Despite this blog’s consistent evangelism for the future of First-class, news from Down Under suggests our confidence may be misplaced. This Qantas press release reports that the airline is to start removing first class cabins from its B747-400s and installing business class flatbed seats as used in its A380s from the end of 2011. The first 12 A380s in the fleet will keep First-class, but those being delivered from 2012 will have only economy, premium economy, and business classes.
Why this move? Well the explanation given is on the wooly side, but the nub of it is, according to CEO Alan Joyce that
“While some travel markets are recovering from the economic crisis, our assessment of longer term travel trends, which pre-dates the economic crisis, shows that international premium travel demand is changing.”
Meaning: while routes to London and Los Angeles will continue to offer First-class, don’t expect it to survive on any of their other services.
