On Facebook, Thai Airways launched its new Premium Economy Plus class and it’s comparable to business class, but details are scant, and questions abound.
Thai Airways Premium Economy Plus
In an announcement on Facebook, Thai Airways launched a new product specifically (for now, we assume) to destinations in India. Called Premium Economy Plus, the new section is closer to business class than to economy.
Thai Airways currently offers Economy, Premium Economy, Premium Economy Plus (on the associated flights), Business Class, and First Class. One additional distinction is that it appears to offer a small lounge in the front of the cabin but details about that aspect of the experience are not included in the post.
It remains unclear as to what the pricing may be, whether this is bookable using Royal Orchid points, or Star Alliance partner miles. The airline has not indicated whether lounge access is included, priority boarding, nor luggage allowance. One objective this distinction certainly achieves is that companies with booking restrictions (who do not allow its employees to book Business or First Class) can secure a lie flat without raising flags.
A Rose By Any Other Name
This same product is marketed as Business Class by other airlines. The product appears to be the same herringbone design as offered on older Virgin Atlantic equipment and still offered on Air New Zealand business classes. Matthew reviewed the Virgin Atlantic Upper Class version on a 787-9 and didn’t love it for business class, but as an elevated Premium Economy class, the impression might be different.
Most flyers would define a lie-flat product as Business Class regardless of what comes with it or what does not. Delta Air Lines has plans for a Basic Business Class that sheds the associated benefits like included checked luggage allowances, access to lounges, and other perks, but still offers the seat.
Other airlines like American, Air France, Virgin Atlantic, and JetBlue have begun utilizing expanded space at the front of the cabin bulkhead for elevated Business Class offerings above the standard. In First Class we see distinctions for exceptional products like Singapore Suites Class or Etihad’s The Residence.
This would be yet another segmentation but the first, to my knowledge, in the Premium Economy cabin. It’s Business Class by another name.
Facebook Launch But Nowhere Else
Skeptical as this industry makes travel writers, it’s curious that this launch on the official Thai Airways facebook page seems to be the only mention of the product roll out. Upon searching, there’s no press release I could find, no other announcements typically associated with a new product launch.
Thai Airways didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
The post (linked here) appears to be genuine and consistent with other marketing from the brand. However, the lack of additional content leads one to believe that this may have been launched earlier than expected.
Conclusion
Thai Airways may have launched the most enviable Premium Economy class in the world complete with a true lie flat seat, and walk-up onboard lounge. It’s limited to flights between Bangkok and the Indian subcontinent. Details remain unclear and unconfirmed though it appeared on a verified Thai Airways social media channel. Whether we begin to see further segmentation of yet another cabin on an airplane is anyone’s guess, but it makes sense that some would pay a premium over standard Premium Economy for this product.
What do you think?
I’ve paid for and flying Virgin Atlantic Upper Class in a 787 London to LA. These Premium Economy seats are the same. Geez!
Looking at the seats , appears they hate disabled people , who could never negotiate them .
Surely, that’s an ex-Virgin plane with the signature Virgin bar in place?
This is odd. These feel like rendered/photoshopped images using Virgin’s business class with slight alterations to the Thai logo placed on the seats. Since it seems not to have launched yet I doubt they even have the seats installed etc. Kinda shady in my opinion. Just have a low level designer use AI to create images from Virgin seats with Thai people and logos on them.
Male pax in the photo looks like he emits “dog-breath” , having never washed his teeth and never shaved .
This was a really unpopular business class seat derisively called the coffin. Thai leased the planes that previously flew with Virgin. Calling it business class would be really bad for their image, so they are calling it PE plus and putting it on low yielding markets at the end of the month. The low key Facebook only announcement is probably because they are not going to pay for an expensive new product rollout campaign.
I flew Thai Airways from Bangkok to Karachi in business class a couple weeks ago (early September) in business class.
It was these seats exactly.
They’ve taken a sub-par business class and renamed it. If they also charge a sub-business class price, then good on them. Virgin Atlantic and Air NZ have similar J in some planes and expect you to pay full J prices.
“Premium Economy Plus”. What’s next, ultra basic plus extra? Those seats do look like a premium economy plus seat, though. Business gives you more personal space, privacy, and service, while First will get you the best of the best.
It will all depend on how they price these old Virgin “upper class” seats.