[odoherty]

Australian Airlines today announced it would introduce a Premium Economy cabin from mid-2006.

Australian Airlines currently offers an all-Economy cabin of 271 seats, which will be reconfigured as 28 Premium Economy seats and 238 Economy seats.

Australian Airlines Chief Executive Andrea Staines said the main features of Australian Airlines' Premium Economy product would include more spacious seating, priority boarding and priority meal service.

Ms Staines said the introduction of Premium Economy would give customers more choice.

"The introduction of Premium Economy is an extension of our full-service, international leisure product offering.

"Customers can choose the benefits of a Premium Economy product, which offers more leg room, seat width and seat recline."

Premium Economy will go on sale in early 2006 with fare levels to be announced closer to the time.

[bigjobs]

are there any other airlines that compete with them on their routes on which they will offer this class? it seems to me that would be the only reason for offering such a product ... i am assuming again though ...

[Kiwi Flyer]

Or they intend phasing out QF mainline from some routes and premium economy is sop to those who want to fly business class.

[serfty]

Originally Posted by Kiwi Flyer

Or they intend phasing out QF mainline from some routes and premium economy is sop to those who want to fly business class.

Starting with CNS<->NRT!

[Lindsay Wilson]

Now that they have finally brought this to market (about time), if only we could earn QFF points :roll:

Now I'd be too hopeful of QF ever offering it, wouldn't I :cry:

[JohnK]

Originally Posted by Lindsay Wilson

Now that they have finally brought this to market (about time), if only we could earn QFF points :roll:

Now I'd be too hopeful of QF ever offering it, wouldn't I :cry:

Some of Australian Airlines flights are not that cheap. In fact sometimes the price is almost the same as the equivalent QF flight.

You get points and SC's for red e-deal's cannot understand why you can't earn points and SC's on Australian Airlines. :?

[icarus]

It'll be a money-spinner on the CBR-SYD route, where we still mourn the passing of the shuttle. At the moment, politicians, advisers, lobbyists, assorted visiting captains of industry and senior executive public servants would all fly business class on that route, but it's only available on a few flights a day. Australian could charge a lot more for its "premium" economy seats on the Dash-8s where there is no business class, and have all those customers queueing for it.

[tanewi]

Figure out the Maths,

Australian Airlines currently offers an all-Economy cabin of 271 seats, which will be reconfigured as 28 Premium Economy seats and 238 Economy seats.

28 Premium Economy Seats = 33 Economy Seats.

These can't by definition be that spacious, I reckon

28 Business Class Seats = 66 Economy Seats.

[icarus]

The seats weren't spacious on the shuttle, either (just had longer seatbelts!) They were ordinary Dash-8 seats with sheepskin covers, and you got some lovely little prawny amuse-bouche thing to eat instead of a cardboard box with a mushy sarnie in it. Not that you need anything on a half hour flight, but that wasn't the point.

Pollies in particular will pay more just to be able to sit up the pointy end away from the plebs, and for anything that marks them out as flying a step above. Hell, you could offer them exactly the same service but seat them up the front and just call it premium, and they'd still want it.