[AMcWhirter]

In the UK I find that KLM has kept this news a secret.

But France’s Gate 7 [FR] tweeted that KLM launched premium economy yesterday with flight KL 645 AMS-JFK.

KLM must be one if the last global airlines (main exceptions being the Gulfies, EK excepted) to launch this product.

Le premier vol officiel de KLM avec sa nouvelle classe de cabine Premium Comfort à bord s'est envolé hier vers New York. Le vol KL 645 a été effectué par un 787-10 Dreamliner immatriculé PH-BKA.#KLM #PremiumComfort pic.twitter.com/yjjg1PD8uP

— Gate 7 (@Gate7tweet) September 1, 2022

[cwoodward]

From KLM

“We have great expectations for this new Premium Comfort Class, based on extensive market research. The new class will meet the wishes of business passengers as well as leisure travellers, strengthening KLM’s standing as a global network carrier offering an appealing and varied range: World Business Class, Premium Comfort and Economy Class. It also reaffirms our partnership with Delta Air Lines, Air France and Virgin Atlantic on North Atlantic routes, where we can now combine all products on all routes.”

Boet Kreiken, executive vice president of KLM Customer Experience

[Inquisitive]

I posted in other discussion topics earlier that the recent hard products of most airlines are coming back as a full circle of evolution.

The business class nowadays is so improved in most airlines, it is similar or better than earlier first class.
The premium economy is like earlier business class.
Unfortunately, the cattle economy class remains as cattle economy.

So as the first class are taken out from most aircrafts and more premium economy classes are introduced, it will be same old 3 classes of hard products like 20 years ago.

Not sure why someone cannot be more innovative instead of following each other.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Mark

[AMcWhirter]

In fact it is economy class which has deteriorated over the decades.

Airlines tend to be conservative hence they follow one another with seating.

Aviation media likes to gush over the new seat designs which are displayed at annual trade fairs but nothing happens to the innovative designs.

Air NZ set itself apart in the days of CEO Bob Fyfe.

Its premium economy Space Seat of 2010 boasted the most spacious seating of any international airline. It was unique to Air NZ.

Sadly however after a few years (and the departure of Bob Fyfe) Air NZ introduced its latest premium economy seat which emulates what its rivals offer.

This Youtube shows the media conference in Auckland at the time its original Space Seat was launched. Readers can see just how wide these seats were.

[Mark]

This looks very familiar to the 80s seating.

[Mark]

KLM doing a great job of recycling an old product.

[cwoodward]

After looking at various lists of the best and worst of Economy seating the one conclusion on which almost all agree is that the 10 best airline economy seating is offered by Asian and Antipodean airlines. These airlines offer more leg-room and often fewer seats per row. US airlines cram in many more seats

Seat width is also interesting. American based airlines offer the narrowest economy seats with almost all at a narrow 17″. Many european airlines are also at 17″.BA is at 17.5. The sandpit airlines economy seating is generally much tighter than the best but normally better than the North American airlines.

Overall Asian airlines seating is generally more generous and roomy with good pitch and width with the best airlines offering seats at and average of 18″ (SIA JAL) and Cathay 18.5 as standard in most of its current operating fleet. Others offer 17.5 upwards with the exception of some very low cost operators.

Basically if you must travel long haul in economy in my opinion chose and Asian or Antipodean airline as a rule of thumb for a more comfortable trip.

The above is of course as of necessitate a generalisation and there are of course exceptions across all regions mentioned.

[Mark]

Do the airlines not remember some of us recall their older/original seating products.
They do the same with their food offerings,showcase some lovely revamped food. Then reduce the offerings during leaner times to bring back a “improved” food service that was offered at first.
Market,rehash,refresh,repackage and wave a magic wand to make it look NEW again.
They are so funny.

[Author]

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