An A350 visited Delta’s Atlanta base last year. (Image: Delta)
In December, American Airlines announced that it plans to start installing a dedicated premium economy class of service on its long-haul international flights. And now Delta is following suit.
Although the Atlanta-based carrier hasn’t yet issued a formal announcement, top executives said at a media event that an international premium economy cabin is definitely coming to Delta, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution – and they said it has been in the planning stages for two years.
They provided few specifics except to say that the premium economy class will be launched on the new Airbus A350s that Delta will start to receive in 2017, and then will be added to its 777 fleet. They stressed that the new section will be a big step up from the airline’s existing Comfort+ seating, which is basically regular economy seating with a few more inches of legroom.
Delta has ordered 25 A350-900s, and plans to deploy the first ones mainly on transpacific routes starting in the second quarter of next year.
According to the newspaper, the executives said the new premium economy section will offer different seats than Comfort +, with even more legroom, a leg rest, and higher levels of service and amenities. They did not mention whether Comfort+ will continue in the affected aircraft, but American plans to keep offering Main Cabin Extra seating in aircraft that will get its premium economy section.
The plans by Delta will put added pressure on United Airlines, the last of the Big Three U.S. legacy carriers that has not yet announced plans for premium economy on international routes.
No doubt Delta also felt compelled to get on board with premium economy so that it can offer customers a standardized product across its global partnerships; for example, both Virgin Atlantic and Air France already offer the extra cabin.
According to Seatguru.com, some 31 international carriers currently have a premium economy seating option, not counting the plans by American and Delta to add one.
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John R. Grout says
May 4, 2016 at 4:14 pmExpecting a premium frequent flyer to actually pay for things? Next, you’ll be expecting planes to start flying backward. John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival had their sense of entitlement down cold in “Fortunate Son”… “Lord, don’t they help themselves…”
They shouldn’t even have what they have now… not without having to pay for it out of their own pocket using post-tax income. If their company wants to pay them more, fine… but don’t let them write it off as a business expense… indulging employee egos is not a legitimate cost of doing business.
Clay Cooksey says
May 3, 2016 at 3:00 pmAmen Salvatore!!! That is what really matters to me!
Kirk says
May 3, 2016 at 9:33 amDL doesn’t allow upgrades on any international flights. Got nothing to do with South America. If wish you to fly in Delta1, then you should purchase a seat in Delta1.
JD says
May 3, 2016 at 8:56 amI love the legacy carriers addition of these seats. As walkpl points out, they generally restrict upgrades to top-tier customers, and for those sitting in coach, they often find reduced pitch of about 30 on these long-haul flights.
walkpl says
May 3, 2016 at 6:40 amDelta’s new policy is all well and good….for everywhere except South America. On the Delta website, it says “Excluded” on Northern South America and Southern South America. As I do lots of business in Chile and Argentina, I can tell you that Comfort Class is anything but! The 767’s are old, narrow seats (yes even in Comfort Class), no electrical outlets(except a plug under the seat on some of the planes) and a tiny video screen. A week ago I was sitting next to a Diamond Member (I am Platinum) who was grousing about no upgrades,,,,when a fiend of mine with a “Buddy Pass” got on an almost empty Delta One from Buenos Aires to Atlanta. She has no relatives with Delta, but just a friend of an employee.
That made Mr. Diamond and myself furious. As there were at least 5 empty seats in Delta One after the boarding door was closed we asked the Flight attendant why we could not be upgraded after that injustice and she said, “No, we are not allowed to upgrade on International routes”. Well guess that is changing elsewhere….but for us with business in South America…we are still like “chopped liver”. Come on Delta…be fair! And get rid of those ridiculous Buddy Passes! and include upgrades to Delta One on your South America routes. After all…it is space A… and we upper tier Medallions pay a lot to fly with you. Your policy is not fair at all!
Salvatore Johnson says
May 2, 2016 at 10:57 pmThe one thing this report hasn’t told us, will Delta and America pull a seat out of every row and make the seats wider? That is what people want, more room for our big behinds. The big problem with coach is that there is no wiggle room to move about in your seats because they are so tight.
Virgin and British going to England and Air France going to Paris has taken out that one seat and given the passenger three and a half more inches of space which is really nice.