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Business class seating on a discount airline"DISCOUNT AIRLINE" Can't find what you need? Try a Google Web Search in the box below!
"Feb. 10--Discount airline ATA plans a departure from its leisure passenger roots by offering business-class seats, starting in August." The nation's 10th-largest carrier today will announce plans to price the 12 business seats on each aircraft at no more than $399 one-way, which is $100 more than its most expensive coach fare for domestic travel. Customers who opt for business class will get fewer people squeezed into one aisle, a foot-rest on their seats, free in-flight movies and free meals when meals are offered. "You're looking at well over $1,000 for a walk-up (business-class) fare on major carriers," said John B. Happ, senior vice president of marketing and sales at Indianapolis-based ATA. "The price-to-value ratio is going to be exceptional on this." Customers have said they want, "time and time again -- not that they call it business class -- a premium seat, but not at rip-off prices." The 4-inch-wider seats, which are spaced farther apart than coach seats on the discount airline, also will be available as upgrades on coach. ATA estimates an upgrade may cost as little as about $40 and may be had on the day of departure. Can't find what you need? Try a Google Web Search in the box below!
"We think a lot of people will make this a spur-of-the-moment decision," Happ said. ATA hired a consulting firm to assess the economics of business class on the discount airline, which puts 12 seats in place of 18 coach seats. Discount airlines have attracted more business passengers in recent years as struggling employers slashed travel expenses. ATA becomes the third low-fare discount airline carrier to add business class, following Air Tran and Spirit Airlines, said Michael Miller of the Virginia-based airline consulting firm The Velocity Group. ATA said business seating will differentiate it from discount airline competitor Southwest and even some large traditional carriers. "It's an interesting move considering that the legacy carriers are all moving to remove their business class. ATA, I think, is making a smart move. There's very little downside for them," Miller said. An upgraded seating option on the discount airline had been suggested by passengers for several years and long contemplated by ATA Chairman George Mikelsons. But the expansion of ATA's route system in recent years made it worthy of serious consideration. Just under 50 percent of ATA's capacity is now devoted to business markets, such as Boston, Dallas and Philadelphia. ATA's hub, Chicago Midway Airport, feeds the carrier with business passengers, as well. While major carriers are moving toward a low-fare model to regain profits, ATA can afford to add business class because its costs are inherently lower than the majors, Happ said. He declined to say how much in additional revenue business class is expected to generate annually. "We think that when fully done, that we will improve revenues by several millions of dollars." To succeed, ATA will have to keep airfares relatively low in business class, Miller said, because "$800 fares are exactly what passengers are trying to avoid." Can't find what you need? Try a Google Web Search in the box below!
ATA also will have to offer quality service to go with the higher airfares, he added. In business class, meals will be offered at no cost on flights on which ATA offers meals for sale. ATA first will offer business class in August on its Boeing 737-800 aircraft, which fly to the West Coast and Florida. It expects to have its entire fleet, which also include Boeing 757s, reconfigured by mid-November. The discount airline will not disclose how much it is spending to add business class..... Compare discount airline tickets here /cheap airfares home |