As American Airlines scraps its first-class seats, the most expensive cabins in the sky could soon be the preserve of just a few carriers
With $4,000-a-night hotels opening to much fanfare in Manhattan, and Mayfair restaurants that serve steaks wrapped in gold leaf reporting record profits, it’s safe to say the super-rich are weathering the current economic storm just fine.
When it comes to flying, however, it may be time to start playing your tiny violin. That’s because the mega wealthy may soon have to start slumming it in business class with the merely very affluent. American Airlines has just announced that it’s ditching first class on international routes, and it’s not the only carrier phasing out its most expensive cabins.
At a time when the gap between the haves and have nots is only increasing, the move may surprise some. But after a bruising pandemic, airlines are making radical moves to shore up their bottom lines.
Explaining the decision, American Airlines chief commercial officer Vasu Raju said: “First class will not exist on the 777, or for that matter at American Airlines, for the simple reason that our customers aren’t buying it. The replacement of first class with additional business offerings will allow the carrier to provide what our customers most want or are willing to pay for.”