Emirates is testing the offering which also asks Business Class passengers to trade-off seat selection and upgrades for a fare discounted by around 10% on advertised Business Saver fares, and up to 30% on Business Flex bookings.
Emirates is now offering a discounted ticket for Business Class passengers – but only for those who give up perks like chauffeur drive and lounge access.
Emirates is testing the offering which also asks Business Class passengers to trade-off seat selection and upgrades for a fare discounted by around 10% on advertised Business Saver fares, and up to 30% on Business Flex bookings.
However, these discounted tickets won’t be offered across all Emirates flights or to all destinations and will be based on seasonal trends in travel demand.
Additionally, Business Special fares are available only for a direct purchase – Emirates Skywards Miles can’t be used to access this low-cost fare.
In a comment on the move, CAPA, the Centre for Aviation, noted, “It is too early to see how the market responds to these changes. Whether this is a revolution or simple evolution remains to be seen.
“What is for sure, it highlights that no part of the airline system is immune from disruption. It just sometimes requires a bold decision by airline management to take an alternative path and abandon those risk-averse strategies that have dominated airline boardrooms for so long.”