Business class opens to masses as affordable refuge from Covid

Business class was that silent and spacious sanctuary for the well-heeled, at least until the pandemic destroyed global aviation. But as flights creep back, this once-exclusive haven is being invaded, by the masses. Flush with cash and a record number of air miles after a year on the ground, leisure travelers are splurging on premium seats for their first trips back. They’re not just after the plated food, champagne and little cosmetics that typically come with the higher fares. Rather, they’re trying to minimize the risk of catching Covid in the cheek-to-cheek jostle of coach. The popularity of these lucrative seats -- especially among passengers who’d usually shoehorn into economy -- is an unexpected boon for airlines weathering a crisis that’s forecast to have cost them a staggering $174b in losses by the end of 2021. As vaccinations roll out at pace in the Middle East, the UK and the US, free-spending vacationers are emerging as a new market to exploit for carriers desperate to claw back revenue. There’s every chance these people will become permanent residents up the pointy end. Carriers from Deutsche Lufthansa AG to Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. are now starting to question whether business travel as the world once knew it will ever return to pre-crisis levels. That means for the next few years at least, there’ll be a steady supply of premium-class seats priced to sell to the general public -- for cash, loyalty points or a mix of both.<br/>