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- iHaveNet.com: Travel
By Ed Perkins
Travelers can buy their way into that cabin by paying an extra $80 to $160, depending on the route, on reservations starting in May. Delta will accommodate highest-ranking frequent flyers and travelers on full-fare tickets in Economy Comfort without any extra charge, and lower-ranking elite frequent flyers will pay less. In addition to extra legroom, travelers in this cabin will enjoy early boarding and no-charge "spirits" during the flight.
Delta is not adding Economy Comfort to planes it usually uses on domestic routes. When the normally international planes fly domestic routes, Delta will reserve the Economy Comfort seats for high-ranking frequent flyers and travelers on full fare tickets. Ordinary tourists will not be able to buy into the roomier seats. Delta told me it "has no plans" to change regular economy seating. Plans, however, can change; stay tuned.
Delta says its new product is "similar to upgraded economy services currently available in Delta's joint venture partner AirFrance/KLM," but that's not quite accurate.
Although all sorts of travelers complain about ultra-tight economy seating, premium economy has been very slow to catch on with major airlines. Airlines have taken two basic approaches:
-- Delta joins United and KLM in offering what I call "semi-premium" economy. That means extra legroom but no increase in seat width. United offers its version throughout its fleet, including on regional jets; KLM limits it to intercontinental flights.
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Clearly, true premium economy is a far better product than semi-premium. Unfortunately, however, current true premium pricing represents a very poor "value proposition" for most leisure travelers. When AirFrance announced its new premium economy, it proudly trumpeted "40 percent more" room -- and charged 100 percent higher fares. Other lines' fares are similar. Currently, on
I've found one other problem with premium economy: Not all the big online agencies and aggregators provide for premium economy fare searches. As of now,
Anthropometric measures show that current regular economy seats are at least a couple of inches too narrow to accommodate American men comfortably at shoulder level. Unfortunately, however, the price of an adequately wide seat is far too high for most of you leisure travelers. Semi-premium is probably as close as you'll get to escaping the cattle car -- and it's not much of an escape.
© Ed Perkins, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
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Travel | Delta Airlines Opts for Semi-Premium Economy