ATLANTA- Delta Air Lines (DL) might offer cheaper business class tickets soon. During a July 2023 earnings call, company president Glen Hauenstein hinted at this new option. It would be like basic economy but for premium seats.
The new fare could cost less than full business class tickets. However, it might not include all the usual perks. These perks typically include free checked bags, easy changes, lounge access, and onboard meals.
Delta Business Class Unbundling
This cheaper option could appeal to travelers who don’t need all these extras. It comes as Delta just opened its top-tier Delta One lounge at New York-JFK airport. This exclusive lounge is only for international business and first-class passengers. The new fare might not allow access to this special lounge.
Other airlines already offer similar budget business class options. Qatar Airways, for example, has saver business class fares with fewer perks.
Delta has added new fare classes before. They introduced Premium Select seats on long flights across the country. The airline is also adding more Delta One suites to its Airbus A350-900 planes.
The exact details and launch date of this new fare class are still unknown. Delta plans to share more information at a future Investor Day event.
Which Other Airlines Implement it?
Delta isn’t the first major airline to consider a “business lite” or “basic business” product. Since 2018, airlines like Emirates (EK), Qatar Airways (QR), Finnair (AY), Air France (AF), and KLM (KL) have introduced similar offerings, TPG reported.
These cheaper business fares often remove some perks that make up the business-class experience. British Airways (BA) has charged for seat selection in its lie-flat international business-class cabin for years, except for high-level Oneworld Alliance elites.
Delta hasn’t revealed what restrictions they might impose if they pursue premium unbundling. Currently, Delta’s basic economy tickets limit seat selection, itinerary changes, boarding priority, and SkyMiles earnings. They also block SkyClub access, even for Delta American Express credit cardholders.
Delta will likely approach changes to its premium cabin carefully. Company leaders often highlight this as a key part of their business model. It has helped Delta maintain an advantage over most U.S. competitors in recent years, despite disappointing Wall Street analysts with lower-than-expected profitability in the second quarter of 2023.
Join our Telegram Group for the Latest Aviation Updates. Subsequently, follow us on Google News.
Delta Air Lines to Add More Flights on Transatlantic Routes for Summer 2025
The post Delta Air Lines Considering Unbundle Business Class, What It Means? appeared first on Aviation A2Z.