BA Revolutionises Economy Class

What this could mean to the future economy class passenger flying to and from Australia could be profound as airlines vie for the travelling dollar with vastly improved levels of economy service. In fact, as a first step to introducing the new order BA has dropped the title ‘economy class’ and will now refer to these services as the ‘main’ cabin.

Other improvements will include more comfortable seats, an entirely new menu featuring more innovative, higher quality, lighter dishes more normally the province of business class. A wider range of inflight entertainment will also be provided featuring improved headsets, controls and programming in addition to a complimentary toiletries kit. Flight attendants will even be supplied with a Polaroid camera to record first hand special events such as anniversaries, birthdays etc as part of an overall program to provide more attention to the main deck traveller.

BA has researched the changing mood of economy class travel over a three year period on the basis that there was room for growth in this the largest single air transport market world-wide. Economy class traditionally provides BA with around three quarters of its passengers and just over half of its total revenue. As the world economy slows BA also forsees a possible soften- ing of demand for its premium classes with some passengers downgrading from first to business and from business to economy. A better economy class is thus considered a strategic asset in claiming a fair percentage of the potential market from people who are also beginning to economise on business travel. As an example of the success of BAs past efforts in upgrading its various classes, Club World saw an improvement of 120% in revenue over a two year period following its launch in 1986, whilst the more recent upgrading of first class has seen revenue increase by just over 20%. With around 13m of BA’s 18m total 1989/90 pax uplift flying economy then an upwards movement of say, 20%, over a two year period would have a substantial net effect on the airline’s fiscal standing.

BA’s investment in both World and Euro Traveller will total $170m spread over a three year period with $38m being spent in the first year alone. The logistics of all this are formidable to say the least. Some 130m catering items have been ordered to cover the first year alone. Included are 36m meal tray covers, 50m plastic glasses, 12m meal tray mats, 8m menus, 8m liqueur glasses, 8m amenity packs, 5m chocolates and mints and hundreds of thousands of assorted bowls, dishes and cups.

BA’s market assessment is that most economy class travellers are leisure travellers and for them the plane trip is very much a major part of the overall excitement of the holiday. Many have not flown long haul before and the flight itself can often be one of the major highlights of the holiday, if handled correctly. If it isn’t, then it is also in most cases the first thing that the aggrieved traveller mentions to friends and relatives, effectively damaging the particular airline’s overall reputation in the eyes of any number of potential customers.

To invest a little extra in improving the overall standards of what has traditionally been third class travel is a gamble that BA look set to win and at the same time perhaps force competing carriers to usher in a rash of upgrades that will ultimately leave the travelling public as the big winner.