US airliners’ economy class gets upgrade

Finally, prominent airliners like Continental Airlines, American Airlines and US Airways are improving their economy class. It’s time they should since the economy class, although cheaper than business or first class, is a major factor in the profits of the airliners due to large number of sales. If it wasn’t then why does it have more seats than business class?

Equal good service must be offered to all classes just like what they usually promote in their advertisements or company goals. Now, say goodbye to those tattered seat cushions and old entertainment systems as many passenger jets’ economy class gets leather seats, Wi-Fi access, improved entertainment systems, and spacious overhead bins.

Continental Airlines is placing power outlets in all its planes’ economy class while US Airways will offer leather seats. Delta Airlines will install personal video-on-demand screens for their international flights, and will also place blue leather seats and better lighting to the former Northwest Airlines jets it acquired. Recently, United Airlines completed placing leather seats in their A320s used to fly under its “Ted” low-fare brand and now, it began upgrading to video-on-demand and power outlets in most of its Boeing 777s’ economy class.

But the biggest changes under way is American Airlines’ Boeing 737s which will have interior remodeling such as placement of 12 more seats, and acquiring more space by pushing rows an inch close together since new thinner seats are being placed. Also, two cabinets will be removed for extra drink carts.

The airliner claims that the addition of more seats in its Boeing 737s will help generate more revenue against its competitors’ low-cost carriers.

United Airlines Boeing 777

-online.wsj.com

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