Airlines to continue with business class, phase out first class

These days media reports are abuzz with the news of airlines discontinuing with the first class cabins. The removal of first class has in fact become a trend with most airlines for the last 20 years or so. The trend remains irreversible as ever with no signs of slowing down. This has also given rise to many questions, particularly on the future of international first class itself.

Cathay Pacific Airways has said that it won’t be installing the first class cabin on its new Airbus A350-900s and Airbus A350-1000s, which have already been ordered. Hong Kong’s flagship carrier has said that it would like its new aircrafts to be configured with business class, premium economy and economy class.

However, the officials of Cathay Pacific Airways have said that they will be offering first class only on select routes. The market for first class is fast shrinking and remains only for handful in “niche segment”. The first class will be offered only on important international business routes. Among other airlines which are also gradually remaining first class include Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines and Finnair. All the three carriers have decided not to install first class cabins on their new Airbus A350 aircrafts.

Germany’s national carrier Lufthansa had been a vociferous supporter of first class cabins on international routes operating out of its Frankfurt hub, but isn’t much enthusiastic about the presence of first class on its Munich hub. Media reports said that Lufthansa is now planning to eliminate first class cabins on its Airbus A330-300 aircrafts being flown on many intercontinental routes out of Munich. The airline has decided not to install first class cabins on its key North American routes, which includes Washington Dulles, New York JFK, Chicago, Boston, Charlotte and Montreal.

India’s flagship carrier Air India also decided to completely remove first class cabins on its three new Boeing 777-200LR aircrafts being currently used for conducting flights between New Delhi and San Francisco. The airline, which took the decision earlier this year, said that the occupancy rate for first class seats only reached about 25 percent.