Front cabin customers represent only 6% of all air passengers on the planet. And yet they are being courted more than ever. It's almost paradoxical, given that the so-called "high-contribution" market is stagnating, if not declining. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), it has lost more than four points in almost a decade, falling from 10.5% in 2006 to 6% last year. So why are airlines all over the world continuing to invest heavily in their top-of-the-range products? There is, of course, always an element of ego in not discarding what is ultimately considered to be a scheduled airline's 'calling card', its benchmark long-haul product. This is especially true of first class, which is now offered by only a dozen or so airlines worldwide, most of them in Asia and the Middle East. In Europe, only four airlines offer first class: Air France, British Airways, Lufthansa and Swiss.
Obviously, looking after the happy few at the front of the aircraft has financial aspects. IATA has noted this in its studies. While high-contribution traffic is largely a minority, its share of an airline's revenue is almost five times higher. In 2014, high-contribution traffic generated 30.5% of passenger revenue. On certain segments, such as routes crossing the North Atlantic or services between Europe and the Middle East, they approach or even exceed the 50% mark.
A providential windfall
It's a windfall that deserves a few sacrifices. That's why the cycle for renewing the look of business and first class aircraft is relatively short, averaging five to seven years, with generally a few cosmetic adjustments halfway through. The aim is not only to build customer loyalty with a cutting-edge product, but also to attract more and more customers. In a mature aviation market such as Europe or North America, the only way to develop a high-contribution clientele is often... to take it away from the competition.
Above all, the potential of the front classes is far from exhausted, with the rise of both the ultra-rich in the Première cabin and the "middle classes plus" in emerging countries in the Affaires cabin. According to an OECD study, two billion people fall into this latter category, which is expected to reach 3.2 billion in 2020 and 4.9 billion in 2030. A middle class for whom travel will be a symbol of power and influence. Especially if it takes place exclusively in first class or in a business cabin...
Finally, the emergence of Premium Economy is another factor in the revitalisation of Business and First class. This has led airlines to accentuate the differentiation of their Business and First class services, thus contributing to a general move upmarket. In addition, Premium Economy makes it possible to better segment passenger categories. In particular, it can absorb frequent flyers in economy class who need to be upgraded. At the same time, Business and First classes become truly exclusive once again. "There is a real need for exclusivity, a mark of attention that our Business and First class passengers are looking for. That's why we offer them lounges in Doha reserved exclusively for Business and First class passengers."As Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker recently put it.
The overhaul of high-contribution classes on the one hand, and the emergence of Premium Economy on the other: this parallel movement has been set in motion in recent years by most of the major carriers - Air France, SAS Scandinavian Airlines and British Airways among them - and even by airlines positioned in niche markets such as Air Austral on Réunion. There are two exceptions to this trend. Germany's Lufthansa began by renovating its First and Business classes in 2012 and 2013 before launching its new Premium Economy class. Similarly, Singapore Airlines overhauled its high-contribution cabins before launching its new full-fare economy class.
Air France
The instinct for elegance
Style, chic, sober and restful tones, a touch of Parisian elegance: this is probably what passengers feel when they enter an Air France aircraft equipped with the new BEST product. The business cabins offer a seat-bed with a large quilt and duvet, and we appreciate the little touches made to offer passengers almost intimate comfort with the reading lamp, a small storage cupboard that looks like a vanity case and several shelves. And then there's what Air France is renowned for, with à la carte catering and menus concocted by top chefs. All served in porcelain. The French art of living is the calling card, if not the heart, of Air France today...
∗∗∗ The elegant and comfortable cabin, the gastronomy and the efficiency of the service.
Air Austral
Tropical heat
Competition is intense on the Paris-Indian Ocean route. In this context, Air Austral's new business class, in service since December on the Paris-La Réunion route, succeeds in combining great comfort with user-friendliness. The cabin crew are very warm and attentive, and the new menus feature Réunionese gastronomic specialities such as caris and rougails, as well as exotic cocktails. It all adds up to a Reunion atmosphere as soon as you board. Air Austral has also improved the comfort of its seat, with a chair that reclines 180° and now comes with a futon and duvet. An excellent product at an affordable price.
∗∗∗ The value for money, the new Creole cuisine and the friendliness of the staff.
Qatar Airways
A reference
To understand why Qatar Airways' business class is one of the best in the world, nothing could be better than to experience it for yourself. It all starts with multilingual flight attendants, who are very attentive to each passenger's needs and will give them pyjamas in their size on arrival. Another touch of comfort is a travel kit with a sophisticated range of products. There's nothing to say about the seat, which of course turns into a cosy bed with duvet and quilt. In Doha, the lounges have all the trappings of a five-star hotel, with an extremely varied catering service, work and relaxation areas... We'd be happy to take up residence here if we didn't have to catch our next flight!
∗∗∗ The service, the delicious local cuisine on board and the unrivalled comfort of the lounges.
Turkish Airlines
The Far East
A very comfortable sleeper seat with a soft duvet, infinitely friendly staff: Turkish Airlines plays the card of a remarkable tradition of Oriental hospitality to perfection. This is reflected in an in-flight catering service as good as in the best Turkish speciality restaurants, with mezze, kebab and tasty köfta, all served by a chef with a chef's hat! In Istanbul, the lounge is reminiscent of the Arabian Nights, with the added bonus of a shower area. And here again, the buffet is a marvel of extraordinary generosity. Half a dozen different kinds of bread to choose from!
∗∗∗ Conviviality, gastronomy and an exceptional trade fair in Istanbul.
Searching for the absolute
Communication around First and Business class has also changed. Airlines are no longer content to sell a seat-bed, the basis of any high-contribution product worthy of the name. Today, they promote an atmosphere, a certain art of travelling. They sell luxury, dreams... but a dream that is of course based on a reality, that of tending towards the absolute as soon as you touch the notion of service. In Première, this excellence is also a response to an expectation of exclusivity. "Among other things, a Première passenger wants exclusive assistance, from check-in to boarding or disembarking the aircraft. This is what we offer by welcoming them on arrival, as soon as their plane docks, with a private limousine transfer and reserved access to border crossings when they have a connecting flight."says an Air France agent dedicated to VIP and Première transfers. Nor does Lufthansa shy away from establishing a kind of very luxurious segregation. In Frankfurt, VIPs and First class passengers have access to an entirely reserved terminal, with a restaurant run by top chefs, a hushed atmosphere worthy of a discreet palace, and a fleet of Mercedes parked outside the terminal to take the privileged few to the foot of the plane at the last minute.
How does this absolute luxury play out on board? Increasingly, through a private cabin, just like on the great ocean liners! While Emirates was the first to offer a private suite with a shower area, it now shares this feature with its regional neighbour Etihad Airways. The Abu Dhabi-based airline is also working to blur the lines. First and Business Class are too old-fashioned! Instead, Etihad is offering a range of cabins with varying levels of comfort. The most striking, not to say dazzling, example of this evolution is undoubtedly "The Residence by Etihad". This veritable suite is made up of three rooms, comprising a bedroom, a lounge and a bathroom, with the added bonus of a butler on hand to attend to passengers' every need during the flight.
However, for passengers reluctant to pay almost €18,000 one-way to enjoy the comfort of this "Residence" between London and Abu Dhabi - the only Airbus A380 route currently offering this service in Europe - Etihad is also offering the "First Apartment". Equipped with a leather ottoman that converts into a 205 cm long bed, this first cabin can accommodate a guest for dinner, thanks to a second seat. It also offers more space, including a changing area... While this flat in the air is only available on the A380, Boeing 787s are equipped with the "First Suite", which includes a totally private space with a seat that converts into a bed. Finally, the more traditional but still high-quality Business Class Studio offers a private space and a seat that converts into a berth.
At Air France, the new Première, which the marketing teams describe as a "haute couture suite", has worked on the idea of offering the best of Parisian chic. This tradition already characterised the national airline in the 50s and 60s, when Air France played the role of ambassador of good taste made in France. This is once again the case with this three m2 suite, which offers passengers a feeling of total control over their time. Passengers can choose to be totally isolated, with thick curtains around the seat, or host a guest around a large table. With walls reminiscent of leather, an armchair that converts into a bed - with a mattress and duvet designed by Sofitel - a real bedside lamp on a stand and soft colours, La Première exudes an elegance that is certainly reminiscent of the charm of the great Parisian palaces...
But French luxury would be nothing without gastronomy. And here again, Air France offers one of the best in-flight kitchens in first class, as well as in business. The menus are prepared by Michelin-starred chefs, from Joël Robuchon to Guy Martin and Anne-Sophie Pic, among others. Champagne, foie gras and caviar are all part of the gastronomic experience! "Our new La Première suite is, of all our new offers, the one that best reflects our commitment to excellence and the art of French-style travel. It expresses our desire to win back the world and our global ambitions."said Frédéric Gagey, CEO of Air France, during the official presentation of the new in-flight service.
In fact, in Europe, Swiss would be the only airline to rival its First, which conveys this typically Swiss sense of the art of living, enhanced by staff trained specifically to First expectations and by a refined cuisine that includes Swiss specialities. As for British Airways, La Première has a sober elegance with contemporary accents, in the image of today's Great Britain. The tradition of Afternoon Tea has been reinvented by British Airways with sandwiches, pastries and scones...
All horizontal
As far as the new business classes are concerned, the approach is not one of excessive segregation through luxury. Instead, airlines are focusing on comfort and efficiency. This is reflected in the almost universal use of sleeper seats, which recline horizontally and are now separated from neighbouring seats by a partition to give each passenger greater privacy.
Very few carriers still have a seat that reclines through 180°, but with a slight incline. Finnair, for example, is one of the last European airlines to have switched to the horizontal 100% lie-flat seat, which it has fitted to almost all its long-haul fleet since 2014. "We believe that the flat-bed seat represents the new quality standard for long-haul business travel."says Allister Paterson, Commercial General Manager of the Finnish airline. Aer Lingus and Icelandair are among the airlines that have retained a slightly reclining seat for business travel. But these two carriers now offer a service that oscillates between low-cost and traditional airlines, adapting the top-of-the-range product to a clientele that is more sensitive to the price of the ticket.
In terms of comfort, British Airways was one of the first to offer, back in the early 2000s, a business cabin where each seat was both isolated and arranged so that each passenger could move around freely without disturbing his or her neighbour. This idea has flourished, and has been adopted by Air France's new business class, Jet Airways with a seat-bed inserted into a mini-suite, and Iberia, which for the past two years has been upgrading its Business Plus on its Airbus A330 and A340 aircraft. As for Swiss, the cocooning spirit is embodied in an armchair equipped with an air cushion. This allows you to adjust the firmness of the seat in each position, from very firm to soft, right up to the two-metre-long horizontal sleeper position.
Today's business classes also play the efficiency card. This means a ground service that reduces the time spent at the airport, with dedicated check-in areas, special queues for immigration formalities, VIP lounges offering a variety of food and drink, showers and sometimes even a spa, priority boarding and rapid baggage delivery on arrival. In-flight, this commitment is reflected in a number of ways. Seats are now equipped with USB ports and electrical sockets, and more and more often with in-flight internet access, so that passengers can maximise their time and work if they need to. Meals can also be served at the passenger's request to respect their biorhythm, with an express or light menu option. Better still, an airline like Singapore Airlines offers passengers the option of ordering their in-flight menu in advance via the Internet. It's a service that lets you sample all the flavours of the world in around thirty different dishes. In fact, it's even better than in a restaurant!
Air Canada
Modernity without fault
Air Canada has won the Skytrax award for Best Business Class in North America for five years running. This award is entirely justified by the introduction of a new, redesigned product, with very contemporary touches, on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft on the transatlantic network. The seat converts into a bed measuring 2.03 metres long, with a seat width of 53 cm - one of the most spacious in the aviation industry. With a duvet, duvet, aromatherapy products with misting before going to sleep, the largest video screen offered by any airline in North America and, above all, the smell of a good espresso or cappuccino when you wake up, or indeed at any time during the flight: Air Canada offers business travellers a flawless product of consistent quality.
∗∗∗ The comfort of the new Boeing 787 cabin, the duvet, the espresso machine.
The company
The all-business spirit
With an all-business aircraft at unbeatable prices on the Paris CDG - New York Newark route, La Compagnie has quickly won over a loyal clientele. And it's easy to see why, with a personalised, efficient service on a plane that offers just 74 seats, all business, arranged in pairs. You can happily sink into an armchair that reclines 180° into the bed position, and quickly take refuge under a large, soft blanket. Meals are provided and prepared by Michelin-starred chef Christophe Langrée, who served the Prime Minister at Matignon for many years, and in-flight entertainment is provided on a personal tablet that is loaned throughout the journey. You can watch films and TV programmes on it, but you can also read all the press!
∗∗∗ The all-business cabin, the Samsung Galaxy Tab and meals from a Michelin-starred chef.
Jet Airways
A keen sense of comfort
The Jet Airways business cabin is a surprise with its cocoon cabins, lined up next to each other, slightly offset, facing the passenger opposite. Once seated, you feel totally isolated, which is what most passengers are looking for. A folding screen, the discreet presence of the flight attendants and a seat that, at the touch of a button, transforms into a comfortable bed: nothing could be better for arriving refreshed and ready to go at Bombay's beautiful airport, inaugurated just over a year ago. The only drawback so far in Bombay is the Jet Airways lounge, which is somewhat spartan in its comfort for transit passengers. But this is only temporary, as a new lounge is due to open shortly to offer all the art of Indian-style service.
∗∗∗ Extreme cabin comfort, top-quality catering, excellent lounges in Paris and Brussels.
Thai Airways International
Refinement across the board
Thailand is renowned for its sense of refinement and impeccable service. Thai Airways' Royal Silk Class logically builds on this expertise. On departure from Paris, passengers travel on the brand new Airbus A380, whose business cabin offers even more space and comfort. The seat on the A380 converts into a horizontal bed. And there are no surprises when it comes to gastronomy: Thai excels better than anyone in the art of offering authentic Thai cuisine on board, which is now regularly renewed. The best part is the company's lounge in Bangkok, which offers Royal Silk Class passengers a 30-minute neck, head and shoulder massage. Divine before a flight!
∗∗∗ the massage at the Bangkok salon, authentic Thai cuisine and impeccable service.
All Nippon Airways
Japanese-style perfection
The philosophy that defines All Nippon Airways' (ANA) business class is one of impeccable comfort and Japanese refinement. This translates into a cabin with minimalist accents, with a cocoon seat giving each passenger total freedom. ANA was the first Japanese airline to offer a horizontal seat-bed on its Boeing 777-300 and new Boeing 787 aircraft. The Japanese touch includes pyjamas, slippers, a protective mask for the nose and a foot massage tool - unique on an airline! And then there's the meal, the quintessence of the Japanese art of living. The colours, the freshness of the ingredients, the delicate crockery, everything reminds us that we are indeed on board a Japanese carrier...
∗∗∗ Sleeping accessories, discreet and efficient Japanese service, refined gastronomy.
