10. Social seating: Have you read about the Malaysian Airline initiative that led the airline to create a much talked about Facebook booking engine that allowed people to sit with their friends on the airline’s flights?

9. Airports in social media: In the ninth place we have a Top 10 case-pack, an initiative helmed by our Senior Innovation Officer Shubhodeep Pal, on how airports have driven engagement trough social media.

8. Blockbuster social initiative: Next, in 8^th place we find one, if not the, most successful social media campaigns of 2011, the AA Advantage “mystery miles” campaign that hit the headlines in February by achieving an 84 fold growth of its Facebook fans in 54 hours.

7. Airline Twitter initiatives: In the seventh place we find another Top 10, this time focusing on the use airlines made of Twitter, one of the fastest growing social networks of the year.

6. Social media ROI: The second half of our roundup us opened by keynote presentation made by our CEO Shashank Nigam at the Social Media Travel Summit earlier this year. The keynote focuses on a much talked about and little understood topic, the ROI of social media.

5. In fifth place is one of our most popular infographics, focusing on the resources that airlines dedicate to social media.

4. Airline Facebook initiatives: Our Top 10 case-packs have been one of the most viewed resources on our website and in the fourth place of this roundup we find another one illustrating the best examples of Facebook contests run by airlines.

3. 6X Model of Airline Branding: In third place we present a long standing favorite of our readers, the Airline Branding Whitepaper. This much praised paper was written by our CEO Shashank Nigam back in 2008. Yes, light years away in social media time, and was also selected and re-published by Brandchannel.com in the summer of the same year. Three years later it is still extremely relevant and, as this roundup shows, one of the most visited pages of our website.

2. Future of loyalty programs is social: In the second place comes one of our best infographic to date, highlighting the social future of loyalty programs and the new tendencies of the connected frequent flyers.

1. A380s and sales problems: In the first position, we have an article that was the most read in 2011, even though it was actually written in August 2009. We are talking, of course, of our famous piece on the Singapore Airlines’ A380 Suites and the sales problems that followed their introduction.

That said, if you have read this far you clearly have an interest in us. Similarly, we too are interested in our readers. We’d love you to use the comment box below to tell us what you would like to see (or not see) on SimpliFlying in 2012.

Thanks for reading SimpliFlying! Have a great New Year and here’s wishing you a fantastic 2012!

• A revamped SimpliFlying Heroes initiative – Vote for the Jan 2012 Hero now!
• [Infographic] How travel marketers calculate ROI on social media and why the future is mobile
• Vote for the SimpliFlying Hero of February 2011 – Finnair vs Delta Air Lines vs Malaysia Airlines
• Best Airports in Social Media: Top 5 Airports nominated for the SimpliFlying Awards for Social Media Excellence 2011
• A Brand New SimpliFlying – from airline branding pioneers to leading customer engagement at airports and airlines

On Tuesday, Shashank called me and asked “What are you doing this weekend?” Knowing him, I knew that was probably trouble =p Apparently Lufthansa was going to be flying the Airbus A380 from Frankfurt to JFK for the first time on Monday, SimpliFlying was invited, and the press group was leaving on Saturday. While I love to travel, this was very last minute, but given the opportunity, I said yes, of course.

I didn’t realize, just how incredible this opportunity would be. From flying business class, to a tour of the maintenance hangar, a tour of every inch of the plane, to interviews of the pilots, head of maintenance, a visit to the cockpit dinner overlooking the runway, this was certainly the experience of a lifetime.

The A380 is not new to Lufthansa, nor is it new to Airbus, but Lufthansa is set to be the largest A380 operator in Europe. Airbus currently has 244 orders from airlines, Lufthansa being #3 with 15 planes, after Emirates and Singapore Airlines. Each A380 customer has the ability to customize the plane to their liking.

Welcome to the A380!

The Airbus A380 is a double decker plane with the 2^nd floor spanning the entire length of the plane. The two passenger decks have a total area the same as three tennis courts! Economy class is on the bottom floor and Business/First Class is on the 2^nd floor. It seats 526 passengers (420 in economy), which is 40% more than a Boeing 747. Overall, here are a few of the features of the plane that make it the incredible plane that it is:

• Reduced noise foot print
• Lowest fuel burn per seat (20% less than Boeing 747-400)
• Overall improved comfort level
• 3 in-flight cameras, including a front facing view from the top of the plane, a rear view, and a view looking straight down. (This greatly enhanced my experience during takeoff and landing, particularly because I was in the middle section so wasn’t able to see out the windows.)

Here’s a look at each seating class

Economy Class

The one feature that stands out in Economy is “living space”, which includes not only the seat pitch, but the overall room and legroom the passenger feels. The seats were very comfortable, and reclined significantly more than other Economy seats I’ve felt, which is important on a long flight. Each seat also has an individual TV with movies, games and TV shows. The Economy Class level is designed with multiple partitions, giving the feeling of a smaller plane, although it seats 420 passengers.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Business Class

Not only did I receive a tour of the Business Class section while the plane was in the hangar, but I was lucky enough to be seated in this section for the flight from Frankfurt to JFK. What stood out to me in this class, was the superior service and attention I received from the flight attendants. In addition, the seats reclined fully into flat beds (although with an 8% pitch, which I found slightly uncomfortable), and included a massager, which I loved.

The menu, prepared by chef David Burke, was definitely not your typical “airline food”. Appetizers included fresh shrimp or a caesar salad, and entrees included chicken or a red snapper. For dessert, I had “cheesecake lollipops”. Yum! The only negative thing I noticed which was not even to do with the plane, was the lack of water bottles, which is important on a long flight to prevent dehydration.

Each seat had access to a private TV, power outlet and a USB port, although wireless internet is not yet available.

Click here to view the embedded video.

First Class

The First Class cabin seats just 8 passengers. Overall, it seems their goal is to make the passenger feel like they’re not on a plane. The walls are light brown suede and the seats are real leather. There are no overhead bins, instead, the passengers stow their belongings in personal closets. The floors are specially insulated for noise control. One of the features that differs from the Emirates A380 is how Lufthansa handles privacy. On the Emirates A380, seats are enclosed in private rooms, whereas, Lufthansa felt it was important for passengers to be able to choose the level of privacy they prefer throughout the flight. While working on your computer, your screen can be down. When you’re sleeping, a screen ascends between the two seats and partially around your seat.

The First Class cabin also has noise control built in. From the extra insulated floor, to the sound insulation curtain separating it from Business Class, and sound insulation in the fuselage. The other unique feature is the humidity level control – first of its kind in an aircraft– has a significant impact on how tired you feel after a flight. Normally humidity levels in First Class are 5-8%, but on this flight, it’s increased to 22-25%.

The washrooms are more “room” than “wash” to me. Not only was the design beautiful, but a changing room was built-in, giving lots of space to change. There are also urinals, which apparently is a nice feature – and also a first on commercial aircraft!

With a First Class ticket, you are entitled to use the First Class Terminal at the Frankfurt airport. Lufthansa is the only airline with this service, which offers service from security check-in to boarding, including private bedrooms, offices, showers, spa services, a dining room and a cigar lounge.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Takeoff and Landing

Landing was not as smooth as I had heard it would be, but I suspect that was due to the weather when we were arriving. Takeoff felt very smooth, especially given the size of the plane.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Here are my photos from the trip:

Photos from Day 1 (hangar tour, dinner, first class terminal)

Photos from Day 2 (the flight and ceremony at JFK)

Overall, this is an incredible plane – I recommend flying on it if you have the opportunity to! I’ve lost my A380 virginity. Have you?

• Is Premium Economy here to stay? A brand review of All Nippon Airlines
• What makes the Boeing 787 Dreamliner a brand differentiator? Video tour
• [Video Tour] Bombardier CSeries cabin and cockpit setting new standards at Dubai Air Show #avgeek #dxb11
• Exclusive Video: Bombardier CSeries cabin tour – a glimpse into the future of flying
• Five airlines (and an airport) that surprised passengers this Christmas with Wow campaigns

Once again, we’ve been fortunate enough to be on the inaugural flight of an A380 to New York. Almost two and a half years ago, we brought to you the first Emirates A380 flight Live, and over the next couple of days, we will share the experience aboard the Business Class on Lufthansa’s first A380 flight to the US.

On Monday, February 28th Lufthansa’s A380 will make its inaugural flight from Frankfurt to JFK, landing around 2pm EST. Rachel Levy (@bostonmarketer), who’s been an integral part of the SimpliFlying team over the last year, will be sharing her experiences on Twitter and here. We have also created a Twitter list of all those on the inaugural flight, and you can follow them here.

Photos being uploaded from Lufthansa A380 inaugural flight proceedings by SimpliFlying Associate, Rachel Levy

Photos being uploaded from Lufthansa A380 inaugural flight proceedings by SimpliFlying Associate, Steven Frischling

If you’re not already doing so, do follow us on Twitter (@simpliflying) for the latest updates, photos and videos from the inaugural flight. You can also follow the #LHA380 Twitter hashtag.

Very exciting times!

• Lufthansa Airbus A380 from Frankfurt to JFK inaugural flight: The Best aircraft, Best Airline, to the Best City?
• Ambush marketing comes to airlines: Germanwings takes over ITB Berlin using Facebook Places
• Emirates A380 inaugural flight to JFK. Live coverage on August 1, 2008.
• What makes Lufthansa a successful airline brand in India?
• Lufthansa shares love with their 100,000 Facebook fans by giving miles

I was intrigued in particular by Malaysia Airlines’ “Malaysian Hospitality” campaign – which is a play on the MH code of the airline. Soon enough, I got to experience the “world’s best in-flight service” myself, on Business Class from Kuala Lumpur to Los Angeles (see photos at the bottom of this article). And here’s what I feel is the essence of Malaysian Hospitality – it’s the “human-ness” of flying. Let me explain what I mean.

Malaysian Hospitality – a story of genuine care

It may sound strange, but a lot of airlines that have good service often lack “humanity” in their service. Sometimes, it even becomes robotic – I’m sure you’ve seen robotic smiles plastered on flight attendants. Malaysia Airlines’ service, in contrast, was genuine and very human – one that makes you feel good as a person. Let me share a story.

I opted to have my meal soon after take-off, while the gentleman next to me chose to have it later. I first received some traditional satay (a Malaysian specialty), and then more aromatic dishes. This obviously tempted the person seated next to me and he kept stealing glances at my food. Without him asking for anything, the leading stewardess asked him if he’d like some starters or dessert – he opted for the latter and happily munched on the tiramisu.

Not only was the service genuine, it was pro-active. I’m not saying no other airlines provide such service, just that it’s a rare feat. Moreover, we were all greeted by names, and complete eye-contact was made before we were spoken to – all the basics of providing a personal service.

The omnipresent Malaysian essence – on-board, and in the lounge

Not only was the food very Malaysian – like the satay and the teh tarik (pulled-tea), the products and service were too. The crew pointed not with their fingers, but with their thumb above their fist- a very Malaysian gesture. In the Business Class lounge, there were a variety of local foods available, and local massages too. So even if you’re in-transit, and not getting out of the airport, you can experience glimpses of Malaysian life.

Moreover, I was impressed with the lounge because not only did it have a dedicated Business Center and phone booths for private calls, but also a golf putting area and a children’s playground. I’m not sure how many children frequent the playground, but the other services were certainly desirable.

Room for improvement?

For one, the Boeing 777-200ER aircraft that Malaysia Airlines uses for this flight isn’t the newest. In fact, Singapore Airlines has retired all but two of this type from their fleet. Not only is this a competitive disadvantage, the wear and tear and the older business class product shows. In fact, the new flat-bed by AirAsia X may even prove to be a challenger, given the airline’s competitive fares.

I guess things will improve once the airline gets the new A380s over the next few years. The CEO recently mentioned that it will have a refurbished product, including a Premium Economy class.

Having said that, I think the excellent service and the genuine show of care more than makes up for the not-so-latest product. Overall, it was a pleasure experiencing Malaysian Hospitality, and I’d encourage you to give it a try.

• Is Premium Economy here to stay? A brand review of All Nippon Airlines
• I’d happily pay extra to an airline to treat me like a VIP. Would you?
• [Interview] Singapore Airlines brand strategy goes back to the basics: Singapore Girl in focus
• Is Qatar Airways really the five star experience in the sky? A brand analysis
• Malaysia Airlines’ blog may do wonders for the brand

In this 3 min video trip report, I share my experience on-board one of Etihad Airways‘ brand new Airbus A320 planes. This was a flight from Athens, Greece to New Delhi, India, via Abu Dhabi. Three things stood out about Etihad:

1) They greet you by name and talk to you personally
2) The planes smell of the desert!
3) Their transit lounge for Business Class in Abu Dhabi offers free spa treatments!

My rating for the flight is 4.5 out of 5. njoy the 3 min video trip report (Click here if you can’t watch the video)

If you haven’t flown Etihad Airways before, I’d encourage you to give it a shot – they’re one of the finest. If you’ve flown them before, then I’d love to hear how your experience was, in the comments or on Twitter (@simpliflying). Oh, and pls share how I can improve these reports further and what you’d like to see.

Special thanks to Michael Tan from Etihad Airways Singapore office and the Athens ground staff who made my trip such a memorable one.

• Will the Dubai crises lead to a mega Emirates + Etihad airline brand?
• The essence of SimpliFlying: aviation, branding, travel, airlines and social media (Plus: What’s new in 2010)
• The future of Middle East Super-Airlines: Emirates and Etihad to merge, and Qatar to join an alliance
• Etihad Airways charging a second bag fee? Bad idea for a brand trying to establish itself
• How airlines in the Middle East are enhancing brand value through their frequent flyer programs

What’s more impressive is how American Airlines has created a highly personalized email brand campaign to get people to this website. Basically, anyone can increase their chances of winning the lucky draw by recommending the website to four friends. You may think that’s like spamming, but the thinking ends there.

What comes to the inbox is a beautifully crafted email that is highly personalized for the recipient. You’d almost want to jump ahead and click the link. The email is concise, humorous and actionable. Of the three key points they mention, only one is a “sell”, and the others are bound to make you laugh, like “You wish you’d rather win that amazing prize instead of Thomas”.

I’ve taken a screenshot of the email here and distilled the key lessons anyone can learn about email marketing. And with all the spam that we get in our inbox these days, such an email is a breath of fresh air. Well done, AA.

• JetBlue says “sorry”. And we love them even more, for being a human brand
• Engaging the customer in the A380 experience: before, during and after
• Three economics tips for airlines, and why a baggage charge does not make sense
• Tearing apart airline lingo, great laughs ahead
• Why do I regret having never flown Southwest? It’s the humor!

Sleeping for 12 hours straight is uncommon in today’s busy world. Doing that while blasting through the skies in a pressurized metal tube over Greenland is even more rare. But that was that was the best part of my flight from New York’s Kennedy airport to Hong Kong, aboard Cathay Pacific’s new business class last weekend.

It’s the first time that I’ve recovered from my jet lag in just a day. And that’s enough to convince me that this is probably the best way to travel from New York to Hong Kong. Let me share my personal experience, and you be the judge.

Keeping the promise

Before I boarded the flight from Kennedy airport, while browsing through the Financial Times, I saw a Cathay Pacific advertisement (see picture) for their new business class, which highlighted their cozy beds, as well as the new StudioCX entertainment systems.

True enough, those were two of the key highlights of my flight – I enjoyed uninterrupted sleep and watched a good selection of movies on the 15-inch widescreen when awake. The noise-canceling headphones that were included enhanced the whole experience. Moreover, the seats were almost exactly the same as the virtual demo on Cathay Pacific’s website. Though, I had checked the movies listing on Cathay Pacific’s website before the flight, they turned out to be different on board. In reality, the selection was better (with 100 movies!), so I didn’t really mind that.

Top quality in-flight products

There are a few key items on every business traveler’s mind when traveling long haul – privacy, comfort, space, and to a certain extent, exclusivity. Cathay Pacific’s new Business Class comes up tops in privacy and comfort. The seat converts to a fully-flat bad in just the press of a button. And the bed is very comfortable indeed. The plush pillow and blanket ensure you’re put to instant sleep.

The herring-bone seat configuration ensures complete privacy, as each seat is surrounded by a shell – perfect for the overworked among us who can’t beat the urge to open up that sensitive document. There is an international power adapter and a USB port in the seat too. There is a sense of exclusivity as well, since the Business Class passengers alighted from the plane before everyone else, had bigger television screens, tables had table covers. The AgnusB amenity kit also contained a number of cosmetics, socks and eye shades. But I have to admit that the seat wasn’t as wide as I’ve seen on Singapore Airlines’ new Business Class. Nevertheless, it wasn’t something I’d get too concerned about.

Professionalism is the key word in service

Cathay Pacific is among the famed Asian carriers like Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways that are renowned for their in-flight service. And indeed, the service was very professional on board this 16 hour flight too. It’s always nice to be greeted by your name as you enter the aircraft or just as you’re being served dinner. In my case, I had cut my thumb just before boarding and asked for a band-aid as I got seated. Though I had to wait a while (since the stewardesses were busy preparing the aircraft for departure), not only was I given three strips, but a couple of stewardess stopped by to ask me how I cut myself and if I needed anything else. That was sweet.

The rest of the service was pretty impeccable as well – champagne was served as we got seated, a hot four-course dinner was served when I woke up, not just when there was regular service, and there were smiles all around generally, even though it was a packed Business Class. For my specially requested Hindu-meal, I was served some delicious chicken tikka, chole (chick peas), daal (lentils), naan and basmati rice. That was indeed heavenly, at 38,000 feet (pun intended!).

Room for improvement?

Though this was one of my best flying experiences, there are a couple of things that can be improved. For example, the check-in counter had a huge British Airways logo on the wall, and one had to carefully scan the LCD screens to determine the Cathay Pacific counter (see picture). Also, downside of too much privacy (and a herring-bone configuration) is that you will be sitting alone even if you’re travelling with someone you know. For this reason, some business travelers might prefer an Emirates-like seating arrangement where a divider can be pulled down if you’re traveling with a companion.

Cathay Pacific brand analysis

let’s do a quick brand evaluation on Cathay Pacific, based my flight experience, using relevant levers from the 6X airline branding model.

Brand eXpectation: The advertisement in FT sought to differentiate Cathay Pacific’s Business Class product by emphasizing comfortable beds (that put you to sleep) and superior entertainment on their StudioCX system. This is distinct as compared to run-of-the-mill efforts by American carriers which claim they “know why you fly”.  Score: 9/10

Brand eXperience: The in-flight experience was true to what was promised, which is often a rarity these days. Product quality was far better than most out there and service was professional and courteous. And the food tasted much better than the average airline fare. Score: 9/10

Brand eXpression: This relates to how well the company interacts with the customers pre and post-flight. I’ve had limited interactions with the Corp. Comms and Marketing folks at Cathay Pacific and they’ve not disappointed till date. I’m assuming they carry forth their open communication with other passengers on all issues as well. Score: 8/10

Brand X-Factor: This is something that puts an airline in a class of its own – something difficult to duplicate for competition. The band-aid incident resonated with me, and the extra attention I was given sets Cathay Pacific apart. Score: 9/10

A total score of 35/40 is very respectable, especially since we haven’t taken into account Brand eXecution and Brand eXternalities – both of which Cathay Pacific is likely to ace. Hence, in my opinion, Cathay Pacific is indeed the best way to get from New York to Hong Kong, and beyond in the Far East.

I’ve given my verdict. What do you think? Have you had a different experience on Cathay Pacific? Where is the room for improvement? What can others learn from the airline? Let’s discuss…

P.S: Special thanks to Nancy Tao from Cathay Pacific’s San Francisco office, and Judy Kwan from Hong Kong office for assistance in this trip.

Related articles

• Why It’s a Good Time to Fly to Asia
• Airlines Add Service and Amenities to Asian Routes

• Cathay Pacific wants you to create a dessert on Facebook, and serve it in-flight to you!
• Experience Cathay Pacific without stepping on the plane
• Cathay Pacific unveils new Business Class seats and staff uniforms!
• Which airline has the best First Class product?
• SPECIAL FEATURE: An exclusive look at Cathay Pacific’s new Business Class seats

Big bird BA picks up the last fish in the river (Image Credit: Esox Lucius)

How does this impact the British Airways and OpenSkies brands?

The effect of this acquisition on the parent airline’s brand should be generally positive, due to two key factors. Firstly, the lack of competition would surely help the OpenSkies brand since there is no direct comparison for their services. Moreover, lack of competition results in lower price pressure – which means that OpenSkies can charge realistic higher fares and be profitable sooner than later. Secondly, the acquisition is of an all-business class airline, which adds greater value to BA/OpenSkies, since L’Avion had planes that offered more luxury to the customer. So instead of sprucing them up, BA just needs to remove some seats to include Economy class, if they choose to do so.

In the end, this means the end of cross-Atlantic all-business airlines, and bodes well for British Airways as well. A win-win situation for both the airlines. A questionable one from the customers’ perspective though.

What do you think? Will this help the customer? Please feel free to leave your comments below.

• British Airways’ all-business class from London to New York – is the OpenSkies brand dying?
• Latest Shock: SilverJet stops flying
• Is business-class travel going extinct? Part 2 of 2
• Is business-class travel going extinct? Part 1 of 2
• Is Premium Economy here to stay? A brand review of All Nippon Airlines

Full Service airlines with specific all-business routes: Verdict – Here for now

Legacy airlines are becoming more enamored with all-business-class service. Four European airlines — Lufthansa, Swiss, KLM and Air France— are offering some all-business-class flights to the USA. The flights are operated by PrivatAir, based in Geneva. Lufthansa runs an all-business flight to Pune, India and Dubai, UAE as well. ANA runs one between Tokyo and Mumbai, India. Singapore Airlines began it’s much awaited Newark-Singapore all-business service last month. Lastly, British Airways subsidiary OpenSkies plans to start New York-Paris flights with a Boeing 757 jet configured with more than 60% of the seats for business-class fliers, on June 19.

Why the big rush? As we all know, airlines make a bulk of their profits from the business class passengers – they pay for those at the back of the plane too. Some of these routes have been carefully studied and started only because there is ample business-class demand to fill a whole wide-body. For example, Singapore Airlines’ previous flights on the same route, with a two-class configuration, were almost always over-booked up-front, but there was generally room in the economy section. Hence, the decision to do away with economy class completely. It is a similar case with ANA’s and Lufthansa’s all-business flights to India – the demand resulted in the product.

But not all routes are conceived the same way. A number of cross-Atlantic routes were started in response to competition from all-business airlines, or other airlines. It is these routes that may have a problem surviving in the long term, because the competition is no longer there, as a result of lower demand.

In the air, and beyond

The economically viable solution may be to offer services inside the airport to minimize inconvenience to the delayed business traveler. That means better lounges, with wireless internet and plenty of desks, restaurants suitable for meetings, gym facilities, and showers and so on.

Business travelers can then feel confident that delays won’t waste their time. This should be relatively easy for airlines to deliver, especially as they could probably charge a lot for them: market segmentation and price differentiation are easier to do on the ground than in the air.

Hence, to survive in the long run, not only should all-business flights by full- service carriers be based on demand, but they should offer complementary on-the-ground services catering to the business traveler. In the end, it is customer need, and the resulting customer satisfaction which will drive this industry segment.

Ponder that!

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Links

1. Lufthansa launches all-business flights to India
2. Costs of flying – how airlines make money
3. ANA’s all-business flight to Mumbai

• The business of business class
• Is business-class travel going extinct? Part 1 of 2
• Is Premium Economy here to stay? A brand review of All Nippon Airlines
• British Airways’ all-business class from London to New York – is the OpenSkies brand dying?
• Latest Shock: SilverJet stops flying

All-business class airlines: Verdict – Going Extinct

The all-business model was always considered an experiment and at record high oil prices any new model struggles. Aviation analysts point to the premium-class graveyard where the tombstones are reminders of such short-lived U.S. airlines as Air One, Air Atlanta, McClain, Regent, MGM Grand and Legend. Most of these offered domestic US routes only, which re-affirms the point that there is little domestic market for all-business carriers.

Guerrilla warfare
MaxJet, Eos and Silverjet all operated trans-Atlantic routes as well as some between London and Dubai. Not only is this one of the most traveled business segment, it is one where customers have an over-abundance of choice. A business traveler can choose to travel by Business or First class on a plethora of full-service airlines. And this is the threat that premium carriers knew all too well, and often suffered from it. Most recently, American Airlines retaliated last year by launching a service to Stansted from New York JFK, putting it in more direct competition with Eos and Maxjet, both of which linked Stansted with JFK.

Another crucial factor is that with deep pockets, full-service carriers are able to sustain a loss-making route much longer than premium carriers can, since the latter can’t dig into other sources of revenue. In fact, both Eos and SilverJet folded when a prospective investor pulled back.

Loyalty Matters
Yet another reason premium airlines have trouble competing with big airlines’ business- and first-class products is because the big airlines offer more frequent flights to more cities and have the high-end customer addicted to their frequent-flier programs. Hence, switching to a premium carrier incurs an opportunity cost for the traveler in terms of lost “miles” and status. Premium airlines should tie up with full-service airlines such that frequent fliers can choose between the two services and still earn miles. La’Avion, which flies all-business between Paris and New York, has tied up with British Airways’ Open Skies to do just the same. Smart thinking.

Hence, unless premium airlines are willing to think innovatively on ways to increase passenger numbers, the future looks bleak for them.

———–

The next article in this series will evaluate whether business-class travel in general will survive or go extinct.

If you enjoyed this article, click here to get free updates by email or RSS.

• The business of business class
• Latest Shock: SilverJet stops flying
• Is business-class travel going extinct? Part 2 of 2
• British Airways buys L’Avion, dissolving the all-business class airlines industry
• Is Southwest Airlines model the future for full-service airlines?