The last wool in economy class has caught the attention of airlines Not long after takeoff, he sent me a message saying the cabin was almost empty, with several rows around him unoccupied, and that he could stretch out comfortably all the way back to Beijing tonight.
The Last Wool in Economy Class Has Caught the Attention of Airlines The next day after landing, I asked him how his sleep was.
The last wool in economy class has caught the attention of airlines. He said he's almost exhausted, can't they postpone their dinner plans for two days.
The Last Wool in Economy Class Has Caught the Attention of Airlines I was somewhat surprised and asked him, "Why haven't you slept well despite having so many empty seats?"
The last free perk in economy class has caught the attention of airlines. A friend said he wasn't careful, and after the cabin lights were turned off, he saw that the entire row next to him was empty, so he moved over to lie down. Just as he had fallen asleep, a flight attendant came over to wake him up and asked him to return to his original seat as indicated on his boarding pass.
The last bit of profit in economy class has caught the attention of airlines. Then the flight attendant gently told him that if he wanted to continue lying down, he could pay to purchase the three adjacent seats.
The Last Wool in Economy Class Has Caught the Attention of Airlines A friend asked, since the seats are empty anyway, lying down for a few hours won't affect others, so why do they still need to pay extra?
Economy Class's Last Perk Is Being Eyed by Airlines The flight attendant merely emphasized that the flight offers paid three-seat services, and passengers who don't purchase them are not allowed to occupy other seats.
The last bit of comfort in economy class is now being targeted by airlines After listening to his story, I initially thought it was just a case of individual flight attendants being strict, but after searching on social media, I found that Hainan Airlines' economy class passengers are not allowed to recline their seats freely, and this has become a common experience for many long-haul travelers.
The Last Wool in Economy Class Has Caught the Attention of Airlines Related posts have been appearing sporadically since the beginning of the year, but complaints have increased significantly over the past few months.
The last bit of wool in economy class has caught the attention of airlines. Some people have seen entire rows of empty seats on planes, only to be told to return to their seats after lying down, while foreign passengers have tried to occupy a row each with their companions, only to be quickly stopped by flight attendants.
The last perk of economy class is being targeted by airlines In the comments section, some passengers said that when they flew with Hainan Airlines last year, they were still able to lie down freely, but it seems the rules have changed this year.
The last wool in economy class has caught the attention of airlines. More people have found that when checking in, Hainan Airlines has started charging for empty seats.
The last wool in economy class has caught the attention of airlines. A photo circulating online of a certain European airport counter shows that Hainan Airlines charges 760 euros for paid upgrades, 110 euros for the first row and emergency exit seats in economy class. To occupy a row of three seats alone, passengers must purchase the two adjacent empty seats, for a total of 220 euros.
The Last Wool in Economy Class Has Caught the Attention of Airlines Airlines selling multiple seats in economy class as a bed is not a new concept.
The Last Wool in Economy Class Has Caught the Attention of Airlines Air New Zealand introduced the Skycouch in 2011, setting up dedicated three-seat rows in some Boeing 777 and 787 cabins, where the leg rests under the seats can be flipped up to form a sofa bed approximately 1.55 meters long and 74 centimeters wide.
The last wool in economy class has caught the attention of airlines. Domestically, China Southern Airlines launched the "one person, multiple seats" option in 2019, while Air China is currently selling adjacent empty seats through its APP.
The last wool in economy class has caught the attention of airlines. Hainan Airlines has been particularly prominent recently, not just because it was the first airline to sell multiple seats to one person, but because of its strict enforcement of rules on board and transparent pricing at check-in counters, which have been frequently complained about on social media.
The last wool in economy class has caught the attention of airlines. After all, while passengers are used to paying for seats in the front row and emergency exits, the situation is different for long-haul flights with empty seats.
The last free perk in economy class is being targeted by airlines. If the passenger load is not high and there are entire rows of empty economy class seats after the doors are closed, it's not uncommon for passengers to move and lie down to rest, and domestic long-haul flights have generally turned a blind eye to this behavior of occupying empty seats in economy class.
Economy class's last wool, being eyed by airlines So, what Hainan Airlines has really gotten under passengers' skin is that it has completely put an end to the practice of lying flat on the plane by relying on luck.
The Last Wool in Economy Class Has Caught the Attention of Airlines Hainan Airlines' decision not to allow passengers to lie down for free is likely driven by similar considerations.
Economy class's last free perk is being targeted by airlines So-called "wake-up for upgrade" services refer to airlines taking back the comfort privileges that were previously occasionally given to passengers due to low load factors and selling them separately.
The last wool in economy class has caught the attention of airlines Looking back, years ago, when passengers bought a ticket, it usually included checked baggage and the ability to select a seat in advance. Later, airlines discovered that passengers had different demands for each service, and they could be separated from the ticket price.
The last wool in economy class has caught the attention of airlines. Later, some US airlines took it even further, not only restricting carry-on baggage for the lowest-priced tickets, but also requiring passengers to pay for seat selection, otherwise seats would be randomly assigned by the system during check-in.
The last bit of fat in economy class is being targeted by airlines Airlines call it "pay-per-use", but consumers feel like cursing, as things that used to come with a ticket purchase are being stripped away one by one.
The Last Wool in Economy Class Has Caught the Attention of Airlines The effect on airlines' revenue, however, is quite significant.
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Economy Class's Last Wool, Being Eyed by Carriers More notably, traditional carriers saw a decline in average ticket price-related revenue in 2024, while ancillary revenue per passenger grew by 5.3%.
The last wool in economy class has caught the attention of airlines. In simple terms, tickets can be sold at even lower prices, making it difficult for airlines to make a profit from ticket sales alone, but as long as passengers continue to spend money before and after boarding, there is still a chance to do business.
Economy Class's Last Wool, Being Eyed by Airlines Notably, some domestic intercontinental routes previously relied on subsidies from local governments to cultivate the market. However, after 2024, the scope of route subsidies has been greatly restricted, weakening the airlines' ability to rely on subsidies to get by.
The Last Wool in Economy Class Has Caught the Attention of Airlines The Russia-Ukraine conflict has once again altered the China-Europe aviation market.
The last wool in economy class has caught the attention of airlines. As European airlines are unable to fly over Russian airspace, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have successively withdrawn from parts of the Chinese market, and Lufthansa has also cut back on some of its Chinese routes. Chinese airlines have taken the opportunity to expand their market share in the China-Europe market, and low-price competition has become even more intense.
The last wool in economy class has caught the attention of airlines. However, European routes are long, and it's difficult to reduce fuel and crew costs, especially during months with weak outbound demand. As a result, ticket prices have already been lowered, and there may still be many empty seats in the cabin.
The last wool in economy class has been set in the sights of airlines. As a result, airlines like Hainan Airlines have begun to seek new revenue streams from the same flight.
The last wool in economy class has caught the attention of airlines. If they can sell the two empty seats next to a passenger for 220 euros, the airline almost doesn't need to increase costs. In European long-haul routes, this is a very attractive sum of money.
The last wool in economy class has caught the attention of airlines. After all, before the aircraft door closes, airlines cannot determine how many seats will be left empty. Once all passengers have boarded, those empty seats will still fly to their destination with the plane and cannot be saved for the next flight to be resold.
The last wool in economy class has caught the attention of airlines. But when business reaches this point, it has become inevitable for flight attendants to wake up passengers who are lying down for free.
Economy Class's Last Wool, Being Eyed by Airlines If someone spends 220 euros to purchase a block of three seats, but the passenger next to them can get the same experience for free after takeoff, no one will be willing to pay next time.
The last wool in economy class has caught the attention of airlines In simple terms, airlines want to sell empty seats at their true price, which means they must first put an end to the possibility of passengers lying down for free.
The last economy-class perk has caught airlines' attention. What passengers purchase is the seat indicated on their boarding pass—not the right to use other empty seats in the cabin. So when airlines sell the remaining seats before takeoff, the commercial logic holds up.
Economy class's last wool, being eyed by airlines Moreover, for passengers unwilling to pay for business class tickets but eager to sleep for a few hours on a red-eye flight, buying two extra seats still has its appeal.
The last wool in economy class has caught the attention of airlines. Long-haul lie-flat business class seats usually occupy the cabin space of three to four economy class seats. If one only cares about sleeping and has no interest in lounges or fine dining, three-seat combinations perfectly fill the gap between ordinary economy class and business class.
The last wool in economy class has caught the attention of airlines. However, reasonable fees do not mean that Hainan Airlines' current practices are decent.
The last wool in economy class has caught the attention of airlines The ordinary economy class seats are arranged together, with armrests that can be lifted, but the gap between the seats still exists, and the horizontal length of the three seats is also limited, making it difficult for adults to rest without curling up, and easily bumping into the back of the seat with a slight turn.
Economy Class's Last Wool, Being Eyed by Airlines After the plane enters turbulence, even ordinary seatbelts may not be suitable for lying down sideways.
Economy class's last wool, being eyed by airlines Air New Zealand has done much more in this regard.
Economy Class's Last Wool, Being Eyed by Airlines Passengers who purchase Skycouch will receive seat cushions and bedding, and the airline also provides a specially designed circular seatbelt for lying down, which flight attendants will explain how to use after boarding to keep guests safe during the cruise.
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The last wool in economy class has caught the attention of airlines In contrast, Hainan Airlines only added the words "can be laid flat" to its price list, but its service has not kept pace.
The last wool in economy class has caught the attention of airlines. By doing so, they have also left the most difficult part to be handled by the flight attendants.
Economy class's last free perk is now in the sights of airlines Waking up sleeping passengers can easily trigger complaints, while allowing other passengers to use empty rows for free may make those who have paid feel shortchanged. Different flight attendants may have slightly different standards, making the rules seem sometimes lenient and sometimes strict.
The last wool in economy class has caught the attention of airlines A more appropriate approach would be to uniformly inform passengers of the remaining quantity and price before the cabin lights are turned off.
The last wool in economy class has caught the attention of airlines Airlines can open up sales through in-flight mini-programs, and after a transaction is made, a clear sign will be placed on the seat. What passengers buy is not just an empty seat, but also includes products suitable for lying down, as well as clear safety instructions.
Economy class's last wool, being eyed by airlines This way, flight attendants don't have to wait for passengers to fall asleep before enforcing the rules, and those who haven't paid can know the boundaries in advance.
The Last Wool in Economy Class Has Caught the Attention of Airlines From the industry trend, economy class sleep solutions will be further segmented.
The last wool in economy class has caught the attention of airlines. In November this year, Air New Zealand plans to launch Skynest, where economy class passengers can pay 495 New Zealand dollars to rest in a real sleeping pod for four hours. United Airlines is also preparing to introduce Relax Row, which can be converted into a sofa bed, starting from 2027.
Economy Class's Last Wool, Caught in the Eyes of Airlines Skynest, Shared Sleeping Berths on Planes
Economy Class's Last Wool, Being Eyed by Airlines In the future, what airlines sell to passengers on long-haul flights may not just be a seat from takeoff to landing, but also opportunities to charge for sleep duration and space occupancy.
The last wool in economy class has caught the attention of airlines. A friend later told me that he didn't actually mind spending money to buy a block of three seats, but what he couldn't accept was being woken up after already falling asleep, only to be informed of the rules.
The last bit of free perks in economy class is being targeted by airlines Perhaps in-flight free reclining will really disappear, but after airlines take away this privilege, they should at least leave paying passengers with relatively decent space and service.