Back in December, I had written about the new Cathay Pacific Premium Economy product which was going to be launched in Q1 2012, and put up on Sydney, Toronto, New York and Vancouver flights from Hong Kong, before being put out on the rest of the network.
These seats will have a separate cabin of their own, which will be not more than 34 seats at any time. So, privacy is assured, unlike some other Premium Eco products where you only get a better seat but in the front of the same cabin. Welcome drinks, including Champagne, will be offered, and the meals will be better than Y. Top it off with a big amenity kit, and noise cancelling headphones and the only thing I miss are the sleeping suits to compare with Biz class. Actually, this does compare well with a Regional Business Class seat
In terms of the hard product, the seat pitch would be 38 inches, better off than the Economy product by 6 inches, and will have an extended recline. Additionally, all the regular bells and whistles are thrown in like a large meal table, cocktail table, footrest, in-seat power and extra stowage space.
Cathay Pacific has now announced that it is ready to book seats on the flights from 1st April 2012. To start with, Cathay Pacific will offer it on the following flights, followed by those to London:
- Hong Kong to Sydney: CX101
- Sydney to Hong Kong: CX100
- Hong Kong to Toronto: CX826, CX828
- Toronto to Hong Kong: CX825, CX829
- Hong Kong to Vancouver: CX888
- Vancouver to Hong Kong: CX889
- Hong Kong to New York: CX840, CX830, CX888
- New York to Hong Kong: CX841, CX831, CX889
Mileage accrual on these flights will be 110% of the distance flown. So, here we are, with a true product between business class and economy, with all the bells and whistles. Time to figure out when can I book this one for myself!
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I tend to agree with you guys, but just like neighbor Singapore Airlines, CX wants to always price higher than the other airlines. For premium economy, however, their take seems to be a different product altogether which is 70% there as a business class seat, and priced at 1/2 the price of a biz ticket (of what I see on various routes on the CX website)
But what about the price? CX’s Y is often in par with other company’s J price!
Yup! They have it and are now offering it for booking. But at what cost? When one hits signigant charges above Y-class, the new small extra cost for a discounted J-class ticket might be a better deal. Across all airlines, I just not empressed with the “Economy Plus” offerings and I think their price point differences are ~10% above where they should be. Of course, every Eco-Plus seat sold represents a potential profit. Seriously smart SLCs should look at typical load factors before booking Eco-plus seats. On flights with usually light loads, one can arrange to become comfortable in a Y-class seat. If loads tend to be high, the Eco-Plus *might* be wirth a few bucks, but not at the asking prices. If one does not know how to access and process the finer details, perhaps it is time to consult a professional, especially for very long, international flights.