Business class sits well on airlines

Mumbai: Airlines, especially those operating on the European and South East Asian routes say business class seats are being snapped up way ahead of flight departures and they have much higher loads here than the economy.
The trend has prompted airlines like Lufthansa to rip off economy seats on their flights to increase the size of the high-yield business class. Fares on business class are typically three to four times that of economy tickets.
Some airlines like US carrier Delta have done away with the first class to increase the more popular business class.
While the return economy class fares between India and Europe cost between Rs 17,000 to Rs 35,000, the fare for a business class round-trip ticket is in the range or Rs 75,000 to Rs 1.5 lakh, depending on the airline. Business and first class fares also attract a 12.5% service tax, which is not levied on economy class tickets. Yet, most airlines are strengthening their business class products.
30/03/07 Cuckoo Paul/Economic Times

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Categories: Foreign Mar 2007, General Aviation Mar 2007, New Mar 2007