Forget the preflight champagne as coronavirus takes the shine off business class travel

Efforts to minimise human interaction and reduce the risk of infection are taking the shine off the most expensive seats on board commercial aircraft

The limitations are one more headache for an airline industry grappling with a near-total collapse in demand

Reading Time:4 minutes

Some airlines may use the pandemic to permanently downgrade their offerings in premium cabins to save money. Photo: Getty Images

Published: 11:28am, 14 Sep 2020Updated: 11:29am, 14 Sep 2020

Forget the flute of chilled Moet & Chandon before take-off, mid-flight gin and tonics and a roaming dessert trolley after dinner. Flying business class isn’t what it used to be.

Efforts to minimise human interaction and reduce the risk of infection are taking the shine off the most expensive seats on board commercial aircraft. Gone are the multi-course banquets and warm personal service, once the hallmarks of carriers like Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific Airways. These days, what’s left of premium-grade travel is functional, hygienic and closer to cattle class – only with more legroom.

The limitations are one more headache for an industry grappling with a near-total collapse in demand and follow years of luxury one-upmanship among carriers in a contest for the most profitable passengers.

Suddenly, it’s harder to tell airlines apart when you’re up the pointy end. That’s making it tougher to win top-paying customers, and risks pushing some to the back of the plane.

“There’s nobody to help you with your bag, you’re not escorted to your seat, and there’s definitely no preflight champagne,” said Sandra Lim, who flew business class to Singapore from Los Angeles with Singapore Air late last month. “It feels like it’s reverted back to economy class.”

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