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I don’t think you’re likely to see a significant change to the flying experience (at least not for the better) as long as most customers continue to prefer the
by notatoad 3y ago
I don’t think you’re likely to see a significant change to the flying experience (at least not for the better) as long as most customers continue to prefer the cheapest, most terrible option.
Maybe somebody succeeds with a delta-wing design, but the highest-profit configuration will still be to make the seats as cheap and terrible as possible.
- rgmerk 3y agoThere is a demand for more luxurious aircraft travel, but at the moment it's too costly to provide. If BWBs become a thing, maybe the value of cabin space will decrease to the point where paying for a business class - or even premium economy - seat for long-haul travel is attractive for more people. I did some Googling and apparently the base price ratio for business class to economy class is about 3.6 to 1. Some of that is all the other frippery - lounge access, priority baggage, better food, more personal service etc. etc. So at a rough guess providing just the bigger seat would attract a premium of maybe 3x economy class. At the moment, New York-London with United is about $600 and business maybe $1800-$2000 (so perhaps a little bit under the expected premium, but in the ballpark). For most people, an extra $1400 is a big ask. But imagine a world where the economy flight is $200 and business class $700. I suspect a lot more people would choose business class in those circumstances.
- 6yyyyyy 3y agoSome of the people who currently fly economy would start flying business, but a huge number of people who are currently taking Greyhound buses, driving, or choosing not to travel at all, would start flying economy.