Air New Zealand (ANZ) has discovered strong demand for higher-cost economy seats with more legroom and in-flight services than in standard economy.
Offered at 30% above normal economy fares, ANZ claims these premium economy seats more than pay for themselves. In a recent profit guidance to investors it cited the improved yield from premium seats as more than offsetting overall lower loads and higher fuel prices. As a result, ANZ has decided to remove 15 more standard economy seats from its Boeing 747s and replace them with eight additional premium economy seats, bringing the total number of premium economy class seats on each 747 to 31.
ANZ last year became the first airline in Australasia to introduce a premium economy section. ■
Source: Airline Business
