Airlines love to ‘unbundle’ fares and features, saying they want you to pay only for what you want. That’s how we saw free meals, free checked bags, free changes, and even free knee room become chargeable fees.
But never before now has an airline decided to try the same idea at the front of the plan, where Emirates has now apparently created a sort of second-class business class.
Buyers of its new ‘Special’ business-class seats will lose both over-the-top extras like a chauffeured ride to the airport and routine-for-premium features such as lounge access and even pre-flight seat selection. Also gone is a chance to upgrade to First Class using loyalty points, but the fees for changes or cancellation are higher.
What’s next? Canned beer and box wine in First?
