British Airways announced what it said will be the world’s biggest business class section on its Airbus A380s, underscoring how airlines are racing to adapt to a growing premium sector.
Slowing corporate travel, a post-pandemic desire for more space, and younger customers splurging on experiences have shifted airline economics: A Qantas executive said last December that around 70% of business class customers on flights from London were leisure travelers.
Airlines, in response, have increased the number of premium seats, which generate around 3.4 times more per seat than economy ones, thereby boosting their bottom line at a time when higher fuel prices eat into profits. “The premium side of aviation is… going through a substantial overhaul,” Simple Flying wrote.