Just ten years ago, Business class looked like today’s Premium Economy class on various airlines. And people were wanting it bad. Over the last decade, an extra class has been added successfully to long distance flying. In fact, some segments have only 3 classes - Eco, Premium Eco and Business and where there is a market a fourth distinctively different first class travel.
Of course, it is all about airlines and their ability to monetize things and provide optional extras. But this seems to go too far. The categorization and class systems. Recently, when I flew on British Airways they were calling for an unadvertised Zone 0 to board before others. Talk of following the money. What next? The Zone -1 class? Where is the end to segregation? Can we get a discount option to board last in Zone 99 instead?
But for now, the seats that were removed (the old Business class) and replaced with lie-flat Business class has made a full circle comeback in fresh disguise as Premium Economy. Are these innovation for us as passengers or just to take care of the airline companies?