER AIRFARES
The cost of air travel has risen significantly during post-Covid times.
Hence, more travellers are price-conscious and are no longer opting for ultimate luxury on flights.
If seeking some extra spoils, many would rather pay to fly in business class.
The introduction of the premium economy class also means that economy passengers who are willing to pay a little more for extra comfort are catered for.
XPENSIVE REAL ESTATE
Qatar Airways announced last year, that it would be scrapping first class from certain flights, owing to the fact that the product does not generate high revenue streams for the airline, considering the space each seat takes up.
Qatar Airways Group CEO Akbar Al Baker said at a conference in 2023, per Explore : “We don’t want to put first class in the aeroplanes because it is very expensive real estate,”.
AIRLINES REMOVE FIRST
Other airlines have followed suit, also removing a first class from their scheduled flights.
Several US carriers operating scheduled flights have also done away with this class on their flights, according to 2Oceansvibe,.
Air Canada, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines have already ceased offering first-class services on non-domestic charters.
