United Airlines, American Airlines increases business class seats

Dallas – Armed with caviar spoons and Bang & Olufsen headphones, American airlines are unleashed for international commercial class domination. There are even differences between seats in the same cabin.

Next week, American airlines plans to start piloting its improved commercial class “suites” which present a must -have of today's high -end class – a sliding door – and other features such as a “quirk tray” and a wireless load pavement.

In the cabins on his subset of Boeing Dreamliners, whom the American calls 787-9p (P represents the premium), there will be eight “favorite” suites which, according to the airline, will have 42% more “living space”. They will be the first to arrive, the first to serve without surprise, at least for the moment.

United Airlines hopes to surpass its rivals by putting doors on its Long-haul Business class seats Polars; Create a new option at the front of the cabin called “Polaris Studio”, which has an Ottoman (for a visitor); And install 27 -inch 4K screens. Studios are 25% larger than ordinary consequences, says United. He has not yet said to what extent he would charge the studios on the standard suites.

Having an even higher level of seats in high-level long-haul classes has come on.

Virgin Atlantic has the “retirement suite” at the front of the upper class on its Airbus A330 and Lufthansa offers a series of two people in its new alleris class which can be converted into a double bed. Etihad has a three -room option called “The Residence” on Airbus A380, which can cost $ 20,000 or more for a one -way ticket between New York and Abu Dhabi, although the airline varies how it uses these jets.

“The experience here is a way to give not only to our existing customers a wider range of products from which to choose,” Andrew Nocella, commercial director of United, told journalists earlier this month. “We just didn't have anything better, and now we do it.”

American and United took a page of Delta airlinesThe most profitable American carrier, which already offers suites with sliding doors in its Delta One cabin. The carrier based in Atlanta, in turn, opened a lounge last year dedicated to the highest customers, a movement that American and United had already made.

Business class tickets are expensive for many consumers. A ticket aboard the new American suite, leaving on August 8 and returns a week later, costs $ 5,747 from Philadelphia in London, against $ 867 in standard coach.

Doing more customers to pay for more expensive seats is essential for an industry with high costs and thin margins. Delta had a margin before tax of 7.6%last year, United was 7.3%, while American was 2.1%, and the widest S&P 500According to factset data.

The leaders of the airlines benches more than ever than consumers will continue to make follies on better travel experiences despite a lower than expected demand for low -cost tickets such as the domestic coach this year.

“I think it increases so much because the experience of the economy is so bad,” said Robert Mann, who worked in several airlines and is president of the aviation company RW Mann & Co.

Airlines have been updating their cabins for years and have become so drawn up that they have slowed down certain airplane deliveries due to the rumble of the supply chain and bottlenecks in the certification of regulators.

American uses new suites in a combined business class and bigger for international travel and getting rid of his first class, for the most part. By numerous measures, however, including space and equipment, the service is higher than many “first class” cabins from the past.

“Really, business [class] Starts to become so similar that it was difficult to really differentiate itself, and we want to make sure that we offer as many commercial class seats as possible, “said Heather Garboden, director of American customers.

The name counts.

“Many companies will not allow first -class purchase, but they will authorize a business class,” said Mann.

Airline leaders have been confident about their efforts to invest billions in the most luxurious cabins, destroying the signs of a possible economic slowdown.

“We are currently at a really uncertain economy period and premium demand has remained solid,” said Garboden.

The richer people “tend to do well even in a recession,” noted Mann.

The number of premium seats increases with experience.

American said that at the end of the decade, it would increase its lies and seats with a premium economy by 50%. The airline has also recently declared that it would offer free satellite Wi-Fi to members of the loyalty program, after Delta and United.

United also cultivates his cabin with his Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners equipped with eight “Polaris studios”, in a configuration 1-2-1 and 56 POLARIS BUSINESS CLASS. Currently, planes only have 48 polaris seats.

He expects to have 30 Dreamliners with the new interior by 2027, but a first flight, between San Francisco Hub of United and Singapore, was scheduled for early 2026, the airline said earlier this month.

Transporters are also trying to lift the bar on the so-called “soft product” such as plush litter and comfort like noise earphones.

American announced last month that he would not collect his bang & olufsen headphones from flagship travelers before landing so that they can continue to watch films and other entertainment longer.

“POLARIS food and drinks are improved at the same time with improved meals on all new vessels, glassware and fresh white linen,” said NoCella de United. “We even added red pepperflakes in addition to salt and pepper so that passengers can spice up their meals.”

While the high -level business class offers higher technology and higher service, carriers do not have the exaggerated equipment of international airlines.

United provides for an amuse of Ossetra caviar for Polaris. Meanwhile, in first class in Emirates, which has larger planes with the Airbus A380, travelers have access to showers on board and an unlimited caviar service.

For some, good service is simpler.

“I could be seated at the front where I can sit in the back, but if the plane is late, the plane is late,” said Mann.