Photo: EMIRATES Business classes seem out of reach for most customers. However, the benefits that the world's most luxurious companies include separate lounges and chef-driven restaurants on the ground, a chauffeur (sometimes from home to the plane), and, of course, those flat beds with luxurious bedding at 40,000 feet high in the sky. What more could you want?
Recently, largely due to low-cost airlines that have taught us all that we can separate the components of a flight and pay only for what we really want and need, business classes have also undergone a significant change.
More and more companies have started offering new products called "Business Basic," or if you prefer, "Business Minus, which translates to the option to fly in business class without actually fully enjoying all the luxuries.
Let's first take the example of the United Arab Emirates' giant airline Emirates, which currently operates no less than four different fares for business class flights.
Business class on an EMIRATES A350. Photo: EMIRATESTo better frasp the exact differences, let's start with the most expensive, Business Flex Plus. This option offers a private driver, lounge access, free seat selection, luggage up to 40 kg, the possibility to operate changes to your tickets at no extra charge, a full refund if you wish, and far-reaching miles accumulation.
From there, things start to go down. Business Flex allows you to pay 150 dirhams to make changes to your ticket or 250 dirhams to cancel it. Plus, the miles earned will be less than on the highest fare. Business Saver is similar, with higher costs for changes and cancellations.
But the most interesting of all is Business Special. Here, the airline offers a very different product from the rest. Unlike everyone else, you will not receive a private driver here and you will not be able to enter the business lounge. Plus, your choice of seats will be limited, the weight of the luggage will remain the same (40 kg), and you will pay more for changing the ticket (250 dirhams) and cancellation (375 dirhams). Moreover, the number of miles you will accumulate will be only about 60% of those of the highest fare, which will be accumulated by those who fly with you in the same class and pay the highest price. Note that in terms of service on the plane itself, there is no difference between the tickets.
Emirates lounge in Bangkok. Photo: EmiratesAnd what about the price? It's good that you asked. The differences are very significant, and some would say that this split allows the airline to charge higher amounts for the service. For illustrative purposes, we examined Emirates flight prices on the popular route Dubai (DXB)-Bangkok (BKK).
The minimum price for the Business Class narrow-class ticket (Business Spacial) on the ticket we tested is 5,780 dirhams one way or 11,560 dirhams for a round-trip flight, which is about $3,150. The most expensive ticket costs 10,630 dirhams one way or 21,260 dirhams for a round-trip flight between Dubai and Bangkok, which is about $5,790. In other words, there is a $2,640 difference between the ticket prices in the same class.
At Etihad, the differences between business class tickets are significant. The company offers three different fares: Business Value, Comfort, and Deluxe. In the basic business class, you can send luggage up to 35 kg, and in the more expensive ones up to 40 kg, and even up to 50 kg in the high fare.
Business class on Etihad's A321LR aircraft (Photo: Etihad)Another significant difference is the driver, lounge, ticket changes, and cancellations that are not available in the basic Value fare (as well as others). Another difference is in the accumulation of points.
Some examples of the differences between business class tickets. Photo: ETIHAD
Qatar Airways also offers three business-class fares, with minor differences: Business Classic or Business Comfort, which include ticket change or cancellation fees, and Business Elite, which allows unlimited changes or free cancellation. At Qatar Airways, all business-class passengers are entitled to lounge access, but fares within business class vary.
The first European company to differentiate between business travelers is Finland's Finnair. The company offers a "Business Light fare, and choosing it means you won't be able to check in a suitcase and you won't be able to enter the business lounge either.
Finnair's business class. Photo: FinnairYou won't even get free internet. With the Business Classic rate, you get all of this, and with the Business Flex rate, you also get the option to make changes to your card or cancel it.
Some examples of differences between business class tickets. Photo: FINNAIRWill we see this soon on other airlines? Rocky Lowe, an Air Canada executive who was interviewed by PassportNews in recent days, did not rule out that differences in business-class fares will also reach companies in North America. "I think it depends on the market," he said. "We need to understand consumer behavior on this matter. It doesn't exist at Air Canada. Will we do it in the future? I don't know. Business is a completely full service, but of course we follow customer demands."