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Business class is a high quality second-class travel class available on some commercial airlines and rail lines. Its level of accommodation is higher than economy class but lower than first class. However, because of cost-cutting measures, many airlines based in the United States only offer business class as the highest level of service on international routes, with United Airlines and American Airlines the only exceptions.

Aircraft

The exact name for business class may vary between operators: e.g. Northwest Airlines and KLM "World Business Class," Continental Airlines "BusinessFirst," Delta Air Lines "BusinessElite," Korean Air "Prestige Class," Philippine Airlines "Mabuhay Class," Air Pacific "Tabua Class," British Airways "Club World," Aerolineas Argentinas "Club Condor," Air France "Espace Affaires," Japan Airlines "Executive Class Seasons," Singapore Airlines "Raffles Class (formerly)," Thai Airways "Royal Silk," Malaysia Airlines "Golden Club Class" and Etihad Airways "Pearl Zone."

History

The first business class seats were offered by Qantas in 1979. On November 1 1981, Scandinavian Airlines System introduced EuroClass with a separate cabin, dedicated check-in counters and lounges for full-fare passengers. Simultaneously, first class disappeared from their European fleet.

Business class is usually only offered on intercontinental and long-haul flights. In the United States, it is also offered on certain transcontinental flights between New York and the west coast. North American carriers generally offer only "first class" as a premium domestic service in a separate cabin with much wider seats and superior food and beverage offerings.

On intra-Europe flights, European carriers generally offer a "business class" generally consisting of enhanced economy seating with better service. There may be a curtain to separate business from economy class, but the seats are often located in an unseparated cabin. Some airlines such as Lufthansa use convertible seats that seat three people across in economy, or adjust with a lever to become two seats with a half seat length between them for business class use. On airlines offering one kind of seat with a moveable curtain there is often more leg room to the seats towards the front of the plane, so that economy class passengers sitting in those seats will get to enjoy the extra legroom for free although the change in seat pitch is not marked on aircraft seat plans. ^{[citation needed]}

Business class has started to disappear from some short/medium haul routes, to be replaced with full fare economy and discount economy (KLM and SAS). On these routes, the seats are the same for all passengers, only the flexibility of the ticket and the food and beverage service differs. On shorter routes (typically less than one hour) many airlines have removed business class entirely (e.g. BMI on many routes) and offer only one class of service. Low-cost carriers, such as Ryanair in Europe and JetBlue in the United States, rarely offer any premium classes of service.

Amenities

Long haul business class seats are substantially different from economy class seats and many airlines have moved "lie flat" seats from first class back into business class. There are essentially three types of long haul business class seats today:

1. Cradle seats are seats with around 160 degrees of recline. These seats can be found in business class on Delta, Continental, Air India, Garuda, Varig, Aerolineas Argentinas, United, BMI and Aer Lingus, SAS.
2. Angled lie flat seats recline 180 degrees to provide a flat sleeping surface, but are not level to the floor of the aircraft when reclined, making them less comfortable than a bed. Such seats can be found on Northwest Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Air Algerie, American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, JAL, ANA, Qantas, Air France, Lufthansa, KLM, Turkish Airlines, Emirates, EVA Air, Finnair, Swiss, Thai Airways, Malaysia Airlines and Iberia.
3. Fully flat seats recline into a flat sleeping surface which is level to the floor. Many airlines offer such seats in international first class but retain inferior seating in business class to differentiate the two products and fares. Airlines offering fully flat seats in business class include British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Air New Zealand, Air Canada and on new 777-300ER aircraft of Singapore Airlines. SIA's new A380-800 will also offer the same product when they commence operational service in October 2007. United Airlines will begin offering fully flat seats beginning fall 2007, the first U.S. airline to do so.

Even airlines that do not offer lie flat business class seats offer substantially more leg room in long haul business class compared to the economy section. The appearance of lie-flat seats in business class has made it increasingly difficult for many passengers to justify, either to their employers or themselves, the added expense of a first class fare. Consequently, many airlines (such as American Airlines on its 767s, Malaysia Airlines on their Boeing 777s, Scandinavian Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Finnair and Iberia and Air New Zealand on all aircraft) have removed their first class products from some or all flights, and made business class their highest premium offering. Philippine Airlines also plans to remove their first class, but instead introduce cocoon-type seats and AVOD on their long-haul business class sets.

Trains

On Amtrak in the United States, "business class" is the premium class of service on medium-haul trains, such as most Northeast Corridor trains, and the main class of service on Acela Express. "First class" is the premium class of service on Acela Express and is also the designation for bedroom accommodations on sleeper trains.

See also

• Airline seat

External links

• Qantas History including business class history