the problem with Premium Economy
Posted: 31 May 2009, 20:49I find it hard to justify buying a PE seat now - its just a bit more legroom, with the same food and virtually the same treatment. With flights being half empty, if you have your wits about you, you can get a row of Economy seats, and lay out flat for a proper sleep, something you can't do, while paying double the $ in PE, with the fixed armrests.
Put another way, the problem is: I would RATHER be stretched over 3/4 seats of Economy, than a single PE seat, with its fixed armrests, every time, regardless of cost difference. That means choosing either full UC or Economy, with anything in between i.e. PE, coming in 3rd best.
VS have to do something about this fact, like making gift upgrades for Au folks from PE to UC much more frequently, OR make PE to UC upgrades much easier to buy with miles, with no class restrictions.
They should try that for 6 months and see how it works - a miles upgrade sale lifting all class restrictions. The other option is to make PE a lot better and more comfortable, with better seats that go much nearer to flat, but thats a difficult choice as it begins to tempt away UC buyers. Either way, something has to be done about PE.
Put another way, the problem is: I would RATHER be stretched over 3/4 seats of Economy, than a single PE seat, with its fixed armrests, every time, regardless of cost difference. That means choosing either full UC or Economy, with anything in between i.e. PE, coming in 3rd best.
VS have to do something about this fact, like making gift upgrades for Au folks from PE to UC much more frequently, OR make PE to UC upgrades much easier to buy with miles, with no class restrictions.
They should try that for 6 months and see how it works - a miles upgrade sale lifting all class restrictions. The other option is to make PE a lot better and more comfortable, with better seats that go much nearer to flat, but thats a difficult choice as it begins to tempt away UC buyers. Either way, something has to be done about PE.